North Carolina Trip: Day 5 - Asheville and Drive Back to Raleigh

I woke up a bit under the weather. The neighbors nearby were out late chatting, so I could not sleep for a while. I had a few eggs for breakfast, packed my bag and checked out. My first destination was Catawba Falls Trail. I didn't really think much about it as I planned the trip, but it exceeded my expectations. In fact, this probably was one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've seen.

The trail itself was just over 2 miles round trip. Very easy and accessible to hike for anyone. On a Monday morning, there were only 3 cars in the gigantic parking lot besides mine. The trail was fully shaded. It was chilly, so I had to wear my heavier jacket.

The trail was rather mysterious from the very beginning...

I soon approached the old building...

It used to be a power house...

In a little while, I reached the stream...

...and the lower level of the waterfall.

I was finally there, and the picture just can't show how incredible it was...

I snapped a picture of myself, spent a few more minutes just staring at the water and hiked back to the trail head.

On the way back, I debated whether I should go back to Hawksbill Mountain Trail that had no parking available last time or stick to my plan and do a more boring trail nearby Pisgah Point Lookout Trail. After some consideration, I decided to stick to my plan, but kept Hawksbill in the back of my mind.

I arrived at the trailhead which was more of a side-of-the-street parking lot. The trail was fully paved (I knew that ahead of time - research!), but something just didn't feel right about it. There were two other cars parked there. I started the hike. The trail descended gradually, and there were not much of a view in the beginning. As I finished the first mile, I came across two benches that just looked spectacular in front of beautiful scenery.

The trail continued to go downhill. There was not a soul on a Monday morning. Kind of eerie, actually.

Ahead of me I saw a strangely acting man. Already not feeling awfully comfortable there (I really can't explain why...), I decided to turn around and head back. That idea to go to Hawksbill Mountain now really felt like a missed opportunity. An opportunity that I was not going to miss.

I got back to my car, ate half of a Kind bar and drove an hour and a half to Hawksbill Mountain trail head. I was worried that parking situation would be the same, but as I arrived there, I found several cars only. I knew I made the right decision and now felt at ease.

In just a mile, the trail gained almost 700 ft. Steep, but certainly doable. I was excited to see what was waiting for me at the top. The view exceeded my expectations. This was one of the best views I've ever seen.

I stayed there for a while. It was just me and another couple, so I had the mountain pretty much to myself. This was a wonderful conclusion to the trip. I celebrated my decision to return to the trail and promised that I would be back soon in the future.

I liked Asheville with its crystal clear waterfalls, clean air, and affordable lifestyle. 

I got back to my car and drove about two and a half hours to my AirBnb in Raleigh. I stopped at Trader Joe's on the way to get dinner. The AirBnb was the cheapest I've booked during this trip, and I knew that it won't be roses and sunshine. It sort of met my expectations, but with pre-travel-day anxiety and Raleigh traffic right outside the window, I could hardly sleep. I got up after a petty attempt around 2 AM the next morning, took a shower and headed to the airport. It was sad to return my car, but I was ready to go home. The rest of the trip was uneventful, and by lunchtime on Tuesday I was home. 

Lessons learned:

1) the change in time zone kicks your butt;

2) don't schedule more than 10 miles a day hiking, especially if it's multiple trails;

3) do the most popular trails either on the weekdays or really early on weekends;

4) stop buying so much food!