Forest Service opens parking lot for Catawba Falls near Old Fort, N.C.

The U.S. Forest Service today announced the completion of a parking area near Catawba Falls that gives visitors easy access to the scenic waterway.

“Visitors to Catawba Falls have sought easy access to the area for years,” said John Crockett, ranger of the Grandfather District, Pisgah National Forest. “I am pleased that we are able to provide access and parking to this popular area, so visitors will be able to enjoy its beauty for generations to come.”

Visitors can now leave their vehicles at the parking lot, located off Catawba River Road in Old Fort, N.C., and make the short walk to Catawba Falls. The parking lot holds approximately 30 cars.

This opening will allow the public to use the area immediately, although the restroom facility will not be installed until sometime in June. The Forest Service plans to have a grand opening at a later date.

The parking lot is constructed on a small piece of an 88-acre tract, which was acquired by the Forest Service in 2010 from the Foothills Conservancy. Funding for the land purchase came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

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About Margaret Williams
Editor Margaret Williams first wrote for Xpress in 1994. An Alabama native, she has lived in Western North Carolina since 1987 and completed her Masters of Liberal Arts & Sciences from UNC-Asheville in 2016. Follow me @mvwilliams

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