After much debate amongst the group over what we wanted to see and do in North Carolina, we settled on two major family outings during our week-long reunion. The first was a day hike at Linville Falls, located along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Linville Falls offers three trails you can take to see the stunning waterfall. One is easy, one is moderate, and one pushes the limits. The paths are not really wheelchair accessible as they are not paved and full of stones and roots, but for anyone not requiring a wheelchair, you should be fine on any of the trails. To help you judge – I hiked this with two injured ankles (not that I’m advising this) I had sprained about 2 weeks prior, and I managed the trail just fine. I’ll discuss this a bit more in my upcoming recap post, though!

The area is pet friendly, provided you keep your dog on their leash at all times. Bring your own water bottles if you think you’ll be thirsty. There is a water fountain, but it’s at the base where the parking lot meets the beginning of the trails.

Even though one trail is more strenuous, you can still manage the entire area within a day if you so choose. There are five prominent lookout points along the trails, and we decided to start with Linville Gorge. I highly recommend this area, as it was one of the most scenic.

There are plenty of opportunities for scenic photo ops, and we definitely spent our fair share of time at each lookout snapping group shots.

The water in the Gorge may look inviting, but the current is too strong to allow for swimming. To prevent any foolhardy risk-taking, there are fences in place. Safety first!

The next lookout we came upon offered a fabulous elevated view.

Just remember you never know what you’re sharing your scenic view with…

The steps in the picture above were the hardest part. Mind you, I’m using the word “hardest” quite loosely. My only real problem with them stemmed from my sprained ankles, although anyone needs to take care to watch where they step; the stairs are uneven and full of rocks and roots which could easily trip you. All that said, as long as you’re able, I highly recommend it, since the view you will be greeted with is breath-taking.

The best part of Linville Falls is that every path boasts unique glimpses of nature and a stunning view at the end.

Linville Falls was better than I imagined, and easily fit into a day outing with the family. Almost everyone – dogs included – were able to go, and found the trail easy enough. My only suggestion is to be sure you bring some water. We didn’t have the foresight to do that, and kind of regretted it while taking turns gulping water at the fountain afterwards.

Have you hiked at Linville Falls before? Did you find the paths difficult?