NC Waterfalls A through D

Alarka Falls:

Alarka Falls in Swain County is a hidden gem that few people know about, despite just a short ways outside of the popular tourist town of Bryson City. The falls are located in Nantahala National Forest and is only a short hike, although there isn't much of a trail to follow.

To visit the falls, take US-74 west from Bryon City to exit 64 (Alarka Road). Drive south on Alarka Road for about 10 miles, with the road turning to gravel after about 8.5 miles. At the end of the road, is a turnaround, where you can park and make the short hike up to the falls.

The short trail up to Alarka Falls starts past the parking area. Although the trail is short, it is poorly maintained and may require some climbing around and over rocks and logs. The waterfall itself is pretty big and I don't think it's possible to see the entire thing from any one spot.

Ammons Branch Upper Waterfall:

Trailhead GPS: 35.01924,-83.14289 (Pull off on Bull Pen Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.01985,-83.14326

Upper Waterfall on Ammons Branch is a 15-foot waterfall in Macon County. The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is very short, but it's a difficult bushwhack.

To visit the falls, head east out of Highlands on Horse Cove Road, which becomes Bull Pen Road. Drive 6.1 miles to a pull off after a sharp left hand turn. The pull off is about 0.4 miles past Ammons Branch Campground. In high water, the waterfall is visible from the road but the view is poor. There's absolutely no trail, so for a decent view, bushwhack towards the waterfall. It's short but very overgrown. There's also a small drop through a cave just downstream.

Augur Fork Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.10853,-82.88361 (Frozen Creek Access for Gorges State Park)

Waterfall GPS: 35.09210,-82.89614

Augur Fork Falls is a 50-foot waterfall on Augur Fork Creek at the confluence with Maple Spring Branch in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in Gorges State Park. The hike to the falls is about 5 miles round trip and difficult, including bushwhacking.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 9 miles and turn left on Frozen Creek Road. Go 3 miles and the parking for Gorges State Park will be on the right.

Hike the Augur Hole Trail for just under 2.5 miles. The trail will curve to the right; in the outside of the curve is a path leading down the ridge. There was flagging tape on my last visit. Follow the ridge down to the creek at the confluence with Maple Spring Branch. Augur Fork Falls is to the left and Maple Spring Branch Falls is to the right.

Aunt Sally's Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.18814,-82.95361 (Gravel road off Winding Gap Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.19020,-82.96238

Aunt Sally's Falls is a 40-foot waterfall on a tributary of West Fork French Broad River in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the falls is about 1 mile round trip and easy; however, most people visit this one on the way to the much more difficult Dismal Falls.

To visit the falls, head north on NC-281 from US-64, just east of Lake Toxaway. Go 6.2 miles and turn left onto Winding Gap Road. Almost immediately, there will be an old one-lane gravel road the forks to the right. Drive down to the end of this at the gate and park in the turnaround without blocking the gate. I think this was the old NC-281 before it was paved and straightened.

Hike down the gated road crossing a couple of streams in the first quarter-mile. In about a half-mile, just before another stream crossing, there is a faint path to the right. This path follows the tributary upstream a short ways to the base of Aunt Sally's Falls.

Avents Creek Waterfall:

Trailhead GPS: 35.48788,-78.90929 (Pull-off on River Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.48835,-78.90917

Waterfall on Avents Creek is a small 4-foot slide on its namesake creek in Harnett County. The waterfall is located in Raven Rock State Park. The hike to the falls is very short and easy.

To visit the falls, head north from Lillington on US-401 N/US-421 S. After crossing Cape Fear River, turn left to stay on US-401 N where US-421 S goes left. In 3.3 miles, turn left on Christian Light Road. Drive 3.7 miles and turn left on River Road. In 2 miles, the road will cross Avents Creek; pull off just before the bridge. The waterfall is just a short ways up from the bridge and is visible from the road.

Avery Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.31488,-82.74921 (Pull-off on FSR-477)

Waterfall GPS: 35.31998,-82.75303

Avery Creek Falls is a 10-foot waterfall on Avery Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the falls is about a mile round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, head east from Brevard on US-276/US-64 to where they split and turn left to stay on US-276. Drive 2.2 miles and turn right on Avery Creek Road (Forest Service Road 477). Go 2.3 miles on this gravel road to a pull-off on the left at the trailhead for Avery Creek Trail (#327). If there's no space here, there's a larger pull-off another quarter-mile up the road.

Begin hiking the Avery Creek Trail (#327) that is blazed blue. The trail heads down to its namesake creek and crosses on a footbridge. Cross the creek and go left to stay on Avery Creek Trail (right is Clawhammer Cove Trail). It's about another quarter mile from the bridge to the waterfall. There are some cascades along the creek, but you'll know when you reach the waterfall. The trail passes very near the top of the waterfall. A steep but short path leads down to the base from here.

Avery Creek Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.31488,-82.74921 (Pull-off on FSR-477)

Waterfall GPS: 35.32896,-82.76749

Upper Avery Creek Falls is a 25-foot waterfall on Avery Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the falls is a little over 3 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Avery Creek Falls above and continue on Avery Creek Trail (#327). The trail will meet up with Buckhorn Gap Trail (#103) for about 0.1 miles. Where Buckhorn Gap Trail crosses Avery Creek on a bridge, stay on Avery Creek Trail and continue upstream for a little over half a mile. A small path on the right leads steeply down to the base of the falls.

Bald Springs Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.12538,-83.79408 (Pull-off on FR-340)

Waterfall GPS: 35.12730,-83.78136

Bald Springs Falls is a tall cascading waterfall on a tributary of Fires Creek in Clay County. The waterfall is located in the Fires Creek Recreation Area in the Tusquitee Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is 2 to 3 miles round trip and extremely difficult.

To visit the falls, go north on Tusquitee Street from Hayesville and cross Hiwasee River. Turn left on Fires Creek Road and drive 4.6 miles. Turn right on Fires Creek Wildlife Road and go just under 8 miles to a pull-off on the right. The road becomes gravel and changes to FR-340 as you enter the forest.

From the pull-off, hike up FR-340 a short ways to a split, where FR-340C goes to the left. Stay on FR-340, which is gated at this point, and cross Long Branch on a bridge. It is about a mile to where the road makes a sharp turn to the left. Get off the road and bushwhack down to Fires Creek - Bald Springs Branch should flow in right across the creek. Wade the creek, which may be difficult in high water, and bushwhack up Bald Springs Branch on the river-left side. It's very steep and overgrown with rhododendron, but when you get up, you should pick up some semblance of an old logging grade. Lower Bald Springs Falls will be below you at creek level. Continue on the old logging grade for about 0.1 miles and then bushwhack down to creek level to the falls. You should be able to hear it from above. It's a really beautiful waterfall, but the area is so overgrown, it's hard to get a good picture.

Bald Springs Lower Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.12538,-83.79408 (Pull-off on FR-340)

Waterfall GPS: 35.12755,-83.78217

Lower Bald Springs Falls is a 20-foot waterfall on Bald Springs Branch in Clay County. The waterfall is located in the Fires Creek Recreation Area in the Tusquitee Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is 2 to 3 miles round trip and very difficult.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Bald Springs Falls above. At the point where you cross Fires Creek, don't climb up the bank. Instead, just creek-walk up Bald Springs Branch to the waterfall. It's much easier than going up and trying to get back down.

Bard Falls:

Bard Falls is a nice 30-foot waterfall on North Harper Creek in Avery County. This popular waterfall has some nice rocks at the base to relax and enjoy the falls and some interesting "pot holes" in the rocks surrounding it. It is located in the Wilson Creek area of Pisgah National Forest.

Basin Creek Lower Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.37522,-81.14474 (Long Bottom Road Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.40714,-81.16216

Lower Basin Creek Falls is a 25-foot waterfall on its namesake in Wilkes County. The waterfall is located in Doughton Park, a recreation area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The hike to the falls is about 5 miles round trip and difficult.

To visit the falls, head north on I-77 towards Elkin. Take left exit 83 for US-21 bypass and go about 10.5 miles, then turn left on Traphill Road. In 5.2 miles, turn right on Long Bottom Road and its about 8 miles to the parking on the left, immediately before the bridge over Basin Creek.

From the parking area, cross the road and pick up Grassy Gap Fire Road, following Basin Creek upstream. In about 1.5 miles, near the primitive campsites, turn right on Basin Creek Trail to continue following the creek upstream. You will need to cross the creek four times, which will likely be wet unless the water is low. At the fourth crossing, stay in the creek and head upstream a short ways to the waterfall. There was a big boulder blocking a view so I climbed around it to find a good view.

Basin Creek Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.37522,-81.14474 (Long Bottom Road Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.41897,-81.16609

Upper Basin Creek Falls is a 15-foot waterfall on its namesake in Wilkes County. The waterfall is located in Doughton Park, a recreation area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The hike to the falls is about 8 miles round trip and difficult.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Lower Basin Creek Falls above but stay on the trail and cross at the fourth crossing of Basin Creek. Continue on the trail and after the ninth crossing, the waterfall will be visible to the left from the trail. A steep scramble path leads down to the base.

