The office was closed, so I headed to Hendersonville in the North Carolina mountains. My soul needed some elevation, along with a hike, a burrito, and a beer.
SUMMARY
-Dupont State Recreational Forest is very rich in waterfalls.
-Mary’s Burrito is a scrumptious spot.
-D9 Brewing might no longer manufacture Into the White beer.
Let’s jump right into where I hiked, ate, and drank in Hendersonville last week.
Hike at Dupont State Recreational Forest
Okay. Since I’m such an honest person, I must admit this before we continue. Dupont State Recreational Forest is located outside Hendersonville. A map app will show you that Dupont is around 14 miles or 23 minutes away. So, I guess the title was a little misleading. Apologies for that.
Needless Dupont Forest is a 10,000-acre nature lover’s playground. There’s ample opportunity for fishing, hunting, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, and waterfall watching—those magnificent waterfalls. On an excellent side note, I learned that Hollywood filmed parts of The Hunger Games and Last of the Mohicans there.
My hike included the Triple Falls Trail and High Fall Loop, which totaled around 2.2 miles if I did that math correctly.
The Triple Falls Trail starts at the Triple Falls Trail access parking lot. There are nice bathrooms at this gravel lot if you feel the call of nature. The classification of this 0.4-mile trail is difficult. I believe it’s considered difficult because of the one strenuous straight-up section and the wooden stairs leading down to the three cascading waterfalls that the trail was named for. If you don’t feel like going up and down the long stairs, there’s a great view of the falls a little past the staircase and before High Fall Loop. This a great place to take a breather and snap some waterfall photos.
High Falls Loop is a 1.4 moderate trail marked with blue circle blazes. The trail is wide and scenic. I recommend taking the path down to the foot of High Falls to get a closer look at the 120-foot waterfall. I did this hike during a fall month, but the High Falls pool would be a tremendously refreshing place for a summer dip. But don’t worry; there’s a breathtaking view of High Falls from the main loop. A covered bridge at the top of the High Falls is another place to enjoy.
Burrito at Mary’s Burrito
Mary’s Burrito serves “authentic South American, Salvadorian, & Mexican cuisine” at 2560 Asheville Highway, Suite 10, Hendersonville, North Carolina.
My chicken burrito came stuffed with rice, black beans, sour cream, lettuce, pico, and cheese in a soft flour tortilla. The Burrito is prepared right in front of you. The ingredients were fresh, and there was an awesome salsa bar.
The place was packed out, which I believe is a frickin’ good sign. Everyone who worked there was delightful.
I absolutely loved my Burrito. I give it a 4/4 burritos.
Beer at D9 Brewing
This D9 Brewing is located in downtown Hendersonville. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there is a D9 up there. I’ve been to the Lake Norman location and enjoyed their beer. This was the perfect place for an after-hike and lunch beer.
I really wanted a pint of Into the White, but it seems D9 might’ve quit making this pacific white ale. The bartender had no idea what I was talking about. He said he had worked there for several years and had never heard of it. Dang it! I hope it’s not true because this was a delicious and refreshing beer for me. I just sent @d9brewing a DM inquiring about it.
So I ordered a New Wave blonde/golden ale, which was very good. I prefer light craft beer, like some craft beer jedi.
This D9 Brewing is grande. There’s lots of great beer. The only problem was finding parking in downtown Hendersvonille, which was an issue for me. Hopefully, someone reads this and can tell me where to park.
Another brewery I want to try is Trailside Brewing Company. Next time!
In conclusion
I know there’s so much more to Hendersonville to discover, with more places to hike, eat, and grab a beer. These are just a few options when you check out this mountain city.
I can’t wait to go back. I’m thinking of a weekend getaway with my girlfriend. I would love to go back and peer onto those waterfalls again. But with her. They’re pretty marvelous, and people need to see them in person.
Finally, I know you all are waiting in suspense about the pacific white ale. Please don’t worry and lose too much sleep. I’ll report back whenever I hear back from D9 Brewing. Laugh out loud!
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