Not So Hidden Gem on The Appalachian Trail with Waterfalls, Hot Springs, and Adventure

THE TOWN

 Hot Springs has a population of less than 600, located in the mountains of Western North Carolina. It is famous for its mineral springs and the town is located on The Appalachian Trail.

HISTORY

 This town has lots of cool history.  The town has been a resort destination since the early 1800s known for its healing mineral springs and beautiful mountain views. Warm Springs hotel, a 350-room hotel was first built here in 1837 (the dining room could seat 600). WOW!  The hotel was later sold and burned down in 1884(ish). 

Fun fact, at this time the town was called Warm Springs.  When the new hotel, Mountain Park Hotel was built in 1886, a higher temperature spring was discovered, and the town changed the name from Warm Springs to Hot Springs. This new luxury hotel had 200 rooms, the first organized golf club in the Southeast (nine-hole course), and a bathhouse of sixteen marble pools. 

The hotel hype didn’t last long.  With fewer people visiting, the hotel and grounds were leased in 1917 to the federal government. The government used this area as an internment camp for hundreds of German Merchant Sailors captured in US harbors.

WHERE TO STAY

 There are lots of options in this town for every budget.  We walked past several cute cabins, lodges, B&Bs, motels, and saw a few advertised vacation homes.  Being a hiker town, they also have Hostel options starting at $20 a night.  In doing a little research there are a few camping and RV options but we only visited and stayed at Hot Springs Resort (twice.)  Check out the town website for all the lodging options.  Due to major shutdowns for much of 2020, I am not sure if all of these options are still open.  https://www.hotspringsnc.org/lodging

Hot Springs Resort & Spa

Our first trip in April was our first tent camping trip in North Carolina, or so we thought.  Our 70-degree weather turned into a high of 40ish. So, we opted to upgrade from our tent site (river view) to a cabin. A rustic cabin with a bathroom and heat.  The cabin was perfect for us and even had a loft if we needed extra sleeping space.  The front porch was nice even in the chilly weather.  We only saw one or two, but I saw my very first firefly our first night in Hot Springs!

Hot Springs Resort & Spa was a fantastic stay both times.  It is a short walk into the town of Hot Springs and located along the French Broad River.  The campground has lots of grass and trees with lots of options for tent campers and RVers. The sites are not clearly marked so when it’s crowded, you kinda just go with the flow.  The sites are not private, but they all offer FHU with a fire ring and picnic table.  We stayed Memorial Day weekend for a week and loved it, even with a nearly full campground. 

If you are not a camper, they have several cabins that range in size and options, suites that include a natural mineral bath in the room, hotel rooms, and vacation rentals like the Officer’s Bungalow located in the campground that sleeps up to 8 people. Check out their website www.nchotsprings.com

Mineral Bath Soak at Hot Springs Resort & Spa

World-famous natural hot mineral water is what they advertise.  At the time of our visit, they were not offering spa or massage treatments but they still offer mineral bath soaks in private outdoor jetted hot tubs along the Spring Creek and French Broad River.  Call ahead to book your appointment as they do fill up fast.  We did this both times and really enjoyed the relaxing mineral water.  The first time it was only about 40ish degrees outside so the water did not seem as warm as we would have liked.  The second time the weather was perfect, it was a full moon, and we did the last soak of the evening about 9:45 PM.

RECOMMENDED PROVISIONS IN TOWN

 Bluff Mountain Outfitters – this is a fantastic gem of an outfitter. They have everything you need. If you need a pack, water bottle, or hiking gear stop by.  They also have a great selection of AT stuff, clothing, gifts, books, and information on the local area as well as hiker food, they even have healthy options. If your a hiker or just a tourist, we recommend this store for sure.  We bought shirts and a few gifts including some AT stuff we sent back to California for our PCT hiker friends.