Bear Creek Falls (Beech Creek):

Trailhead GPS: 34.99875,-83.55669 (Lower parking along FSR-56)

Trailhead GPS: 35.01413,-83.55614 (Upper parking at end of FSR-56)

Waterfall GPS: 35.00887,-83.54098

Bear Creek Falls is a wet-weather waterfall on a tributary of Beech Creek in Clay County. The waterfall is located in the Southern Nantahala Wilderness in Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is part of the strenuous 8.5-mile Beech Creek loop hike

Bear Creek Falls (Fontana):

Trailhead GPS: 35.45891,-83.53774 (Parking at end of Lakeview Drive)

Waterfall GPS: 35.47128,-83.57335

Bear Creek Falls is a 30-foot waterfall on its namesake creek in Swain County. The waterfall is located in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The hike to the falls is over 9 miles round trip and very difficult.

To visit the falls, head north from Bryson City on Everett Street, which becomes Fontana Road. The road changes to Lakeview Drive when it enters the park. Go a total of 8.3 miles from Bryson City to the end of the road and park in the area on the right.

Lakeshore Trail starts as a continuation of the road beyond the barricades. In 0.1 miles, you'll pass through the tunnel. The tunnel is almost a quarter-mile, but its straight so you can see both ends. Past the tunnel, Tunnel Bypass Trail and Goldmine Loop Trail come in from the right, but continue on Lakeshore Trail. It's not blazed, but there are signs at intersections. In about another mile, White Oak Branch Trail goes right. Go left to stay on Lakeshore Trail, paying attention to the signs as an old road intersects. In about another mile, the trail descends to Forney Creek and goes right at the backcountry campsite. Turn right on Forney Creek Trail and go under half a mile to a left turn on Bear Creek Trail. After crossing the creek on a bridge, the trail ascends towards Welch Branch then swings back towards Bear Creek. At about 0.8 miles from the start of Bear Creek Trail, get off the trail and start bushwhacking down towards the creek. You should be able to hear the waterfall. It's steep and there are some cliffs to go around to get down to creek level and there there are dense rhododendron to climb through to get to the waterfall.

Bearcamp Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.01242,-82.99915 (Bad Creek Access to Foothills Trail in SC)

Waterfall GPS: 35.05420,-82.96641

Bearcamp Falls, also known as Hilliard Falls, is a waterfall on Bearcamp Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located just outside of the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest in land owned by Crescent Resources. Public access to the waterfall is allowed via the Foothills Trail. The shortest way to hike to the falls is about 12 miles round trip, so plan a full day to visit this one.

To visit the falls, head west on US-64 from Brevard towards Lake Toxaway. In Lake Toxaway, go left to stay on US-64/NC-281 and go about 2.5 miles, then turn left onto NC-281 south. Drive nine miles to South Carolina. Almost immediately after crossing the state line, turn left on Bad Creek Road into the power station. Drive about 2 miles and turn left for the parking for Foothills Trail at the sign.

The hike begins on the Bad Creek Spur Trail that leads 0.7 miles to the Foothills Trail. Right after crossing Whitewater River on the two footbridges, turn right on the Foothills Trail heading towards Thompson River. In less than a mile, you'll pass the spur trail to Lower Whitewater Falls and in about another half-mile, you'll cross into North Carolina. In about 2.5 miles from Whitewater River, the trail crosses Thompson River about a half-mile downstream from Big Falls. The trail then heads steeply up from Thompson River and heads back down towards Bearcamp Creek. In the last half-mile, you'll get on a gated gravel road and make the final descent to Bearcamp Creek and cross on a footbridge. Immediately across the bridge, turn left and take the spur trail to the waterfall.

Bearwallow Lower Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.10853,-82.88325 (Frozen Creek Access of Gorges State Park)

Waterfall GPS: 35.07929,-82.90450

Lower Bearwallow Falls is a beautiful waterfall on its namesake creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in Gorges State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about 8 miles round trip and extremely challenging. There is no trail to the waterfall and this hike should only be attempted by those experienced in off-trail hiking. See my Gorges State Park page for directions and more description.

Bearwallow Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.10151,-82.94567 (Bearwallow Valley Parking in Gorges State Park)

Waterfall GPS: 35.10195,-82.94271

Upper Bearwallow Falls is a waterfall on Bearwallow Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in Gorges State Park. The hike to the falls is only about a quarter-mile, but the view from the overlook is not the best. It is a much more difficult bushwhack to a better view of the falls. See my Gorges State Park page for directions and more description.

Bedrock Betty Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.05325,-83.05386 (End of Heady Mountain Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.05086,-83.04322

Bedrock Betty Falls is a 15-foot waterfall on Whitewater River in Jackson and Transylvania County (the county line runs down the river). The waterfall is located in Nantahala and Pisgah National Forest (in Jackson and Transylvania counties, respectively). The hike to the waterfall is extremely difficult and so I'm not providing directions.

Beech Creek Waterfall:

Trailhead GPS: 34.99875,-83.55669 (Lower parking along FSR-56)

Trailhead GPS: 35.01413,-83.55614 (Upper parking at end of FSR-56)

Waterfall GPS: 35.01317,-83.53014

Waterfall on Beech Creek is a scenic 15-foot waterfall on Beech Creek in Clay County. The waterfall is located in the Southern Nantahala Wilderness in Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is part of the strenuous 8.5-mile Beech Creek loop hike

Bernies Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.19314,-82.95669 (Pull-off on NC-281)

Waterfall GPS: 35.19760,-82.93016

Bernies Falls is a beautiful 60-foot waterfall on Miser Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is about 5.5 miles round trip and moderately difficult.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 15 miles. Just before Lake Toxaway, turn right on NC-281 north. Drive 6.8 miles to a pull-off on the right at a gated forest road and park here.

Hike down the gated Forest Service Road 5077. In about a mile, you'll pass FSR-5077B on the right and then at 1.5 miles is FSR-5077A. Shortly past this split, turn left to stay on FSR-5077. The trail heads down and enters an open area. At the fork, bear right and continue through the meadow. At about 2 miles is a creek crossing over Miser Creek. We found a spot just upstream to rock hop. After the crossing, you'll go back into the woods shortly and come back out in a meadow to a T-junction. Go right past a walnut tree and the trail heads back into the woods. Just before the trail starts to head up, take a path to the right and make an easy crossing of Miser Creek near the top of Bernies Falls. Bear to the right at the top of the falls and you'll come out to an old road. Go left (right is blocked by downed trees) and go a short ways to a path on the left that steeply leads down to Bernies Falls. You'll come out in the middle and can pass behind the veil and work your way down to the base. I thought the best spot was about three-quarters of the way down to the base.

Berry Branch Waterfall:

Trailhead GPS: 35.37057,-82.93944 (FR-97 before gate)

Waterfall GPS: 35.35564,-82.94668

Waterfall on Berry Branch is a small waterfall on a tributary of Middle Prong in Haywood County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest, just outside Middle Prong Wilderness. The hike to the falls is around 3 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, head south on NC-215 from Canton for about 13 miles, passing Lake Logan. Just past Sunburst Campground, turn right into Forest Road 97. If coming from the Blue Ridge Parkway, go north on NC-215 for about 8.5 miles to FR-97 on the left. Go about a quarter-mile to where the road is gated, just after the ford. If this gate is open, you could drive most of the rest of the way.

Hike (or drive) down FR-97 for about a mile and a quarter to the first switchback (and park here if you could drive). A path leads from outside of the switchback to the confluence of Berry Branch and Little Beartrap Branch. You can also see the lower portion of Little Beartrap Falls from here. If you go to the second switchback in FR-97, FR-97H leads to the top of Waterfall on Berry Branch, immediately after Little Beartrap Falls.

Betseys Rock Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.28477,-81.40848 (Milepost 267.8 on Blue Ridge Parkway)

Waterfall GPS: 36.28176,-81.41298

Betseys Rock Falls is a tall waterfall on North Prong Lewis Fork in Wilkes County. The waterfall is on private property but can be viewed from an overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

To visit the falls, head east from Boone on US-421 south for about 10 miles and bear right for the Blue Ridge Parkway. Turn left to go southbound on the parkway and drive 8.6 miles to View Betseys Rock Falls on the right at milepost 267.8. The waterfall can be seen best during high water when the leaves are off the trees.

Beverly Hillbilly Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.91264,-81.83909 (end of Forest Service Road 228)

Waterfall GPS: 35.92353,-81.84744

Beverly Hillbilly Falls is a sliding waterfall on Steels Creek in Burke County. The hike to the falls is little over 2 miles round-trip, but it's a challenging hike, including creek-walking to the base of Beverly Hillbilly Falls. The waterfall is located in the Wilson Creek area of Pisgah National Forest

Big Bearwallow Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.16966,-82.84180 (Pull off on NC-215)

Waterfall GPS: 35.17049,-82.84178

Big Bearwallow Falls is a scenic waterfall on its namesake in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the falls is about 0.5 miles round trip and difficult.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 8.5 miles and turn right on NC-215 north. Drive 2.6 miles to a gravel pull off on left side of the road and park. Walk 100 feet or so further up the road to a grassy pull off that's probably not big enough for a car to get completely off the road. Cross the guard rail and descend a couple hundred feet to the creek. It's very steep but there's enough a path that it's not hard to follow. As you approach the creek, there's a drop to the right (upstream) that is visible through the trees. It's a nice drop, but not the waterfall. Go left and follow the creek downstream a short ways to the waterfall. The last bit to get down to the creek is extremely steep. The best views are from the other side of the creek and its possible to rock hop even in very high water.

