Dave’s Falls, Wisconsin

Posted by waterfallrecord on May 25, 2013
Posted in: Marinette County, Wisconsin. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

Dave’s Falls is one of those waterfalls that I wouldn’t necessarily go out of the way for, except for the fact that it is very easy to visit (if you’re in the vicinity).  Wisconsin does have some tall waterfalls.  Big Manitou Falls might be one of the tallest in the Great Lakes region.  Many of Wisconsin’s waterfalls, though, seem to be smaller.  Dave’s Falls is maybe a total of a 10′ drop, but it’s spread out.

As I’ve said, it’s redeeming quality is that it is easy to visit.  Some of those smaller waterfalls, such as Twelve Foot Falls, Eighteen Foot Falls, and Horseshoe Falls, require driving down dirt roads for at least a few miles.  It’s not that the dirt roads are bad, but they are more isolated.  Dave’s Falls, and its upstream counterpart, Upper Dave’s Falls, around found right of US-141 just south of the village of Amberg. And while Dave’s Falls isn’t extremely tall, it is still an interesting drop.   Further north along US-141 are Smalley Falls and the very interesting Long Slide Falls.

Directions:
1) The waterfall is south of Pembine on US-141.  If you’re driving south from there, it’s only about 1 mile from the city, and the road to the park will be on your right.
2) Turn right onto County Park Rd., which leads to Dave’s Falls County Park.
3) The most prominent path leads to the lower falls, so wander upstream to get this view of the upper falls.

Accessibility: 10/10

Where in the World is Dave’s Falls?: map

Dave’s Falls in June 2009

‘Akaka Falls, Hawaii

Posted by waterfallrecord on May 24, 2013
Posted in: Big Island, Hawaii. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

‘Akaka Falls in March 2013

At 442′ tall, ‘Akaka Falls is one of the tallest easy-to-visit waterfalls on the Big Island of Hawaii.  There are a number of taller waterfalls to the north, but they require more effort.

Driving to the falls is a rather simple endeavor, though it is a slight but worthy detour.  Parking at the falls is interesting, to say the least.  You can park near the falls, and there is a $5 fee.  There was an electronic kiosk, and standing near the kiosk was a young man collecting money…In one way, it seemed suspicious.  At the same time, visitors seemed to want to ignore the entrance fee, even with the kiosk and signs!  You can park outside of the main area.  I think there is a $1 per-person entry fee in that case.

The falls are definitely worth visiting, though it can be a little bit difficult to photograph, depending on the angle.  The sun could have caused more problems if it hadn’t been for the lucky clouds that lessened the intensity.

There are a number of other falls nearby.  Kahuna Falls is downstream.  There are one or two smaller falls that most might not notice, but I found them to be pretty enough.

Directions:
1) From Hilo, head north on HI-19.
2) After a few miles, turn left onto HI-220.  There is a sign indicating the turn.
3) Head down HI-220 to what is essentially the end of the road.  You will veer right at one point.  There aren’t many other options.
4) From the parking area, head to the falls.  The loop trail is paved, but there are some stairs, if I remember correctly.

Accessibility: 9/10 (if you head directly the falls without going around the loop)

Where in the World is ‘Akaka Falls?: map

A small waterfall along the trail to ‘Akaka Falls

Ring Road Waterfall #2, Iceland

Posted by waterfallrecord on May 23, 2013
Posted in: Austurland, Iceland. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a Comment

A waterfall along the Ring Road (June 2012)

It’s almost been a year since visiting Iceland, and I miss the scenery.  Sometimes it can be bleak though, especially as you’re driving around the Ring Road (the main road around the island).  There aren’t a whole lot of forests on the island.  But there are a significant number of waterfalls.  There are so many, it becomes easy to ignore some of them.

For example, there are a number of taller waterfalls along the Ring Road.  Some of them are surprisingly beautiful, but there aren’t any designated places to stop.  In some instances, though, I was one of the few people on that stretch of the road, so I essentially just stopped the car in the road. (You can often see the road ahead for a significant distance.)  This waterfall was found along the road between Akureyri and Egilsstaðir, closer to Egilsstaðir.  That is where I noticed most of these “roadside” falls.  There weren’t many of them along the southern portion of the island.

Directions:
1) This waterfall is found along the Ring Road between Akureyri and Egilsstaðir.  If I remember correctly, this waterfall was on the left side of the road as I was headed east.  There were at least two other waterfalls before and after this that were easy to photograph.  There were others I didn’t stop to officially view.

Accessibility: 10/10

Where in the World is Ring Road Waterfall #2?: map

White Oak Canyon Side Falls #1, Virginia

Posted by waterfallrecord on May 19, 2013
Posted in: Madison County, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, White Oak Canyon. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

A side waterfall in Oak Creek Canyon (December 2011)

I visited Shenandoah National Park in December 2011, which probably seems like an odd time to visit the park.  The weather was beautiful, the temperature was just right…it was a wonderful day for a hike to see waterfalls.  So which waterfalls to visit?  I decided to visit White Oak Canyon, as there seemed to be a number of separate drops along the river.

This is not a hike for the faint of heart.  It is not very problematic as you begin your hike downhill.  It’s really the uphill return that causes issues.  I was worn out by the end, to say the least.  As you hike along the trail, there are a number of falls along the main river, Robinson River.  There are also a few waterfalls along tributaries.  One of those “side” falls is surprisingly tall, while this one is smaller.  I believe it might be one of the first waterfalls you see along your hike, though it is obviously not considered the main attraction.

