Chasing Catawba Falls (and Other Trails Close to Old Fort)

Catawba Falls

Trailhead: 3074 Catawba River Rd (closest to I-40 Exit 73)

This is the hike most people come for, and it’s easy to see why. The trail follows the Catawba River for about a mile and a half, crossing footbridges and passing old stone walls, until you reach Lower Catawba Falls tumbling down the mountain in a long run of cascades.

The trail reopened in May 2024 after a two-year rebuild that added boardwalks, staircases and overlooks. We’re proud that the work was done by Tag Contracting, a small business right here in Old Fort. If you want a longer day, you can turn it into a loop of about 3.5 miles by connecting to the Ridge Trail.

The full Catawba Falls loop trail is open. After Hurricane Helene, the upper viewing platform and the Wildflower Trail are still closed, and repair work will continue through the spring and summer. Take extra care on the trail, follow all posted signs and check the U.S. Forest Service’s Catawba Falls page before you head out.

Local tips: Come early or on a weekday, when the parking lot is calmer. Wear shoes with good grip, since rocks near the water stay slick. And please stay on the trail. The rocks around the falls have hurt a lot of people over the years.

Point Lookout Trail

This trail follows an old piece of US-70 that has been closed to cars since 1982. It runs about 3.75 miles from the Old Fort Picnic Area up to Ridgecrest, climbing roughly 900 to 1,000 feet along the way. Because it’s paved and wide, it works well for walkers, runners and bikers, and it’s open year-round. It’s also part of the Fonta Flora State Trail, which is slowly being pieced together across the region.

Kitsuma Peak Trail

Mountain bikers know this one well. It starts near Ridgecrest and switchbacks up to Kitsuma Peak, where you’ll get views toward Mount Mitchell. From the top, it’s a fast 2.8-mile ride down to the Old Fort Picnic Area. Climb back up Point Lookout and you’ve got a loop of about 10 miles.

Foothills Watershed

Address: 655 Catawba River Rd

This 117-acre property along the Catawba River, about two miles downstream from the falls, mixes mountain bike trails, a taproom and a barbecue kitchen. The dirt jumps, kids’ pump track, river and pond are free to use, and the trails across the river take a paid day pass. Everyone riding or getting in the water needs a signed waiver. Trails open Wednesday through Sunday at 11 a.m., or as early as 7 a.m. if you book online at least 24 hours ahead. Visit Foothills Watershed’s website for passes and bike rentals.

Camp Grier

Address: 985 Camp Grier Rd

You don’t have to be a summer camper to enjoy Camp Grier. Their equestrian center offers guided horseback trail rides for beginners and experienced riders, and families are welcome. They also offer mountain bike lessons and guided rides with certified coaches.

Outdoor events worth planning around

• Old Fort Trails and Trains Festival (early June): live music, a fly-fishing film tour and a family trail quest
• Jerdon Mountain Challenge (July): a 28.5-mile mountain bike ride
• Pisgah Enduro (August): a one-day race hosted at Camp Grier

For dates, times and what’s coming up next, check the Explore Old Fort events calendar. We update it often, so check back before every visit.

Before you go

• Check the Forest Service page for Catawba Falls closures
• Book ahead for Foothills Watershed
• Bring water and snacks; there’s no store at the trailheads
• Grab lunch or a cold drink downtown afterward

How Old Fort Got Its Name: A Short Walk Through Town History

The fort on Mill Creek

In 1776, colonial militia built a fort on land owned by a settler named Samuel Davidson. Davidson’s Fort sat on Mill Creek at the far western edge of North Carolina, right up against Cherokee lands. For a while it was one of the last outposts before the frontier.

The original fort is long gone, but local volunteers have built a replica at Davidson’s Fort Historic Park (140 Bud Hogan Dr). It’s open the third Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is by donation. Watch for special weekends like the 18th Century Market Faire, when re-enactors fill the grounds and you can get a real feel for frontier life.

From Catawba Vale to Old Fort

When the railroad came through in the 1800s, the little settlement around the old fort started to grow. A depot and a hotel went up, and in 1872 the town was incorporated under the name Catawba Vale. That name lasted about a year. In 1873, folks made it official: this place would be called Old Fort.

The railroad and the people who built it

The railroad climb over Old Fort Mountain is one of the steepest in the East, and the people who built it paid a heavy price. Much of the work was done by incarcerated men, many of them Black men jailed under unjust laws. More than 100 of them died during construction. It’s a hard part of our story, and an important one to remember when you look up at those tracks.

One tribute to those workers is Andrews Geyser (2111 Mill Creek Rd), a short drive up the mountain. The railroad built the first fountain around 1885 at its Round Knob Hotel so passengers had something to look at on the long climb. It ran on gravity alone, fed by a mountain spring, and could shoot water as high as 80 feet. After the hotel burned in 1903, New York banker George Fisher Baker rebuilt it and named it for his friend Alexander Boyd Andrews, a railroad vice president.

Hurricane Helene damaged the geyser in 2024, and it isn’t running right now. It’s still a pretty, quiet spot, and the plaque there tells the story.

The Arrowhead Monument

Right in front of the Old Fort Train Depot (25 W Main St) stands a 14.5-foot pink granite arrowhead. It was first put up to honor the town’s founders. Today it stands for peace between early settlers and the Cherokee and Catawba people who lived here long before them. Walk around it and you’ll find a dedication plaque on one side and a carved profile on another.

The Mountain Gateway Museum

If you only have an hour for history, spend it at the Mountain Gateway Museum (78-C Catawba Ave). It tells the story of mountain life in Western North Carolina, from the earliest people here through the frontier days and into modern times. Admission is free.

The museum’s longtime stone building on Water Street is being repaired after Helene, so for now it’s in a temporary space on Catawba Avenue. Current hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum also hosts Pioneer Day, a free festival with mountain crafts, music, farm demonstrations and games for kids.