Big Falls (Snowbird Creek):

Trailhead GPS: 35.26448,-83.93800 (End of FSR 75)

Waterfall GPS: 35.26561,-83.96581

Big Falls on Snowbird Creek is a cascading waterfall in Graham County. The waterfall is located in the Snowbird Backcountry Area in the Cheoah Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is about 7-miles round trip and moderately challenging.

To visit the falls, head north from Robbinsville on US-129 for a mile or so and turn left on NC-143 W. Go about 3.5 miles and turn right to stay on NC-143 W. In 2.2 miles, turn left onto Snowbird Road. Go 3.1 miles and turn right to get on Big Snowbird Road. This road changes to gravel and becomes Forest Service Road 75. Drive approximately 6 miles to the end of this road for the trailhead.

From the trailhead, begin hiking down Big Snowbird Trail (#64) as it follows Snowbird Creek upstream. In about 2.5 miles from the trailhead, you'll see the remains of an old car with bullet holes and will have to cross Sassafras Creek. There's no bridge, but we made it across dry. Go right to stay on Big Snowbird Trail and soon you'll pass a split with Sassafras Trail. Shortly after the split, a scramble path leads down to the middle of Big Falls. You can see the creek tumble over numerous small ledges and then another smaller drop. I didn't get down to the base of the smaller drop. Despite the name, it's not a particularly big waterfall.

Big Falls (Thompson River):

Trailhead GPS: 35.07795,-82.99367 (Pull off on Brewer Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.04482,-82.98205

Big Falls is a huge 125-foot waterfall on Thompson River in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located just outside of the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest in land owned by Crescent Resources. Public access to the waterfall is allowed, but it is an extremely challenging hike to one of the most spectacular waterfalls in North Carolina.

To visit the falls, head west on US-64 from Brevard towards Lake Toxaway. In Lake Toxaway, go left to stay on US-64/NC-281 and go about 2.5 miles, then turn left onto NC-281 south. Drive 3.7 miles, passing Gorges State Park on the left, and turn left onto Brewer Road and park along the side of the road.

Right at the turn for Brewer Road, start hiking up the gated logging road. In about a mile from the start, you will see a path that splits to the right. This trail leads to High Falls. Continue on the main trail, which begins to descend via a couple switchbacks and leads to a ford across Thompson River. You'll need to cross the river here. Unless the water level is way down, you'll need to wade. If the water level is high, this could be a dangerous crossing, so avoid this area in times of high water. Once across the river, continue following the logging road for another 2 miles. You'll pass some side paths that lead to campsites or other waterfalls, but stay on the main path. The old road roughly parallels Thompson River, but on a ridge high above the river. After two miles from the ford or about 3 miles from the trailhead, look for a side path to the left. The last time I was here, there was some marking tape and a cairn, but it's not easy to spot. If you reach Foothills Trail, you've gone about a half-mile too far.

This so far is the easy part of the hike. Once you leave the main path, its about a quarter-mile to the falls, but an extremely challenging quarter-mile. It starts off not too bad, but gets progressively steeper and steeper. A few sections are best done with the assistance of rope. The side path comes out near the river just downstream of Big Falls. You'll need to head upstream a bit to get out on the boulders at the base. The last time I was here, this involved climbing through a mess of downed trees. Once out at the base of the waterfall, you will need to cross the river again for the best views. Again, in low water you might be able to rock hop, but will probably have to wade. Across the river is a huge section of exposed bedrock that makes a great place to hang out and enjoy this spectacular waterfall. The good thing about this hike being so challenging is that you will almost certainly have the waterfall to yourself.

Big Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.03931,-82.37615 (Pull-off on US-19W)

Waterfall GPS: 36.03949,-82.37633

Big Creek Falls is a 25-foot waterfall on its namesake, a tributary of Cane River, in Yancey County. The waterfall is located in the Appalachian Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is very short and easy.

To visit the falls, head west from Burnsville on US-19E for about two miles and turn right onto Jacks Creek Road. Go 4.6 miles and turn left onto Coxes Creek Road. In 4 miles, turn right onto US-19W south. Drive 4.3 miles to a pull-off on the left. You can hear and partly see the waterfall from the pull-off. A steep path leads down to a frontal view of the waterfall. Continue down to the creek at the base. The pool in front of the waterfall looks like would make a great swimhole.

Big Laurel Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.02200,-83.50374 (Pull-off on FSR 67)

Waterfall GPS: 35.01826,-83.50627

Big Laurel Falls is a 20-foot waterfall on Big Laurel Branch in Macon County near the headwaters of Nantahala River. The waterfall is located in the Southern Nantahala Wilderness area in Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is an easy 1-mile round-trip.

To visit the falls, head west from Franklin on US-64. In about 12 miles, turn left onto Old Murphy Road at the sign for Standing Indian Campground. Drive 1.9 miles and turn right on Forest Service Road 67 at another sign for the campground. The road is initially paved, but becomes gravel. In about 2 miles, there is a fork, where right heads to the Standing Indian Campground. Bear left and continue for about another 5 miles to a pull-off on FSR 67 at the sign for Laurel Falls/Timber Ridge trails.

From the trailhead, hike down to the bridge over Mooney Creek and turn right to stay on Big Laurel Falls Trail (#29). The trail follows the creek upstream for less than a half-mile to the waterfall. The waterfall is not huge, but it's in a very scenic setting and secluded enough that you're likely to have the falls to yourself.

Billy Branch Waterfall:

Trailhead GPS: 35.36656,-82.73875 (Parking Area at end of FSR 476)

Waterfall GPS: 35.35859,-82.73748

Waterfall on Billy Branch is a 20-foot waterfall on a tributary of South Fork Mills River in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is about 2 miles round trip and easy to moderate.

To visit the falls, get on US-276 north from the intersection of US-64 east of Brevard. Drive 11.8 miles and turn right on Forest Service Road 1206 (Yellow Gap Road). Go 3.3 miles on this gravel road and turn right on FSR 476 (Wolf Ford Road). Follow this road for about 1.3 miles to the end and park before the gate.

Begin hiking down South Mills River Trail (#133), which is an extension of FSR 476 past the gate. In about a mile, the trail turns to the right and crosses the river on a big bridge. Where the main trail turns to the right, go left and follow the path upstream along Billy Branch. It's less than a quarter-mile to the waterfall and you should be able to see and hear it from the path. A short, but steep scramble path leads down to the base of the waterfall. For a relatively unknown waterfall, I thought this was a pretty nice one.

Bird Rock Falls:

Bird Rock Falls, also called Cathedral Falls, is a 20-foot waterfall on North Fork French Broad River in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located on private property belonging to Living Waters Ministry, but the folks here are nice enough to allow public access to see the waterfalls. If you visit, please be respectful of the property owners.

To visit the falls, head west on US-64 from Brevard for about 9 miles and turn right on NC-215 North. Go about 7.8 miles and there will be a pull-off on the side of the road, right before Clinic Road. Coming from the Blue Ridge Parkway, go south on NC-215 for about 9 miles to the pull-off.

Hike down to the creek behind the mill at Mill Shoals and follow the trail that leads downstream along the river. In about a quarter-mile, the trail ends at some exposed rock at the base of Bird Rock Falls. Although it's not a huge waterfall, the scenery is very nice. There's a huge cliff above the waterfall that birds used to nest on (hence the name); right after a good rain, the water will flow off the cliff creating another waterfall! The second picture below is of the cliff.

Boone Fork Waterfall:

Trailhead GPS: 36.13891,-81.72748 (Price Park Picnic Area Parking, MP 296.4)

Waterfall GPS: 36.15417,-81.74052

Boone Fork Waterfall is a 15-foot waterfall on its namesake in Watauga County. The waterfall is located in Julian Price Memorial Park along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock. The hike to the waterfall is about 3.5 miles round trip and moderately difficult.

To visit the falls, head south from Boone on US-321 for about 6 miles and take the exit towards Flat Top Road. Turn left to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway southbound and drive 4.4 miles to the Price Park Picnic Area on the left.

Just beyond the restrooms, pick up Boone Fork Trail, crossing the creek on a footbridge. At the split, go right on Boone Fork Trail for about 1.8 miles. You'll pass the split with Mountains-to-Sea Trail and scramble path down to Hebron Colony Falls. About a quarter mile past this, you can see the waterfall from the trail or make a very steep climb down to the creek at the base.

Bradley Falls:

Bradley Falls, also called Big Bradley Falls, is a nearly 100-foot waterfall on Cove Creek in Green River Game Land. The falls are just a short distance outside of Saluda in Polk County on the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

To visit the falls, take exit 59 on I-26/US-74 for Saluda and turn onto Holbert Cove Road (SR-1142) heading away from Saluda. At just over 3 miles from the exit, stop at the pull-off on the side of the road, just before the road crosses Cove Creek.