Vaste Riviere Provisions – don’t judge a book by its cover on this one.  We missed this place the first time.  We looked online and thought it was just a little bar with sandwiches.  Not sure how we got that but this is a must place to stop.  This is like a gourmet grocery store with beer and cider on tap and wine by the glass.  You can dine in and grab a hot sandwich, pastry, dessert, or get what you need for a picnic. They have lots of little provisions here including fresh hot sandwiches, fresh prepared frozen meals like shepherd’s pie to take home and bake, local meats, specialty food items, wine, drinks, seasonings, and so much more!

Tobacco Road Burley & Brew – this store is the bomb, and we cannot say enough good things about it. It doesn’t look like much from the outside and it’s located at the end of town right on the AT but you must stop on in. I could possibly write an entire blog about this awesome family-owned business.  The couple that runs the store is amazing and very helpful with whatever you are looking for. You may also be greeted by a little rooster who roams around as well as a lovable dog behind the counter.  If you need libations this is your store.  They have a HUGE selection of beer from the region, a big selection of craft beer, ciders, hard kombucha, and domestic favs.  We also found an amazingly yummy spiked coffee here.  They also have a great wine selection as well as a great assortment of local North Carolina beers and ciders. You can also get firewood here and don’t forget to ask if they have fresh eggs!

OUR RECOMMENDED HIKES

 We explored the town and did a couple of hikes.

Max Patch – I have heard this place referenced in a few AT stories over the years and was really excited to see it in person.  Our first visit in early April didn’t have the best weather but we made the best of it and did a very short, snowy hike. Max Patch is 20 miles from Hot Springs and when not blustery and snowy has 360-degree views and crosses over the Appalachian Trail.  I read you can see Mt. Mitchell and the Great Smokey Mountains from the top.  The trail is at 4,629 feet and the loop is about 2.6-mile to and from the parking area.

West Prong Hickey Fork Falls – For our week in Hot Springs, this was our Waterfall Wednesday hike.  We had blue skies with a high of 85 with a bit of humidity. Lots of shade on this beautiful hike.  The hike round trip for us was about 3 miles from the parking area to the top of the falls, then down to the bottom and back out.  The hike follows the West Prong Hickey Fork river.  If you are looking for rural Western North Carolina, enjoy nature and love a good waterfall, this is your hike. It’s rated as a 7 but it is a well-maintained trail and when we went it was easy to follow. It does have creek crossings and it is a bit of a (slide) hike down to the bottom. You can also hike to the top, which I loved.

From Hot Springs, the trailhead is about 11 miles away off the NC 212.  I found this hike in my North Carolina Waterfalls (Third Edition) book by Kevin Adams. It did not disappoint.  You can purchase his book on Amazon or visit his website at www.kadamsphoto.com

Lover’s Leap – This 2-mile loop along the AT can be started from the Hot Springs Resort campground.  Making a right out of the campground onto Bridge Street (this is the AT) continue across the bridge over the French Broad River, be sure to stay on the right side. Just as you cross the bridge at the end of the guard rail, there is a path with stone steps leading down the AT, just follow that street for about 50 yards until you see a little wooden bridge.  Continue this path and you will see the white blaze markers for the AT.  As you walk along the river you will see a few primitive camping sites.  This is the easy part.

Shortly afterward the trail will continue up the ridge with several switchbacks.  This is an easy-to-follow and well-used trail but, in the end, you will gain about 500 feet in elevation on this short hike.  We got a little confused as to where the actual Lover’s Leap was.  There are three outcroppings where you can get a great view of the Pisgah Forest and the French Broad River.  The second one is the Lover’s Leap.  It is a short but steep walk down to the edge.  Just past the third outcropping, you can take a left to stay on the Lover’s Leap trail to Silver Mine.  This will take you down to the parking lot, take a left on the road and you will be back at the little wooden bridge.  There are a few places you can branch-off and make this a longer hike.

Check back soon for all things food (Part 2)

This is part 1 of 2 as the list of places to eat is still to come.  Be sure to sign-up for our newsletter so you don’t miss part 2 of our Hot Springs Adventure.  Did I miss something you would recommend in Hot Springs? If so, please let us know in the comments.  If you’re still reading this, thank you so much for taking the time to enjoy our adventure at Hot Springs, North Carolina.

Thank you for following our adventures!

Cory