A Wonderland to Explore
Just opened in 2018, Headwaters State Forest created 6,730 acres of new public land, featuring unbroken forests, beautiful waterfalls, and pristine trout streams. While much of this state forest is rugged, remote, and even trail-less, this hike gives you an opportunity to reach a beautiful waterfall with only a two-mile easy hike.
As you visit this waterfall, it is awe-inspiring to reflect that this new state forest adjoins over 100,000 acres of protected land in North and South Carolina—a vast conservation corridor for wildlife. The forest is open for hiking, hunting, and fishing. It is home to numerous rare or endangered plants and animals and the headwaters of more than 50 miles of crystal-clear streams that flow into the French Broad River.
Conserving Carolina is thrilled that we were able to play a role in protecting this mountain wonderland, along with our conservation partners, notably The Conservation Fund.
This hike is part of Conserving Carolina’s White Squirrel Hiking Challenge 8, which takes you to 8 amazing hikes on protected land. Take the challenge to discover some great places!
Location: South of Rosman, NC
Length: 4.1 mile loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 666 feet
Great For: Hiking, Running, Dog Walking
Getting There
The trailhead is a small gravel parking lot off of Glady Fork Road, in Transylvania County. GPS users may enter N35.083594, W82.767072 in their units. Or use this link to Google Maps.
The Hike
Click here for a link to AllTrails.
Click here for the full trail map of Headwaters State Forest.
Starting at the parking lot off of Glady Fork Road, using caution, follow Glady Fork Road south for about 0.4 miles to the parking lot/access to the Sassafras Mountain Trail.
From this parking lot, follow the trail that goes straight, more to the left (not the trail to the right, that trail is the Sassafras Mountain Trail). There are no blazes and no trail markers on this route, however, it is a wide, easy to follow trail.
At about 0.7 miles, stay straight when you see a trail intersection on your right. At about 1.1 miles, stay straight when you see a trail intersection on your left. Continuing on this trail, at about 2 miles, you will be near the summit of White Oak Mountain and the trail you are on will start to parallel the Sassafras to Caesars Head Spur Trail (a spur of the Foothills Trail). Your trail will parallel the spur trail for about 0.8 miles before veering left (north west) and away from the spur trail.
At 2.9 miles, stay straight when you see a trail intersection on your right. At 3.1 miles, stay straight when you see a trail intersection on your left. At 4.1 miles, you will come to a kiosk indicating that you are very close to your car and the parking area!
Veer to the left here, by passing the trail on your right and crossing the bridge over the creek (South Prong Glady Fork) to reach the parking lot.
Headwaters State Forest Trail Ethics
- Headwaters State Forest is open daily from 5AM to 10PM.
- Pets must be leashed and under control at all times.
- Remove all waste, including pet waste.
- Trails are for hiking only.
- No e-bikes or motorized travel are allowed.
- Stay on the trail at all times.
- No camping or campfires.
- Alcohol and illegal controlled substances are prohibited.
- No collecting of any flora, fauna, rocks, or any other natural items.
- Park in designated locations only.
How Conserving Carolina Helped Create Headwaters State Forest
Imagine our excitement when the owner of one of the largest private landholdings in the Southern Appalachians reached out to us! In 2009, former Congressman Charles Taylor contacted Conserving Carolina about potentially selling his family’s land for conservation. The family owned a vast tract of forest land with exceptional conservation potential—for recreation, water quality, wildlife habitat and more. We knew we would need partners to protect a property of that size and brought in a national organization, The Conservation Fund, which became the lead partner on this project.
It took nearly a decade of persistence and dedication to complete the deal, but in 2018 we celebrated the opening of the incredible 6,730-acre Headwaters State Forest. This forever-protected land features beautiful waterfalls, pristine trout streams, and rare mountain bogs. Adjacent to more than 100,000 acres of protected land in North and South Carolina, Headwaters helps to provide an unbroken conservation corridor for both people and wildlife. The forest is open for hiking, hunting, and fishing, and it borders a nine-mile stretch of the Foothills Trail. It is home to numerous rare or endangered plants and animals, including native brook trout and hellbender salamanders. And its namesake headwaters of 50+ miles of crystal-clear streams flow into the French Broad River. Learn more about Headwaters.
BECOME A CONSERVING CAROLINA MEMBER!
Take the White Squirrel Hiking Challenge!
This hike is part of White Squirrel Hiking Challenge 8—an opportunity to explore eight great hikes, all in places that Conserving Carolina has helped to protect. Take all eight hikes and earn your White Squirrel patch!