The trail to Bradley Falls is about a mile one-way. From the parking area, follow the blue-blazed trail through an open field and then into the woods to a creek crossing. In low water, you might be able to rock-hop across, but more than likely you'll have to get your feet wet. Across the continue to follow the trail towards the top of the waterfall. A small and very steep trail leads down to the top of the waterfall, but there's no good views here. At this point, the trail becomes more difficult to follow and there are no more blazes. Continue to follow the trail along the ridgeline to an overlook for the falls. Unfortunately, trees partially block the view of the falls here. It is possible to climb down into the gorge to see the falls from the base. This is extremely dangerous and should only be attempted by experienced climbers. I have not made it down to the base yet.

Bridal Veil Falls (Cullasaja Gorge):

Trailhead GPS: 35.07171,-83.22912 (Bridal Veil Falls Scenic Area pull-off on US-64)

Waterfall GPS: 35.07192,-83.22893

Bridal Veil Falls is a 40-foot waterfall on a tributary of Cullasaja River in Macon County. This roadside waterfall is in the Cullasaja River Gorge in Nantahala National Forest, located along US-64 just west of Highlands. This waterfall is unique in that you can drive behind it, though it is frequently closed.

Bridal Veil Falls (DuPont State Forest):

Bridal Veil Falls in Transylvania County is one of several waterfalls along Little River in DuPont State Forest. The waterfall consists of a veil that you can walk behind and a long slide over a massive section of exposed bedrock.

Bubbling Spring Branch Cascades:

Trailhead GPS: 35.31439,-82.91033 (Pull-off on NC-215)

Waterfall GPS: 35.31375,-82.90964

Bubbling Spring Branch Cascades is a 20-foot waterfall in Haywood County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah national Forest. The waterfall is visible from the road, but for a better view, you'll need to make the steep scramble down to the base.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about nine miles and turn right on NC-215 north. Drive about 19 miles on NC-215 N to a pull-off on the left side of the road. The pull-off is 1.8 miles north of the parkway. If coming from the Blue Ridge Parkway, take NC-215 N and go 1.8 miles to the pull-off on the right.

From the pull-off, you can see the waterfall, though the view may be obscured by foliage in the summer. In the fall, the brilliant color makes this a very scenic view. For a better view, go under the guard rail and make the steep climb down to the creek. Hike through the campground to approach the open area at the base of the waterfall. This is a good waterfall for swimming when the weather is warm.

Bubbling Spring Branch Lower Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.30342,-82.90864 (Pull-off on NC-215)

Waterfall GPS: 35.30127,-82.91195

Lower Bubbling Spring Branch Falls is a 20-foot waterfall in Haywood County. The waterfall is located along the Blue Ridge Parkway, just outside Middle Prong Wilderness. The hike to the falls is less than a mile round-trip, but its off trail and can be a little tricky to find, as well as requiring a few creek crossings.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about nine miles and turn right on NC-215 north. Drive about 17.5 miles on NC-215 N to a large pull-off on the left side of the road. The pull-off is just under a half-mile north of the parkway. If coming from the Blue Ridge Parkway, take NC-215 N and go 0.4 miles to the pull-off on the left.

From the pull-off, continue down NC-215 a short ways and you should see the Mountains-to-Sea Trail duck into the woods on the left. You'll cross a creek almost immediately as you enter Middle Prong Wilderness and then cross a larger creek (which is Bubbling Spring Branch). Once across, MST will go right. Turn left and go through a large primitive campsite. Past the fire ring, cross the creek again. From here, you need to follow the path to head upstream to the waterfall. You'll need to cross the creek three or four times more and rock hop up the creek to the base of the waterfall.

Bubbling Spring Branch Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.30342,-82.90864 (Pull-off on NC-215)

Waterfall GPS: 35.30068,-82.91195

Upper Bubbling Spring Branch Falls is a 30-foot sliding waterfall in Haywood County. The waterfall is located along the Blue Ridge Parkway, just outside Middle Prong Wilderness. The hike to the falls is less than a mile round-trip, but its off trail and can be a little tricky to find, as well as requiring a few creek crossings.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Lower Bubbling Spring Branch Falls above. Once at the waterfall, look for a path to scramble up to the top falls on the left side. Don't get too close to the top of the waterfall. Once near the top, continue following the creek upstream a short ways to the base of the Upper Falls.

Buck Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.73244,-82.11151 (Pull-off on NC-80)

Waterfall GPS: 35.73321,-82.11166

Buck Creek Falls is a waterfall in several sections in McDowell County. The waterfall is on private property but can be viewed from the road.

To visit the falls, head west from Marion on US-70 for about 2 miles and turn right on NC-80/Buck Creek Road. Drive 5.4 miles to a pull-off on the left in a right hand curve at a private gated road. Park without blocking the gate. Cross the street and walk to the end of the guardrail. There's an obscured view of the waterfall from the road here.

Buckeye Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.21999,-81.90407 (Buckeye Recreation Center Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.22292,-81.90738

Buckeye Creek Falls is a 25-foot waterfall on its namesake in Watauga and Avery Counties. The waterfall is located in Beech Mountain and is accessible from the city's trail network. The hike to the falls is a 1-mile loop and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, head west from Boone on US-321 North for about 15 miles and turn left onto Buckeye Road. Continue on Buckeye Road for about 3.5 miles and turn left on Buckeye Creek Road. Go about 2.5 miles on Buckeye Creek Road and turn left on Pine Ridge Road. The Buckeye Recreation Center will be on the left in 0.5 miles.

The Falls Trail starts from behind the playground and descends via switchbacks to Grassy Gap Creek near the confluence with Buckeye Creek. The waterfall is just upstream from the confluence on Buckeye Creek. A footbridge crosses the creek just below the falls. Continue on the trail to loop back to the Recreation Center.

Buckeye Creek Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.21999,-81.90407 (Buckeye Recreation Center Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.20068,-81.89392

Upper Buckeye Creek Falls is an 8-foot waterfall on its namesake in Watauga and Avery Counties. The waterfall is located in Beech Mountain and is accessible from the city's trail network. The hike to the falls is around 6 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, follow the driving directions for Buckeye Creek Falls above. From the recreation center, turn left on Pine Ridge Road and walk a short ways to the trailhead for Grassy Gap Trail. This trail follows its namesake creek upstream on a natural surface trail for a mile or so, crossing a couple old roads. Eventually, the trail turns right and follows an old road for a while with Red Fox Trail joining up. Where the two trails split, go right to stay on Red Fox Trail and follow to the end at Pinnacle Ridge Road. Turn left and follow the road a short ways to Woodland Road on the right, which is also Smoketree Trail. The trail heads down and then up with two switchbacks. At the second, the trail follows Mill Pond Lane a short distance, then bears left onto Smoketree Road. In about a half-mile, the trail crosses Buckeye Creek and the waterfall is immediately upstream of the road. It's a small waterfall, but photogenic in high water. There may be a shorter way to get here, but Beech Mountain is rather confusing to navigate and this is how I got here.

Buckeye Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.31351,-82.95398 (Haywood Gap Pull off on Blue Ridge Parkway)

Waterfall GPS: 35.32626,-82.94146

Buckeye Falls is a waterfall in several sections on Buckeye Creek in Haywood County. The waterfall is located in Middle Prong Wilderness in Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the falls is about 3 miles round trip and very difficult.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 8.5 miles and turn right on NC-215. Drive just over 17 miles and turn left immediately after crossing under the Blue Ridge Parkway. At the parkway, turn right to go southbound for 3.3 miles to Haywood Gap at milepost 426.5. Pull completely off the road and park.

From the parking area, follow the Mountains-to-Sea Trail a short ways to a split and go left on Haywood Gap Trail (#142) and enter Middle Prong Wilderness. The trail follows Haywood Gap Stream steeply down and crosses where a tributary enters the creek. In just over a mile, the trail crosses Middle Prong. Get in the creek and go upstream to the confluence of Buckeye Creek and Haywood Gap Stream. Buckeye Creek is on the left. Follow the creek upstream for just under a quarter mile. There are a series of cascades that you'll need to climb up before reaching the falls. The banks of the creek are very steep with dense rhododendron so easiest to stay in the creek except to get around cascades.

Bull Cove Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 34.99875,-83.55669 (Lower parking along FSR-56)

Trailhead GPS: 35.01413,-83.55614 (Upper parking at end of FSR-56)

Waterfall GPS: 35.00308,-83.54242

Bull Cove Falls is a 40-foot waterfall in two sections on Bull Cove Creek in Clay County. The waterfall is located in the Southern Nantahala Wilderness in Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is part of the strenuous 8.5-mile Beech Creek loop hike.

Burnthouse Branch Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.92802,-81.80005 (end of Forest Service Road 197)

Waterfall GPS: 35.95110,-81.82245

Burnthouse Branch Falls is a remote 25-foot waterfall on a tributary of Upper Creek in Burke County. The hike to falls is just over 5 miles round-trip and challenging. It is located in the Wilson Creek area of Pisgah National Forest.

Camp Branch Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.16512,-83.54069 (Pull-off on FR-316)

Waterfall GPS: 35.16797,-83.54187

Camp Branch Falls is a 12-foot waterfall on Camp Branch, a tributary of Wayah Creek in Macon County. The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is less than a mile round trip and easy.

