Tucked away, just a short distance from the road, is the quiet and quaint DEW Falls on Mill Creek in Nantahala National Forest.
I titled this image "Spring on Upper Mill Creek", as it is upstream from John's Jump Falls from one of my previous posts that I titled "Spring on Mill Creek" (I decided to get real adventurous with the naming here, haha!). Whether the location of DEW Falls is considered "Upper" Mill Creek however, is a different argument. Still, I came to find this waterfall special in several ways.
First, while it's easy to get to, I didn't encounter another person while I was here, which is always a nice treat when exploring waterfalls.
Second, while it's a small and fairly unimpressive waterfall in and of itself, it's tucked away in such a pristine and beautiful little spot, surrounded by Rhododendron bushes on either side, that it feels like a true hidden little gem that you just happened to stumbled upon in the forest.
Third, it's named after a fellow South Carolinian (yes, after about 15 some odd years living in the Upstate of South Carolina, I think this Swedish guy can call himself South Carolinian, at least in part!), Dorothy Ehlrich Walker, who tragically passed away in the summer of 2003, which, coincidentally, is when I concluded my very first year in the U.S. as a foreign exchange student. This would put Ms. Walker and I right around the same age as well, which makes me all the more solemn in sharing this out.
So there you have it, the small and unassuming DEW Falls now shines in my book as one of Western North Carolina's most easily accessible and pristine little waterfalls that also carries some resemblance of personal meaning.
A special shoutout to Kevin Adams for letting me cipher off his hard work and knowledge of North Carolina's waterfalls.
Thank you for stopping by to view my photos folks, I appreciate all your support. And until next time, may the light be ever in your favor!
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