Panthertown Valley was one of my favorite finds in the Cashiers, NC area.  The valley contains a network of hiking trails that travel to a variety of popular destinations within a 6700 acre tract of high-elevation Forest Service land. At least 8 major waterfalls and countless smaller ones lie along the area’s streams.  It has not been determined that any permanent settlement ever existed in the Valley.  Pioneers termed the valley “Paintertown” (local for “Panthertown”) due to the wildness and (undoubtedly) the number of panthers, or Eastern Cougar, living in the area.

The main trails and old roadbeds were very obvious.  However, the area is somewhat remote and trail guides are sketchy.  Underbrush, especially Rhododendrons, were very thick off trail, so we spent a lot of energy and time backtracking after wondering off trail in pursuit of various falls.  It was a lovely combination of traditional trail hiking and adventurous excursions along the way.

Schoolhouse Falls is one of the better known and fairly easy-to-locate waterfalls in Panthertown.   Carl and I arrived just after dawn, only to find a couple of campers who had spent the night on the beach area across the pool from the falls.  The water volume was down due to the dry summer and autumn, but it was still high enough to make a beautiful cascade.  The surrounding colors were great, too.

The scale of the falls is a little deceiving in this particular image.  Stay tuned for more of Schoolhouse.

Schoolhouse Falls at Panthertown Valley, NC

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