To visit the falls, head west from Franklin for about 4 miles and turn right on Patton Road. Make an almost immediate left onto Wayah Road and drive just over 5 miles to Forest Road 316 on the right. Go a short ways and find a place to park before the gate.

From the parking area, follow the path that heads straight, where FR-316 goes right and fords Camp Branch. You'll pass a concrete building, presumably to store explosives, in under a quarter-mile. Just after this, rock-hop the tributary and you should be able to see and head the waterfall. Scramble down to creek level for the best views.

Camp Branch Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.16512,-83.54069 (Pull-off on FR-316)

Waterfall GPS: 35.16837,-83.54215

Upper Camp Branch Falls is a 20-foot waterfall on Camp Branch, a tributary of Wayah Creek in Macon County. The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is less than a mile round trip and easy.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Camp Branch Falls above. Continue on the path a couple hundred feet past the first waterfall and another scramble path leads to the base of the upper one.

Cane Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.03735,-83.14158 (Pull-off on Whiteside Cove Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.03398,-83.13753

Cane Creek Falls is a 25-foot waterfall on its namesake, a tributary of Chattooga River, in Macon County. The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District in Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is 1.5 miles round trip and difficult.

To visit the falls, head south on NC-107 from US-64 in Cashiers for 1.7 miles and turn right on Whiteside Cove Road. The trailhead is in 7.1 miles. The road starts out paved, changes to gravel after about 5 miles and then back to paved right before the trailhead. Gated Forest Road 2052 splits to the left; and there is a small pull-off on either side of the road.

Hike down FR-2052 for just over half a mile. The spot to get off the road is not obvious, but its right around the 2760 foot contour line on the topo map and there is a small break in the vegetation. From here, bushwhack down to the creek by the easiest path possible. It starts out moderate, but gets really steep towards the end. You should come out at the creek downstream of the falls. Rock hop or bushwhack up to the base.

Cape Fear River Tributary Waterfall:

Trailhead GPS: 35.31345,-78.69145 (Cape Fear River Trail Park Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 35.32034,-78.69386

Cape Fear River Tributary Waterfall is a 10-foot waterfall in Harnett County. The waterfall is located in Cape Fear River Trail Park, a Harnett County park near Erwin. The hike to the falls is about a mile round trip and easy, but difficult to get to the base.

To visit the falls, head north from Fayetteville on Ramsey Street/US-401 for about 15 miles and turn right on Horseshoe Bend Road right after crossing Little River. In 2 miles, turn left on NC-217 and go 3.9 miles. Immediately after crossing Cape Fear River, turn left to enter Cape Fear River Trail Park and the parking lot is on the left. Pick up the trail that runs parallel to the road towards and past the factory. Shortly after the factory, the trail ends at a steep gorge with the tributary. If you go around the fence, you can see the waterfall from above. Backtrack a short ways to find a steep path leading down to the Cape Fear River and you can rock hop up the tributary to see it from the base.

Carlton Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.15766,-82.99869 (Cold Mountain Gap Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 35.14480,-82.99454

Carlton Falls, also called Burnt Kitchen Falls, is a waterfall on Greenland Creek in Jackson County. The waterfall is located in Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area in Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is about 3.5 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, head east on US-64 from Lake Toxaway and turn left to get on NC-281 north. In just under a mile, bear left to get on Cold Mountain Road. Go 5.7 miles to the end of the road and turn left onto the gravel road. Go a short ways and turn right to reach the parking area. This is the Cold Mountain Gap access to Panthertown Valley.

Pick up Mac's Gap Trail (#482) at the start of the parking area and descend through the powerline clearing towards Greenland Creek. Where Greenland Creek Trail (#488) goes right, continue straight on the combined trail. Mac's Gap Trail splits right to cross the creek; stay left on Greenland Creek Trail for about 0.3 miles to the end at Greenland Creek Falls. An obvious path climbs steeply up the side of the waterfall and continues to follow Greenland Creek upstream. After another 3/4 miles, the trail comes out at the base of Carlton Falls. Another path leads up to the upper section of the waterfall.

Carter Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.28914,-80.88016 (Carter Falls Trailhead parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.28830,-80.88447

Carter Falls is a cascading waterfall on Elkin Creek in Wilkes County. The waterfall is on property owned by Wilkes County and is adjacent to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The hike to the falls is a half-mile round trip and easy.

To visit the falls, head north from Elkin on US-21 Business for about 2 miles and turn left on E Carter Mill Road. Drive 1.6 miles and turn right on Pleasant Ridge Road. A gravel parking area at the trailhead is on the left in 0.6 miles. A short trail leads from the parking area to the falls.

Cascade Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.24566,-81.45831 (E. B. Jeffress Park at MP 272.5)

Waterfall GPS: 36.24943,-81.45506

Cascade Falls is a tall cascading waterfall on Fall Creek in Wilkes County. The waterfall is located in E. B. Jeffress Park along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The hike to the falls is less than a mile and easy.

To visit the falls, head east from Boone on US-421 south for about 10 miles and bear right for the Blue Ridge Parkway. Turn left to go southbound on the parkway and drive 4.4 miles to the parking area for E. B. Jeffress Park on the right at milepost 272.5. From the parking area, follow the short Cascades Loop Trail to an overlook near the top of the waterfall.

Cascade Lower Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.41439,-80.26465 (Lower Cascade Trailhead Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.41491,-80.26841

Lower Cascade Falls is a beautiful 35-foot waterfall on Cascade Creek in Stokes County. The waterfall is located in a scenic amphitheater setting with a nice pool at the base, perfect for wading. The hike to the falls is about 0.8 miles round trip and moderate. See my Hanging Rock State Park page for directions and more description.

Cascade Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.39393,-80.26679 (Hanging Rock Visitor Center Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.39543,-80.26913

Upper Cascade Falls is 25-foot cascading waterfall on Cascade Creek in Stokes County. The hike to the falls is about 0.6 miles round trip from the Visitor Center and easy. See my Hanging Rock State Park page for directions and more description.

Cascades:

Trailhead GPS: 36.13263,-81.68043 (Glen Burney Trail Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 36.12554,-81.68321

The Cascades are a 15-foot waterfall on New Years Creek in Watauga County. The waterfall is located along the Glen Burney Trail in land owned by the town of Blowing Rock. The hike to the waterfall is about 1.5 miles round trip or a little longer if including Glen Burney and Glen Marie Falls. See my Glen Burney Trail page for directions and more description.

Case Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.29005,-82.35961 (Pull off on Gallimore Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.28885,-82.35920

Case Falls is a 30-foot waterfall on a tributary of Hungry River in Henderson County. The waterfall is located in Green River Game Lands. The hike to the waterfall is about a quarter-mile round trip, but somewhat difficult.

To visit the falls, take I-26 to Hendersonville and get off at exit 53 for Upward Road. Go east on Upward Road for about 1.5 miles and turn right on Big Hungry Road. Bear left at the first fork in a half-mile to stay on Big Hungry Road and right at the second fork to stay on the road. In 1.3 miles from Upward Road, turn right on Gallimore Road and drive to the turnaround at the end. Park opposite the gated parking area for kayakers.

From the parking area, hike down the gated road opposite the gated parking area. The trail passes a small cascade upstream of Case Falls and then turns left. Where the trail turns left, get off the trail to the right and bushwhack down to the creek at the base of Case Falls.

Catawba Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.61389,-82.22998 (Catawba Falls Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 35.60406,-82.24533

Catawba Falls is a beautiful 100-foot waterfall near the headwaters of Catawba River in McDowell County. The waterfall is located in the Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest just outside Old Fort. The hike to the falls is about 3 miles round trip.

To visit the falls, take I-40 to Old Fort and take exit 73. If coming from the west, at the end of the exit ramp, make a sharp right turn on Catawba River Road and follow for about 3 miles. If coming from the east, at the end of the exit ramp, turn left on Catawba Avenue and then a right on Catawba River Road after crossing under I-40. There is a bridge over Catawba River that leads to a Forest Service parking area for the waterfall.

Cross the bridge to the parking lot and pick up the trail at the far end. Right away, you'll have to cross Catawba River. The Forest Service plans to install footbridges, but I don't expect that will happen any time soon. Unless the water is way up, it's pretty easy to rock-hop across. The trail follows the river upstream eventually crossing Clover Patch Branch, which is an easy crossing. Shortly after this crossing, you'll pass an old dam and power station. After the dam, you'll have to cross Chestnut Branch, another easy crossing and then soon come out at the base of Catawba Falls. It's a very nice waterfall, though foliage can obscure the view and there's no way to see the entire thing.

Catawba Lower Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.61389,-82.22998 (Catawba Falls Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 35.60653,-82.24316

Lower Catawba Falls is a waterfall on Catawba River just downstream from Catawba Falls in McDowell County. The waterfall is located in the Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest, just outside Old Fort. The hike to the falls is about 2.5 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Catawba Falls above. Just after crossing Clover Patch Branch and just before the dam, a steep scramble path leads down to the river at the base of the falls. It's a nice waterfall, but is definitely overshadowed by the two larger waterfalls upstream.

