Some people don’t like websites like this or books like North Carolina Waterfalls. They think such information causes harm by bringing more people into the wilderness, and that those people will destroy the very reason the wilderness is so appealing in the first place. I agree with that reasoning to a point and I admit to having mixed feelings about some of the information I have divulged. But it is evident to me that people have an insatiable desire to get outdoors and experience everything they can, and they are looking for as much information as they can find about places to go and things to see. With the advent of the Internet and the popularity of self-publishing, this knowledge is at their fingertips. Unfortunately, while there are many good websites and self-published books out there, some of them provide information that is inaccurate at best and dangerous for both people and the environment at worst. My goal is to present the most accurate information possible and to do it in a manner that fosters environmental stewardship.

As popular as outdoor recreation already is, I think we need to encourage more people to go outside. That’s the only way we can protect the natural areas we have left. As for the skeptics, I ask, how can you expect people to support environmental legislation if they never experience nature? Yes, books and websites like mine mean some trails might become overcrowded. But the answer to overcrowding in the wilderness is not to keep people out. The answer is to create more wilderness.

Nature guidebooks and websites serve another useful purpose besides exposing people to the outdoors. They inform readers how to have the least impact on the environment. For instance, most hiking guides published today include detailed information about leave-no-trace camping. As a teenager, I had never heard of that phrase. I learned leave-no-trace camping from a hiking guidebook. Seasoned hikers sometimes don’t understand that most people don’t have a clue what to do once they get thirty yards from the car. They need and want information that will help them. Properly written outdoor guidebooks and websites provide that information.

As I said, my goal is to equip people with detailed and accurate information so they can enjoy waterfalls and wilderness while taking care to preserve them for those who follow. I don’t think excluding a lot of waterfalls or evading honest information for the sake of political correctness is the way to go about this. Some people already know about many of these places and those they don’t know about will appear soon enough on someone’s website. So, in most cases I think it’s best to provide the information myself as accurately as possible.

That said, if you think I’m telling you everything I know about the waterfalls of North Carolina, think again. I’ve visited and discovered dozens of beautiful waterfalls that are located in pristine natural settings. Places where you can’t find any sign of human disturbance. Many of these waterfalls support rare plants in the spray zones. Few, if any people know about these waterfalls and I intend to keep it that way. In cases such as this, where the waterfalls are remote, unlikely to be discovered, and often in an environmentally sensitive setting, it would be unethical to introduce them to the masses.

Having environmental awareness is important no matter where you go in the outdoors. Generalizations can be made, such as don’t litter and don’t take a soap bath in a creek, but the information you need to minimize your impact is largely dependant on the specific type of environment you’re visiting. I encourage everyone to study the environmental circumstances wherever you go. When visiting waterfalls, two specific situations occur that you should be aware of.

Soil Erosion on the Mountain Slopes Near Waterfalls
Waterfalls often occur in steep ravines that are covered in a thin soil layer. Probably the most damaging thing you can do at a waterfall is to climb on the banks and dislodge the soil. Try to stay on the main paths. Nature photographers particularly should think about this, since they often climb around to find the best vantage point. After taking a picture of the waterfall and packing up your gear, take a glance back at your shooting spot. Does it look like you’ve been there?

Impact on Rare Plants of the Spray Cliff Natural Community
Plants blanket the southern Appalachians and it’s impossible to hike through the woods without trampling a few, but you should be extra careful around waterfalls. That’s because a sensitive ecosystem called the “spray cliff natural community” exists at many falls. Several species of rare plants grow on the cliffs in the waterfall spray zone, most of which require botanical knowledge to identify. It’s best to treat all plants growing near waterfalls with extra care. That means no rock-hopping on moss-covered boulders and no grabbing hold of that clump of ferns on the rock wall to maintain your balance.