🧗Catawba Falls River and Ridge Loop Hike

THRIVE A/F Outdoor Adventure: Catawba Falls Loop Trail. Location: Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, November, 2025

Our family has started a Thanksgiving tradition of meeting up with my in-laws, Bill and Sarah, somewhere between Atlanta and Indiana. It’s our dedicated time to unplug (mostly), hit the trails, and enjoy each other’s company in nature. For this trip, we met in Asheville, North Carolina, and mapped out a few hikes in the surrounding mountains.

One of the highlights was the Catawba Falls Loop, a 3.6-mile trail that includes a brisk 843 feet of elevation gain. Even with a light holiday rain and cool temperatures, the well-maintained trails were busy with hikers. On the way up, we took the Ridge Trail, which starts right out of the gate with a steep series of vertical switchbacks before settling into a long, slow incline toward the upper falls. For the descent, we looped onto the River Trail, navigating a network of metal steps, grated walkways, and an observation tower that gave us a great view of the rushing water.

Alltrails link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/catawba-falls-river-loop

💪 The Behind-the-Scenes Prep

We are incredibly fortunate to have a family that loves being outside, but a steep mountain hike in the damp cold requires more than just good intentions, it requires physical capacity.

My in-laws, Bill and Sarah, are poster children for the “Thrive A/F” ethos. In retirement, they remain avid cyclists and maintain their baseline strength through a mix of swimming, running, and weight training. While time forces all of us to adapt, they are living proof that consistent exercise, smart nutrition, and strong relationships are the ultimate keys to functional longevity. Because they treat their fitness as a non-negotiable insurance policy, an 800-foot vertical climb on a slick, rainy morning wasn’t a grueling chore that left anyone sidelined, it was just a fun family walk in the woods.

⚡ The High-Thrive Moment

Guys - this is what it’s all about. These holiday trips have become a high point of our year. They give three generations of our family a chance to bond over a shared love of the outdoors. Bill and Sarah are an inspiration and they’ve even taken our kids on road trips to National Parks across the country, passing that torch of adventure down to the next generation. The peak of this trip was standing together at the falls, feeling the mist, and realizing that our collective health is what allows us to share these moments. Of course, wrapping up the hike and heading inside for a well-deserved Thanksgiving meal didn’t hurt either!

💬 Do you have a family member or mentor who inspires you to keep moving? How are you preparing your body today so you can keep making memories with the people you love decades from now? Leave a comment below or reply directly to this email to share your story!

Keith | Thrive A/F Team