Catawba Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.61389,-82.22998 (Catawba Falls Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 35.60197,-82.24753

Upper Catawba Falls is a beautiful 60-foot waterfall on Catawba River just upstream from Catawba Falls in McDowell County. The waterfall is located in the Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest just outside Old Fort. The hike to the falls is about 3.5 miles round trip and strenuous.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Catawba Falls above. There is a very steep trail from here that leads to the upper waterfall. The trail is can be dangerous and requires the use of ropes in places. The Forest Service plans to make a better trail to Upper Catawba Falls, but it may be some time before that happens. So unfortunately, for the time being, this one is very difficult to visit.

Cedar Rock Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.28431,-82.79172 (Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education Parking Lot)

Waterfall GPS: 35.27811,-82.79979

Waterfall on Cedar Rock Creek is 20-foot high waterfall on its namesake creek in Transylvania County. It's located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest near Brevard. The hike to the falls is about 2 miles round trip and moderate.

To visit the falls, head north on US-276 from US-64 for 5.2 miles and turn right on Forest Road 475 at the sign for the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education and Pisgah Fish Hatchery. Go about 1.5 miles and turn left into the large parking lot for the wildlife center/fish hatchery.

Walk to the back of the parking lot and onto the gated road and then turn right onto the orange-blazed Cat Gap Loop Trail (#120) right after the bridge. Hike this trail for just under a mile and there will be an unmarked trail to the left that leads down to the falls. The turn isn't marked, but you should be able to hear the waterfall from the main trail. The side trail descends and leads through a small grotto before reaching the waterfall.

Charley Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.26892,-82.98430 (Pull-off on Charleys Creek Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.28107,-82.98639

Charley Creek Falls is a 30-foot cascading waterfall on its namesake creek in Jackson County. The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is about 2.5 miles round trip and difficult.

To visit the falls, head west on US-64 from Brevard for about 8 miles and turn right on NC-215 north just before Rosman. Drive just under 14 miles and turn left on Charleys Creek Road. Go about 6.8 miles to a pull-off at FR-4655 right before the bridge over Charley Creek.

From the parking area, hike along FR-4655 past the jeep mounds and bear right in about 0.1 miles where a path to the left leads down to the creek. At the next fork, bear left to get off FR-4655 and follow an overgrown logging road that parallels the creek. It starts to get confusing at this point and we ended doing a nasty bushwhack to get to the falls. I think you want to go about a 0.5 mile or so to another split and go left, cross the creek and pick up another logging road on the other side. From here's its probably another half-mile to the waterfall. Where the logging road makes a sharp curve to the left, you should be able to see and hear the waterfall. Bushwhack down to the base. Unfortunately, this waterfall is really covered in rhododendron and downfall, so not terribly scenic.

Charleys Bridge Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.26892,-82.98430 (Pull-off on Charleys Creek Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.26873,-82.98422

Charleys Bridge Falls is a 20-foot waterfall on Charley Creek in Jackson County. The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The waterfall is right below the bridge on Charleys Creek Road, but it's a steep buchwhack down to the base for a view.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Charley Creek Falls above. From the pull-off at FR-4655, walk back on Charleys Creek Road from the bridge a hundred feet or so and find the best way to get down to creek level. It's very steep and there's a ton of garbage dumped here. There's a bunch of rhododendron along the creek, so it's probably easiest to creek-walk up to the base of the waterfall.

Chasm Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.00911,-83.25069 (Pull off on FR-79)

Waterfall GPS: 35.00846,-83.24869

Chasm Falls is a 20-foot waterfall on East Fork Overflow Creek just above the confluence with West Fork in Macon County. The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is less than a half-mile round trip. It's pretty easy to the top, but difficult to get to the base.

To visit the falls, head south from Highlands on NC-28 for 6 miles and turn right on Blue Valley Road. This road changes to gravel and becomes FR-79 as it enters the forest. Go 4.5 miles to where the road curves right and pull off on the side.

Hike down the old overgrown logging road towards East Fork for a little over 0.1 miles. The road peters out a bit and becomes more of a trail and leads to the top of the falls. To get to the base backtrack and head down towards the creek. You'll have to cross the creek, which is dangerous in high water to reach the other side for a view of the chasm.

Chasteen Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.56282,-83.31059 (Parking area at back of Smokemont Campground)

Waterfall GPS: 35.58749,-83.31081

Chasteen Creek Falls is a 15-foot waterfall on its namesake creek in Swain County. The waterfall is located in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee. The hike to the falls is about 4 miles round trip and easy.

To visit the falls, head north from Cherokee on US-441 for about 6.5 miles, passing Oconaluftee Visitor Center, and turn right at the sign for Smokemont Campground. Make an immediate left and follow the road into the campground, heading towards loop D at the back of the campground. There is a parking lot here for Bradley Fork Trailhead.

Begin hiking the Bradley Fork Trail for 1.2 miles to Chasteen Creek Trail. Turn right, passing a backcountry campsite and go about three-quarters of a mile to a fork. Right stays on Chasteen Creek Trail and starts heading up, while left goes to a hitching post for horses. Past the post, a path leads a short ways upstream to the waterfall.

Chestnut Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.26920,-82.89184 (Pull off on FSR 140)

Waterfall GPS: 35.27927,-82.88720

Chestnut Falls is a scenic 20-foot waterfall on Chestnut Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is about 2 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 10 miles. Near Rosman, turn right on NC-215. Drive for 10.5 miles and turn right on Forest Service Road 140. Drive 2.6 miles on the gravel road to the gated FSR-5031 and park here. There are bigger pull-offs before FSR-5031 if there's no parking at the trailhead.

Hike down gated FSR-5031 for about three-quarters of a mile to a small campsite with a fire ring, just before the Forest Road forks. Look for a small path to the left that leads past the campsite and through rhododendron down to Chestnut Creek. The waterfall is just a short distance upstream.

Chestnut Cove Branch Falls:

Chinquapin Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.02308,-83.24104 (Pull-off on FR-79C)

Waterfall GPS: 35.02353,-83.24234

Chinquapin Falls is a tall waterfall on an unmarked tributary of East Fork Overflow Creek flowing off Chinquapin Mountain in Macon County. The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The hike to the falls is short, but all bushwhacking and extremely difficult.

To visit the falls, head south from Highlands on NC-28 for 6 miles and turn right on Blue Valley Road. This road changes to gravel and becomes FR-79 as it enters the forest. At 3.7 miles, turn right on FR-79C and go about a half-mile to a pull-off on the right.

In high water, you can see the waterfall from the road through the trees. In low water, I'm sure this one wouldn't be worth it. From the road, bushwhack up along the unmarked tributary on river left side by the easiest path possible. As you get close to the waterfall, the rhododendron become really dense. I went away from the river to avoid the rhododendron and then headed back towards the creek near the top of the waterfall. Unfortunately, a big tree fell across the waterfall and probably isn't going anywhere for a while. As such, this probably isn't worth the strenuous bushwhacking to visit.

Chub Line Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.10853,-82.88361

Waterfall GPS: 35.08529,-82.90409

Chub Line Falls is a 25-foot waterfall on Toxaway River in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located deep in the heart of Gorges State Park near Lake Toxaway. The hike to the falls is over 6 miles round trip and very difficult.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 9 miles and turn left on Frozen Creek Road. Go 3 miles and the parking for the Frozen Creek access of Gorges State Park will be on the right.

From the Frozen Creek Access parking, take the combined Augur Hole Trail/Cane Brake Trail. In 0.7 miles, go right to stay on Augur Hole Trail. Follow Augur Hole Trail for a total of about 3 miles to a spot where the trail is high above Chub Line Falls. Even in summer, you can hear the waterfall if not see it through the foliage. The spot to get off the trail is not obvious but it's about 300 feet before the split with Wintergreen Trail. From here, head very steeply down towards the sound of falling water. Approaching the waterfall, it's possible to get out at the top but can't really see the whole thing from here. To see it from the base, climb back up past the rocks and look for a way to go downstream and then down to the river. It is necessary to wade into the river to get see the falls from the base.

Chute Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.08947,-82.95181 (Grassy Ridge Parking Area in Gorges State Park)

Waterfall GPS: 35.08817,-82.93831

Chute Falls is a 20-foot waterfall on Bearwallow Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in Gorges State Park. The hike to the waterfall is about 4 miles round trip and very difficult, including bushwhacking. See my Gorges State Park website for directions and more description.

Clark Park Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.08721,-78.87122 (J. Bayard Clark Park & Nature Center Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 35.08812,-78.86826

Clark Park Falls is a 30-foot waterfall on an unnamed tributary of Cape Fear River in Cumberland County. The waterfall is located in J. Bayard Clark Park & Nature Center. The hike to the falls is very short and easy.

To visit the falls, head north from downtown Fayetteville on Ramsey Street. In about 2 miles, turn right on Sherman Drive, which becomes gravel. Go about a half-mile to the parking lot at the end. From the parking, hike across the railroad tracks to the Nature Center. The waterfall is right behind. You can take Bear Trail to view the waterfall from the other side, but both views are blocked by branches and downed trees.

