Jackie Steffan — 4.5 miles — 2.5 hours — Moderate — 1079′ elevation gain —
The Rock Creek Falls trail is truly a hidden gem. It’s not far at all from Erwin, has multiple beautiful waterfalls, gives you a work-out, and is a fairly short time commitment. Rock Creek Recreation Area also has other lovely amenities for families, such as a playground, creek-fed swimming pond, picnic areas, bathhouses, and camping.
Getting There
From I-26
- Take Exit 36, and turn towards downtown Erwin
- Turn right at the first light onto Hwy 107
- In 0.5 mile, turn left at first light onto Rock Creek Road
- Continue 3.1 miles, then turn left into Rock Creek Recreation Area
- After stopping by the entrance kiosk to pay the $2 entrance fee, continue on, and park near the bathhouse and pond area. If you pass the station back to the camping areas, you’ve gone too far.
The Hike
From the parking lot near the bathhouse area, walk towards the campground area, through the camping road entrance station. The trailhead will start shortly on the left. The trail will start with a green blaze, along a pretty stream bed.
After about 0.4 mile, you will reach a bridge, which crosses Rock Creek. Before going over the bridge, turn right onto the Rock Creek Falls trail. Now you will follow the blue blazes. In 0.2 mile, keep right to continue on Rock Creek Falls trail, again, not going over the bridge.
You will have 4 stream crossings to navigate on this section of the trail. This section with the stream crossings also has a sneaky 700′ elevation gain. We’ve never had any issues with the stream crossings, since there are well placed rocks to hop across. The last bit of the trail is another 300′ elevation gain though, which is much less sneaky.
After 1.3 miles from the bridge, you will reach the first waterfall. This is 30′ Lower Rock Creek Falls, with a short, somewhat steep, spur to the base. If you go at the right time of year (typically mid-to-late July timeframe), there are plenty of rhododendrons blooming in this section.
You might be tempted to stop here, but there is another equally wonderful waterfall another 0.2 mile further down the trail. The trail will dead-end into Rock Creek Falls, so you can’t miss it! This waterfall is an impressive 50′, cascading into a small pool, and is surrounded by cliffs above you.
Once you’ve enjoyed the view, rest, and snack, simply re-trace your steps back to the parking lot.
