Pearsons Falls

Tryon Garden Club, Polk, North Carolina

Description

With a bit more flow this waterfall would be fabulous.  And the area was fairly dry last Spring when I visited so it's definitely worth another trip.  It is a very photogenic waterfall in both landscape and portrait mode and the hike is short.  With more flow I could see rating this waterfall in the 6-7 range.

There is a small entrance fee charged by the Tryon Garden Club.  Check their website for current times and fees.

Getting There

Although the Tryon Garden Club maintains the park, the waterfall is actually closer to Saluda.  The waterfall website they maintain here has a link to Yahoo for directions but I think you're better off using the following link to customize your own directions to Pearsons Falls or just click through the map below.

View Pearsons Falls in a larger map

Hike Details

The hike is an easy 0.25 miles from parking.  You will be following the creek upstream to the waterfall and crossing the creek once on a small wooden bridge.  No problems.

Photo Tips

There are a whole variety of options when it comes to composition - landscape, portrait, foreground objects such as flowers or rocks or logs, shutter speed.  Your best bet is to ...

Play around.

Yep, this is a great place to spend some quality time with your camera, tripod, and nature.

Try to arrive early or late if possible to avoid those annoying animals (humans) who tend to ruin pictures.  You will also get the added benefit of better lighting conditions. 

Room is limited so you will need a wide angle lens for most shots.

I always use a polarizer and it definitely reduced glare on the rocks and foliage the day I was there.  The effect depends on the position of the sun relative to the plane of the filter which gets complicated in a hurry.  Just put it on your lens and leave it there for all outdoor shots.

Video

Here you go.