Directions:
1) At the intersection of US-211 and Skyline Drive, head south on Skyline Drive.
2) After five or six miles, you should see the parking area for the White Oak Canyon Trail, which is where your journey begins.  It’s just after the entrance to the Skyland Resort.
3) Follow the very clear signage.  This is one of the first small waterfalls you encounter along the trail.  I’m not exactly sure what the distance was from the trailhead.   Be aware:  the further downhill you progress, the longer the uphill climb you have.  The uphill climb is where the difficulty lies.

Accessibility: 4/10

Where in the World is White Oak Canyon Side Falls #1?: map

Boulder Creek Falls, Hawaii

Posted by waterfallrecord on May 18, 2013
Posted in: Big Island, Hawaii. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

Boulder Creek Falls in March 2013

Nearly all of the waterfalls in Hawaii have Hawaiian names…except for Boulder Creek Falls, which sounds like it should be in Colorado instead.  Boulder Creek Falls is not a particularly interesting waterfall, but the area surrounding it is absolutely spectacular.

The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden (http://www.htbg.com) is definitely worth the entry fee.  In early March, there were a plethora of different flowers in bloom.  There is a much more interesting waterfall, Onomea Falls, in the gardens.  Boulder Creek Falls is off in a corner, rather literally.  As your walking along the pathways, there is a side-path that leads to Boulder Creek Falls.  It doesn’t lead directly in front of the falls, and you will have a somewhat far-off view.  The falls are maybe 15′ tall or so, but it really is difficult to get a good snapshot.

A few other notes:  The first few hundred feet are along a mildly steep boardwalk.  It is not particularly problematic though…Also, at certain times of the year, bug spray would definitely be appropriate.  In early March, the bugs weren’t any significant problem.

Directions:

1) The website for the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden does a very good job directing you, so the link is provided below:

http://www.htbg.com/directions.html

2) Honestly, just wander around the whole botanical garden, enjoying all of the splendor.

Accessibility: 9/10

Where in the World is Boulder Creek Falls?: map

Unnamed Falls #3, Burgess Falls SP, Tennessee

Posted by waterfallrecord on May 17, 2013
Posted in: Tennessee, White County. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

A smaller waterfall in Burgess Falls State Park (December 2009)

In Burgess Falls State Park, there are a number of smaller waterfalls to be found. They are all waterfalls that flow into the Falling Water River. The third of these unnamed falls is probably the least intriguing.  At the right time of day, it might be very pretty, but the sun was shining directly behind the falls. (It was early morning when I visited, and had the whole place to myself.)  I’m guessing the waterfall is likely to be flowing only in times of higher rainfall. I could imagine it drying up when there isn’t as much rain. I visited the falls in late December, though I don’t know if there was much rain before that.

A random note:  Even though I numbered this #3, this is actually the one of the first unnamed waterfalls you will encounter.

Directions:
1) From I-40 near Cookeville, take the exit for TN-135 and head south on TN-135.
2) Follow TN-135 for a ways, until you see the sign indicating the turn for Burgess Falls. From there, its a short distance to the parking lot for the falls.
3) The signs make the hike very simple to follow.

Accessibility: 9/10

Where in the World is Unnamed Falls #3?: map

Dukes Creek Falls, Georgia

Posted by waterfallrecord on May 14, 2013
Posted in: Georgia, White County. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

The portion of Dukes Creek Falls that is on Davis Creek (May 2012)

As I am sitting here, I am trying to decide how to put this post together.  No waterfall in recent memory could be more convoluted to explain as Dukes Creek Falls.  In a recent post, Upper Dukes Creek Falls, I initially identified these falls as being partially located on Dodd Creek.  Dodd Creek is nearby, but the falls are not located on Dodd Creek.  (I based this information on another site, which is also not correct.)  Instead Dukes Creek Falls is located on Davis Creek Falls, at least a portion of it.  Another portion of the falls is actually located on Dukes Creek.  It’s just confusing.  I’m just going to assume that the all of the portions below refer to Dukes Creek Falls.

The portion of Dukes Creek Falls found on Davis Creek (as the two creeks are about to meet) is just plain frustrating.  Much of it is hidden behind trees, and there’s really no clear way to nicely photograph the falls.  This portion of the falls is rather tall, but gosh darn if you’re going to get a good shot!  This might be better when the trees haven’t bloomed, but there’s still a lot of clutter in front of the falls.

The confluence of Davis and Dukes Creeks

The portion of the falls where Dukes Creek and Davis Creek meet are more interesting, since you can actually get a better view.  You’re actually standing directly in front of them.  This portion of the falls isn’t particularly tall, though.

If you look upstream on what is Dukes Creek (to the right), you’ll see one other drop.  I wasn’t sure whether to list this as a separate falls, but just decided to make it easier.  You can see all of these falls along the same short part of the trail.  This is also not very tall, though it is somewhat wider.

The total hike to the falls is about 2.5 miles round trip.  It isn’t difficult, maybe moderate at most.  It is consistently downhill on the way there, and therefore uphill on the way back.  The trail is very well kept, and the final stretch to the falls includes stairs and a boardwalk.

Directions:
1) From Cleveland, Georgia, head northwest along GA-11.
2) After some distance turn right on GA-75.
3) Again, some distance later, turn left on GA-348.  (I seem to remember this turn coming rather abruptly.)
4) Drive two miles to the parking area for Dukes Creek Falls Recreation Area.  A National Forest pass will be required, which carries a daily cost.
5) Follow the trail to Dukes Falls.

Accessibility: 4/10
Where in the World is Dukes Creek Falls?: map

The portion of the falls that is actually on Dukes Creek!