One of the great things about January in WNC is that there are PLENTY of decent weather days for hiking, even if it seems chilly at first. My motto is basically “if the sun is out, I better be outside doing something.” With Pisgah National Forest on one side of us and DuPont State Recreational Forest on the other, there’s really no excuse.

This was one of the coldest hikes I’ve done, but as you can see, the sun was definitely shining. Not to mention the uphill climb on the first half of the loop warmed me up quickly. Here are a few favorite shots from Cat Gap Loop (PNF) and the somewhat hidden Cedar Rock Creek Falls. The falls are down a side trail that’s unmarked. Totally worth the detour though, and felt like a reward for the grueling first half of the hike.

The loop was around 5 miles overall and I’d consider it moderate in difficulty. My only regret is that we didn’t spur off toward John Rock but definitely will hit that loop next time.