Clawhammer Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.31488,-82.74921 (Pull-off on FSR-477)

Waterfall GPS: 35.32557,-82.74660

Clawhammer Falls is a 12-foot waterfall on Clawhammer Cove Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the falls is a little over 2 miles and moderate in difficulty except for a bushwhack at the end.

To visit the falls, head east from Brevard on US-276/US-64 to where they split and turn left to stay on US-276. Drive 2.2 miles and turn right on Avery Creek Road (Forest Service Road 477). Go 2.3 miles on this gravel road to a pull-off on the left at the trailhead for Avery Creek Trail (#327). If there's no space here, there's a larger pull-off another quarter-mile up the road.

Begin hiking the Avery Creek Trail (#327) that is blazed blue. The trail heads down to its namesake creek and crosses on a footbridge. Cross the creek and go right to get on Clawhammer Cove Trail (#342). The trail follows Avery Creek downstream a short ways to the confluence with Clawhammer Cove Creek. It then turns left and follows the creek upstream. In about 0.75 miles, the trail crosses the creek on a footbridge. After crossing, get off the trail and bushwhack upstream a short ways. It's pretty open so not too bad for a bushwhack, but the climb down to the base of the falls is steep and overgrown.

Cody Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.27410,-82.89218 (Pull off on FR-140)

Waterfall GPS: 35.27081,-82.89543

Cody Falls is a 20-foot waterfall on Mill Station Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the falls is under a mile round trip, but difficult.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 8.5 miles. Near Rosman, turn right on NC-215. Drive for 10.5 miles and turn right on Forest Service Road 140. Drive 3 miles on the gravel road to a bridge over Courthouse Creek. There is a pull-off on the right immediately after the bridge.

Hike towards the bridge and pick up the Summey Cove Trail (#129)/Courthouse Falls Trail (#130) on the west side of the creek. The combined trail is blazed blue and orange. In about a quarter-mile, you'll be able to hear the waterfall to the right and shortly after that the trails split. Summey Cove Trail (blue blaze) goes right and Courthouse Falls Trail (orange blaze) turns sharply left. Go straight and bushwhack down to the creek below. There's a decent path so its pretty easy to follow but rather steep. It comes out at the base of the falls. I had to wade to the other side to get a decent picture.

Cold Branch Lower Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.34638,-83.99234 (Pull-off on FSR-81F)

Waterfall GPS: 35.34595,-83.99255

Lower Cold Branch Falls is a waterfall on its namesake creek in Graham County. The waterfall is located in the Cheoah Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. The waterfall is viewable from the road, but it's a steep bushwhack down to the base.

To visit the falls, head west from Robbinsville on Snowbird Road for just under 5 miles to NC-143. Continue straight on NC-143 for about 4.5 miles to Santeetlah Gap. Bear right on Santeetlah Road towards Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and make an immediate left on Old Santeetlah Road. The road changes to gravel and becomes FSR-81. Drive about 6.5 miles to Wolf Laurel Road (FSR-81F) and bear right. There was no sign when we visited indicating the road number, but there was a sign for snow cabin. Go about a quarter-mile and find somewhere to pull off on the side of the road.

You can see the waterfall down below from the road, but its steep to get down. There's no path so just find the best place to go down to the base for a view of the waterfall.

Cold Branch Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.34795,-83.99502 (Pull-off on FSR-81F)

Waterfall GPS: 35.34766,-83.99596

Upper Cold Branch Falls is a scenic waterfall on its namesake creek in Graham County. The waterfall is located in the Cheoah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is very short, but very challenging as there is no semblance of a trail.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Lower Cold Branch Falls above. Continue on FSR-81F for another quarter-mile and pull off on the side of the road. You can't see the waterfall from the road, so it's not so obvious. I had to walk up and down the road a couple times to figure out where to go down; the Trailhead GPS above is the best spot I could find. It's very steep, but also short. Bushwhack from the road down to about creek level and then head upstream to the base of the waterfall. There is an awful mess of rhododendron to navigate through; just stay close to the creek and climb and crawl through as best you can. It was very low water when I visited, but the potholes and mossy rocks made for a beautiful scene.

Courthouse Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.27410,-82.89218 (Pull off on FSR 140)

Waterfall GPS: 35.27174,-82.89390

Courthouse Falls is a scenic 40-foot waterfall on its namesake creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is an easy 0.75-mile round trip.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 10 miles. Near Rosman, turn right on NC-215. Drive for 10.5 miles and turn right on Forest Service Road 140. Drive 3 miles on the gravel road to a bridge over Courthouse Creek. There is a pull-off on the right immediately after the bridge.

Hike towards the bridge and pick up the Summey Cove Trail (#129)/Courthouse Falls Trail (#130) on the west side of the creek. The combined trail is blazed blue and orange. In about a quarter-mile, you'll be able to hear the waterfall to the right and shortly after that the trails split. Summey Cove Trail (blue blaze) goes right and Courthouse Falls Trail (orange blaze) turns sharply left. Follow the orange-blazed Courthouse Falls Trail that leads back towards the waterfall with wooden stairs leading down to creek level. The waterfall is located in a scenic rock amphitheater and is very pretty given the easy hike to reach it.

Courthouse Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.27620,-82.89192 (End of FSR 140 before gate)

Waterfall GPS: 35.28402,-82.89949

Upper Courthouse Falls is a waterfall in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is a moderate 1.5-mile round trip.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Courthouse Falls above, but drive an extra quarter mile on FSR 140 to the gate at the end. Gated FSR 140B also starts here to the left, but don't go that way. Hike up FSR 140 past the gate for about three-quarters of a mile to where the road ends. The waterfall is just ahead, right where Coalney branch flows into Courthouse Creek. To view the falls, cross the creek to the island. There's also an upper portion if you take the path straight ahead, but it's a bit of a scramble. I got a picture of the main portion from the island in the snow, but couldn't get down for an unobstructed view.

Cove Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.28310,-82.81691 (Parking area off FSR 475)

Waterfall GPS: 35.29407,-82.81748

Cove Creek Falls is a beautiful waterfall on its namesake creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest near the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. The hike to the falls is about 2.5 miles round-trip.

To visit the falls, head north on US-276 from the intersection of US-64 in Pisgah Forest for a little over 5 miles and turn left on Forest Service Road 475 at the sign for Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. Drive just over 3 miles to the parking area on the left at the entrance to Cove Creek Group Campground. The forest road is initially paved, but changes to gravel before you reach the parking area. Note that Cove Creek Group Campground is a fee area for registered campers; if you're just hiking to the waterfall, do not park in the campground.

From the parking area, hike up the road to the campground. Shortly, there is a ford, but a side path leads to a footbridge over Cove Creek. There are also some nice cascades along the creek to view in this section. At the campground, get on the blue-blazed Caney Bottom Trail (#361). Right at the entrance to the campground, the trail turns right and runs along the north side of the campground and leads to a split. Go left to get on Cove Creek Trail (#340) for a half-mile or so and look for a steep side trail leading down to the waterfall.

Craborchard Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 36.19757,-81.78926 (Waterfall Parking at Valle Crucis Conference Center)

Waterfall GPS: 36.20124,-81.79407

Crabtorchard Falls is a tall cascading waterfall on Craborchard Creek in Watauga County. The waterfall is located on private property owned by the Valle Crucis Conference Center. Fortunately, the landowners are kind enough to allow public access to see the waterfall. Please be respectful while visiting. The hike to the falls is about 1.5 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, head south on NC-105 from Boone. In just under 5 miles, turn right on Broadstone Road heading towards Valle Crucis. In about 3 miles, turn left on NC-194 south. Drive about 1.3 miles and make a sharp right turn onto Skiles Road to enter the Valle Crucis Conference Center. Go up the hill and park in the Waterfall Parking area.

Hike down the road to the large building and go left, following the signs, to follow a gravel road up the hill. It's about a half-mile mostly up to a split, where a path to the right leads down to a wooden overlook at the waterfall. This is a very tall cascading waterfall, but it's not possible to see the entire thing at once.

Crabtree Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.81551,-82.14564 (Crabtree Meadows Campground)

Waterfall GPS: 35.81964,-82.14974

Crabtree Falls is a beautiful 70-foot cascading waterfall on Big Crabtree Creek in Yancey County. It's a moderate 2.5-mile loop to see the falls. It is located in the Crabtree Meadows of the Blue Ridge Parkway. See my Crabtree Meadows page for directions and more description.

Cullasaja Falls:

D.E.W. Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.06822,-83.00754 (Parking area on NC-281)

Waterfall GPS: 35.06857,-83.00948

D.E.W. Falls is a small, but scenic waterfall on Mill Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The short trail to the falls was built by students from a high school in South Carolina. They named the waterfall for Dorothy Ehrlich Walker, a classmate who died in a car accident.

To visit the falls, head west on US-64 from Brevard towards Lake Toxaway. In Lake Toxaway, go left to stay on US-64/NC-281 and go about 2.5 miles, then turn left onto NC-281 south. Drive 4.9 miles, passing Gorges State Park on the left, and pull into a small pull-off on the side of the road on the right at a gated road.

The hike to the falls is an easy half-mile round trip. The D.E.W. Falls Trail (#281) begins beyond the gate. It follows the road a short ways, then bears left and leads to the waterfall.

