Hike Description

From the NC 281 trailhead, follow FR 5077 along the contour. You’ll pass three small streams. At the first one, look upstream to see a waterfall. Beyond the third stream, the road begins to climb gradually. You’ll come to FR 5077B, which cuts sharply back to the left. Continue straight on FR 5077 and swing around a broad ridge. At 1.45 miles you’ll come to a fork. The road going left is, I believe, FR 5077A. You want to go right, remaining on FR 5077. In a few hundred feet, FR 5077 turns left and descends, while FR 9999 continues straight. You want to go left and remain on FR 5077.

You’ll soon exit the woods and begin passing through an open field that is growing back. Look to the left to see a cool beaver dam. You’ll see more dams and ponds all along the field. Towards the end of the field, you need to cross Miser Creek. Come prepared to wade. Shortly beyond the creek crossing, you’ll leave the open area and enter the woods. In a few yards, an old road cuts sharply left. Turn right. A little farther is an old road on the right. I think it is FR 9999, but I haven’t checked it. Continue straight. You’ll soon exit the woods into another field and cross a small branch immediately below another beaver dam. This one will be a wade, too. Just beyond the branch is a fork in the field. The left fork is FR 9999, which leads to the trailhead on Tanasee Gap Road. Note that the fork may not be obvious during winter. Look for a walnut tree straight ahead, just beyond the fork.

To see Bernies Falls, swing around to the right of the walnut tree, and look for another old road turning off to the right. Follow this road back into the woods and alongside Miser Creek. Expect to slog through some muddy areas along the road. Remain on the old road until you cross a little branch that runs across the road. Shortly beyond the branch you’ll come right alongside Miser Creek. At this point, look for the easiest way to cross the creek to the river-right side. There are paths all over the place, but it’s easy enough to cross most anywhere.

After you reach the river-right side, you should be able to follow an obvious path along the creek to the top of a huge cliff. Be careful here, as this is the top of Bernies Falls. The waterfall begins with a short drop that is not visible from the base. Swing around to the right on the path and meet up with an old overgrown logging road. It may not be obvious as such, but if you follow the path of least resistance, you should be okay. Turn left on the old road (or really, just keep following the most obvious path) and follow it a short distance to the obvious path on the left next to a good-sized maple tree. This path cuts sharply back to the left and descends very steeply to the middle of the waterfall.

To see Bernies Falls from the Tanasee Gap Road trailhead, follow FR 9999 less than 0.2 mile to a wide spot where the road starts to descend. (The route to Double Branch Falls goes to the left from here into the woods.) Continue on the old logging road and descend to an indistinct fork in a little over 0.1 mile. The left fork will get you there quicker, but it’s steeper, very overgrown, and you might get lost on the way. Go right and you’ll reach a sharp left switchback in about 0.2 mile. Another old, indistinct logging road goes straight here, but you want to turn left and stay with FR 9999. In less than 0.25 mile, you’ll come to a sharp right switchback. Turn right. In about 0.1 mile, you’ll see an obvious side path on the left. Descend on this path 25 yards to Parker Creek.

An old logging grade follows Parker Creek downstream on river left and provides access to John Neal Falls. But to see Bernies Falls, you need to cross the creek and continue following FR 9999. Ascend moderately, then descend slightly, then climb steeply a short distance to reach an open field in 0.75 mile from the creek. The final steep push is on a path rerouted from the old logging road. Ascend through the field, then descend to reenter woods in 145 yards. Continue descend for 220 yards to a T. Go left and cross a small stream, in 15 yards. You’ll enter another field just beyond the stream and renter the woods in 135 yards. From here, it is about 0.7 mile to a T in a field.

To the right is a crossing of Miser Creek. To the left is a walnut tree. Go left, swing around the walnut tree, and take the old road on the left that enters the woods. Follow this road alongside Miser Creek. Expect to slog through some muddy areas. Remain on the old road until you cross a little branch that runs across the road. Shortly beyond the branch you’ll come right alongside Miser Creek. At this point, look for the easiest way to cross the creek to the river-right side. There are paths all over the place, but it’s easy enough to cross most anywhere.

After you reach the river-right side, you should be able to follow an obvious path along the creek to the top of a huge cliff. Be careful here, as this is the top of Bernies Falls. The waterfall begins with a short drop that is not visible from the base. Swing around to the right on the path and meet up with an old overgrown logging road. It may not be obvious as such, but if you follow the path of least resistance, you should be okay. Turn left on the old road (or really, just keep following the most obvious path) and follow it a short distance to the obvious path on the left next to a good-sized maple tree. This path cuts sharply back to the left and descends very steeply to the middle of the waterfall.