Panthertown Valley

[shoot-the-falls]

Just found this forum by following a bunch of click-thrus – looking for advice.
I’ve spent alot of time in the NC mtns, primarily day hikes and car camping. Now it’s time to graduate to back country and overnighters. A couple of my buddies and I are planning a 2-3 day trip in he Panthertown Valley area – looking for any advice or tips anyone here can provide. Thanks in advance.

[BirdShooter]

Panthertown Valley is a great place. A few tips:

1. Make sure you get a map. There are tons of intersecting trails, and nothing is marked. Check in Cashiers where there is a small hiking store.

2. Watch out for Rattlesnakes. I’ve seen three here in the last two years.

3. Checkout Schoolhouse Falls. You can actually walk behind this waterfall and there is a nice pool for swimming in front of it.

Some possible trips and photos are at this link. Scan down to Panthertown Valley for hikes to Big Green Mountain, Granny Burrell Falls, Greenland Creek Falls, Panthertown Creek (via Salt Rock Gap), Panthertown Creek (via Cold Mountain Gap), Tuckasegee River:

https://n2backpacking.com/my_hikes/north_carolina/destinations_nc.htm

[BirdShooter]

P.S. The store in Cashiers is called the Happy Hiker.

[shoot-the-falls]

Thanks for the reply; I’ve bought a copy of Burt Kornegay’s map – Got compass, map and lots of time. Think I’ve got as good a feel for the area as I can without visiting yet; we’ll see once we arrive.

Looking forward to bagging each of the falls in the area – we’re hooking together most of the loops to hit all of them during the trip.

Rattlesnakes – aside from not getting bit, any hints for dealing with that??

Tony

[BirdShooter]

Let us know how it goes. As far at the Rattlesnakes, not one of them shook their rattle when we came up on them. Stay on the main trails, take a hiking stick, and keep a watchful eye. Cashiers, Toxaway, and Highlands are close by so there’s plenty of help nearby if you need it – which I doubt you will.

[Lost2gether]

Good luck with Panthertown Valley!

A group of 4 of us went in the valley from Caishers last Halloween. We were wanting to travel down a bit and just come back out for a hour or so of hiking. We ended up running the last bit of it as the sun was coming down and we didn’t want to get caught out in the woods after dark on Halloween….best of all, we didn’t have a single Flashlight!!! haha

All in all, it was one of the best trails I’ve ever done. We went up and over a mountain, walked alongside a beautiful waterfall, Came to a point on top of the mountain and looked out at the whole valley, walked between perfect rows of huge pine trees. It was just beautiful! We definitely plan on going back and doing it again when we can stay the night. I just definitely suggest taking a map so you don’t get off on the wrong trail like we did. There are intersecting trails all over the place!

Have fun, and be sure to post lots of pictures and such when you complete it!

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