What's New at Dupont State Forest

By Krysta Daniels


As of April 12, 2010 all of North Carolina's DuPont State Forest roads and trails are officially open. Forest Supervisor David Brown wrote a press release on their website that updated what changes and improvements have been made. He stated, ”the winter of 2009-10 was wetter and colder than any winter in recent years.” Unfortunately there was a serious problem with the ice storm debris. The debris left the trails very hazardous and dangerous for pedestrians to travel on.

Since the first of March, DSF staff, BRIDGE crews and volunteers have worked to clear the debris. What hikers and people walking through the trails need to understand is that this clean up does not mean that the trailers are completely free of hazardous. Brown said, “visitors to the forest must always be aware of their surroundings, and watch for hazards when recreating in the forest.”

Other things that are going on at Dupont State Forest are photos taken by J. Jennings that are now on the website.


















Some of the attractions include Triple Falls, High Falls, Hooker Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Grassy Creek Falls, Wintergreen Falls, Stone Mountain and Cedar Rock Mountain.

Triple Falls can be found while walking upstream of the popular Hooker Falls parking lot on Station Road. High Falls is give or take 15 minutes farther upstream from Triple Falls, the terrain is more moderate. Hooker Falls drops off an 11’ ledge directly into Cascade Lake. Hooker Falls is a 6 minute downstream from Hooker Falls parking lot. Bridal Veil Falls has a very unique aspect to it, it’s a 4’ tall overhanging ledge on the upper section, and a long, shallow whitewater section, and a long, shallow whitewater incline along the lower section. This Fall would take a much longer hike or even ride in order to visit it. Wintergreen Falls on the other hand is a 20’ cascade on the Grassy Creek, Wintergreen offers solitude on the Henderson County side of the Forest. Grassy Creek Falls spills down a shallow inclined slab in a verdant cove not far from the High Falls bridge.

Cedar Rock Mountain on the other hand is a different story then when we were talking about waterfalls. Cedar is tiny but the hundreds of acres of exposed granite make this dome a popular destination for cyclists and hikers. Stone Mountain would be a type of route you would take if you are looking for exercise and lots of it. You can take a long route from Old CCC Road. up to Stone Mountain, where the Forest’s highest point reaches 3600 feet. The granite dome offers a 180 degree vista over the Forest during spring, summer, and fall, with nearly 360 degree views during the winter.

These are just a few things you can do at DuPont State Forest and I am sure you can come with many on your own. If you are ever in the North Carolina area, visit this park, you will never forget it.

To learn more visit the site.