Moonshine and Confusion Falls Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Cave · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Please practice Leave No Trace... Sadly, there are a few signs of people around like food wrappers and plastic bags.

The trail is off of Naturaland Trust Trail #14 and is in a pretty leveled area for a fairly easy hike. When I was there, there was a stack of rocks at the trailhead and an information board shortly up the trail.

Use Naturaland Trust Trail #14 to access the Moonshine and Confusion Falls Trail. A wooden sign in a tree will point you to Moonshine Falls along a smaller trail. The next short section, a singletrack, can be steep going down to the falls but is manageable if you take your time—plus there is a cable installed to use as a railing. Once down maybe 40 feet or so, the trail will level out by the falls. You can hike under the rock overhang where some old moonshine barrels still remain. What is also unique about these falls is you can hike behind the falls while remaining (mostly) dry.

Near where you came down the hill will be another sign pointing to Confusion Falls further down the creek. The easiest way to access Confusion Falls, about 0.25 miles down, is by following the trail, crossing the creek a few times as it hugs the bank. This route is less steep and pretty friendly. Confusion Falls is not as tall as Moonshine Falls but is unique in that it is formed from two different creeks, making two falls almost look like one as they pour into one shallow pool. You can sit and enjoy a snack, lunch or possibly cool off with a dip during the hot summer.

The easiest way back out from Confusion Falls is following the same trail you followed in from Moonshine Falls. The other option, the last 0.2 mile of mapped track provided here, is the old way and it is a really steep climb back uphill with no cable assistance.

Oak, hickory, flowering dogwood, rhododendron, ferns, flowers, and mosses all grow in this area.

Animals in the area include black bears, white-tailed deer, reptiles, amphibians, wild turkey, wood peckers, warblers, eastern blue birds, and spring migratory songbirds to name a few. Brook, rainbow, and brown trout can be found in the rivers.