Dark Prong
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| | Difficulty:3B III (v3a2 III) Raps:0-8, max ↨100ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Required 10 min Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | Anytime (avg for this region)
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35.3318, -82.8641
35.3196, -82.8754
35.3238, -82.8270
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Introduction[edit]
Dark Prong has historically been done as a creek walk (like most creeks in NC). We explored the creek to see how much of it can be done as rappels. Most, if not all of these rappels added time to the trip compared to just walking down the side of the falls, or bushwhacking around them. Some of them you could probably have just walked down the falls themselves without a rope, but we were having fun.
This creek includes three named waterfalls (Upper Dark Prong Falls, Serpentine Falls, and Dark Prong Falls) and many smaller unnamed falls and small swimming holes.
As every single drop in this creek can easily be walked around, please DO NOT LEAVE ANY ANCHORS BEHIND. Either use a fully retrievable setup as an anchor (fiddlestick or macrame knot for example), or walk up and retrieve the anchor after finishing the rappel. This creek is not run nearly often enough for permanent anchors to be considered.
No wetsuit is really needed, although if you have a wetsuit on, you will be more likely to jump into the water, so ... if I go again I would probably wear a 2 mm wetsuit.
Approach[edit]
Follow an unnamed trail from the upper parking spot until a 4 way intersection and turn left onto Graveyard Ridge Trail heading north. Continue on Graveyard Ridge Trail until you reach a stream with flowing water. That is Dark Prong. Turn right and start walking the stream.
Descent[edit]
I just want to reiterate, please do not leave any anchors behind in this canyon. Either use a fiddlestick, or walk back up any rappels you do in order to take down any anchors. This entire canyon can be done without any rappels, so anything you leave behind will be considered trash and will not be a good look for the canyoneering community.
R1: 20 feet off tree LDC
R2/J2: Rappel 20 feet off rock LDC or jump 5 feet into the center of the pool (have someone check the depth and show you where to land, you will definitely hit the bottom)
R3: 80 feet off rhododendron bases LDC - This is Dark Prong Falls, definitely my favorite of the rappels in this canyon.
J4: 5 feet
R5: 30 feet
R6: 15 feet off tree LDC
Walk down Serpentine Falls.
R7: 80 feet off rhododendron base LDC
R8: 80 feet off tree LDC
Very soon after R8, there will be a log jam that you will need to climb over. It is a lot easier than it looks. This marks the end of the technical portion of the canyon.
Exit[edit]
Continue creek walking down stream until the confluence with Yellowstone Prong. Continue downstream for another 0.1 miles until a trail shows up on your right, take it uphill and continue straight until you reach the car.
Red tape[edit]
Beta sites[edit]
https://hikingwnc.com/521-dark-prong-falls/
http://scjack.blogspot.com/2020/07/2020-07-05-waterfalls-of-dark-prong.html
http://www.adventuresinpisgah.com/2014/06/dark-prong.html