Diamond Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.15461,-82.85829 (Pull off on Diamond Creek Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.15445,-82.85812

Diamond Creek Falls is a roadside waterfall in Transylvania County. The waterfall is on private property but you can see it from the road. The view isn't very good.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 8 miles to Rosman and turn right on NC-215 north. In 0.9 miles, turn left on the gravel Diamond Creek Road. The road fords a creek at just over half a mile and passes the waterfall in 1.5 miles. There's a pull off at the top but the view isn't good.

Dill Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.28272,-82.94111 (End of FSR 4663B)

Waterfall GPS: 35.28328,-82.94360

Dill Falls is a beautiful 50-foot waterfall on Tanasee Creek in Jackson County. It's located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest.

To visit the falls, head to Forest Road 4663 off NC-215. If coming from Brevard, go west on US-64 for about 8 miles and turn right on NC-215 North. Go approximately 14.4 miles and turn left on Forest Road 4663. Alternately, if coming from the Blue Ridge Parkway, turn onto NC-215 South and go 2.7 miles to Forest Road 4663 on the right. Go about 2.5 miles on Forest Road 4663 and bear left on Forest Road 4663B. We parked here and hiked down 4663B as the Forest Service recommends 4WD for this road. However, the road seemed to be in pretty good shape and would probably be fine for a 2WD vehicle. So drive or hike about 0.6 miles to the end of Forest Road 4663B.

At the end of Forest Road 4663B, there are trails splitting in three directions. Take the center trail, which immediately splits. You can go straight over holes, dug to prevent 4WD driving in this old road, or take a path around them and shortly come out on Tanasee Creek below the waterfall. Follow the creek upstream along rocks for a good view of the falls.

Dill Upper Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.28272,-82.94111 (End of FSR 4663B)

Waterfall GPS: 35.28402,-82.94332

Upper Dill Falls is a scenic 25-foot waterfall on Tanasee Creek in Jackson County. The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest.

To visit the falls, follow the directions to Dill Falls above. At the end of Forest Road 4663B, hike the right-most path that leads steeply up and then levels off. Once it levels off, you should soon be able to hear the waterfall and a faint path to the left leads down to the base. There was flagging tape making this path when I visited, but no guarantee that will be there in the future.

Discovery Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.32642,-82.80194 (Pull-off on FSR 475B)

Waterfall GPS: 35.32744,-82.80904

Discovery Falls is a 50-foot waterfall on an unnamed tributary of Log Hollow Branch in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the falls is a moderate 1-mile round trip, half on an old road and half off-trail.

To visit the falls, head north on US-276 from US-64 in Pisgah Forest for 10.3 miles and turn left on Forest Service Road 475B (Headwaters Road). If coming from the Blue Ridge Parkway, go south on US-276 for 4.6 miles and turn right on FSR 475B. Drive 1.6 miles on the gravel road to a pull-off in a sharp left-hand curve. There is a large informational Forest Service sign at the pull-off.

Hike down the gated Forest Road 5043 for about a quarter-mile to the first bridge on the road. This is the tributary that the waterfall is one. Just before the bridge, there is a faint path heading upstream along the tributary on river-left. It's not an official trail, but pretty easy to follow. Follow this path for about a quarter-mile to the waterfall. It gets a little steep towards the end, but nothing too bad. This tributary can have pretty low water flow, as can be seen in the picture below, so the best time to visit would be right after a good rain.

Dismal Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.18814,-82.95361 (Gravel road off Winding Gap Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.18020,-82.97418

Dismal Falls is a gorgeous and remote 150-foot waterfall on Dismal Creek in Transylvania County. This might be my favorite waterfall in North Carolina - it's absolutely beautiful and quite unique. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the waterfall is a little over 4 miles and extremely challenging. Although this waterfall is very beautiful, attempting to reach it should only be done by very experienced hikers. Also note that the Dismal Falls marked on the topo map is incorrect and following it leads to Lower Dismal Falls.

To visit the falls, head north on NC-281 from US-64, just east of Lake Toxaway. Go 6.2 miles and turn left onto Winding Gap Road. Almost immediately, there will be an old one-lane gravel road the forks to the right. Drive down to the end of this at the gate and park in the turnaround without blocking the gate. I think this was the old NC-281 before it was paved and straightened.

Hike down the old logging road past the gate. The old road continues for about a mile and is pretty easy to follow, with a couple of easy stream crossings. In about a mile, the road ends at West Fork French Broad River. Cross the river, which should be an easy rock-hop unless water levels are way up. Follow a path to the right and you'll come out at the base of the Lower Rhapsodie Falls. This unnamed tributary is not shown on the topo map, but is one drainage over from Dismal Creek. From this point, cross the creek below the waterfall and head upstream. The path is very steep through dense rhododendron, but at least it's short and will come out at the base of Waterfall on Tributary of West Fork French Broad River (Rhapsodie Falls).

That was the easy part of the hike - now it starts to really get hard. Cross the stream at the base of Rhapsodie Falls and head up the bank. There is a faint path it was well-marked with flagging tape when I last visited. In about a quarter-mile, you'll come to a split. The left path leads to Lower Dismal Falls (the one marked on the topo map). The right path that heads straight up is the one you want to take. If you find yourself thinking that this can't be right - the trail is too insanely steep - you are in fact on the right trail. There's no switchbacks or stairs, just an incredibly steep path that leads up the ridgeline above Dismal Creek. Once you reach the top, you should see a path leading down. Hard to believe, but the path leading down is even steeper. To safely descend, you'll need to "monkey-climb" down using rhododendron branches for support. Be extremely careful in this section, because if you're injured, it will be nearly impossible for rescue crews to get to you. Once you're down this very steep part, there are two paths. Although not as steep, these paths are extremely overgrown and perpetually wet, so use caution. The right path comes out at a point in the middle of the waterfall. You can climb out onto the rocks for a closer view of the upper portion of the falls, but be careful as the rocks are very slippery.

The left path comes out at the base of the waterfall for views of the entire thing.

Dismal Lower Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.18814,-82.95361 (Gravel road off Winding Gap Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.18138,-82.97341

Lower Dismal Falls is a 25-foot waterfall on Dismal Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the falls is about 4 miles round trip and difficult. If you combine with Dismal Falls, it is exceptionally difficult.

To visit the falls, follow the directions for Dismal Falls above up to the point where the trail splits past Rhapsodie Falls. Where the steep path heads up to Dismal Falls, go left and follow the path towards Dismal Creek. There is one steep portion requiring the use of ropes, but it's much shorter than the climb down to Dismal Falls. Once down at Dismal Creek, follow it upstream. You'll pass a huge rock wall that's really cool. I think it would make the detour down here worth even if there wasn't a waterfall.

Continue following the path upstream past the rock wall. As you get closer to the waterfall, you'll have to rock hop up the creek to view the waterfall. For the best views, climb up the left side of the creek to get close to the base.

Double Branch Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.21293,-82.93822 (Pull-off on Tanasee Gap Road)

Waterfall GPS: 35.21031,-82.93526

Double Branch Falls is a tall waterfall on its namesake, a tributary of Parker Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The hike to the falls is under a mile, but difficult, including bushwhacking.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 and turn right on NC-215. Go 8.7 miles and turn left on Tanasee Gap Road. Drive 4.6 miles on Tanasee Gap Road to a pull-off on the left at the gated Forest Road 9999.

Hike the FR-9999 for less than a quarter-mile to a clearing with a campsite where the road makes a sharp turn to the left. Bushwhack in a southeast direction towards the sound of falling water. A huge tree fell at the base so it's hard to get a good picture and Double Branch is a pretty small stream.

Double Drop Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.10853,-82.88361 (Frozen Creek Access for Gorges State Park)

Waterfall GPS: 35.09813,-82.89598

Double Drop Falls is a 15-foot waterfall on Augur Fork Creek in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in Gorges State Park. The hike to the falls is about 3 miles round trip and difficult, including bushwhacking.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 9 miles and turn left on Frozen Creek Road. Go 3 miles and the parking for Gorges State Park will be on the right.

Hike the Augur Hole Trail for just under 1.6 miles. It's not obvious but you should be able to hear and maybe see the falls. Get off the trail to the left and go down to the creek at the base of the waterfall.

Drift Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.08947,-82.95181 (Grassy Ridge Parking Area in Gorges State Park)

Waterfall GPS: 35.09348,-82.96940

Drift Falls is a sliding waterfall on Horsepasture River in Transylvania County. The waterfall is located in the private property just outside of Pisgah National Forest. However, the only legal access to the waterfall is through Gorges State Park. The hike to the falls is just over 3 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty.

To visit the falls, head west from Brevard on US-64 for about 18 miles, passing Lake Toxaway, and turn left on NC-281. In just under a mile, turn left into Grassy Ridge section of Gorges State Park and drive through to the Rainbow Falls Trailhead parking. Following the orange-blazed Rainbow Falls Trail departs the state park and enters the national forest, passing Rainbow and Turtleback Falls. The trail ends shortly after at the property boundary. A trail to the left leads to creek level below the waterfall. You can see waterfall from here while staying on public property.

This waterfall was formerly known as Bust-Yer-Butt Falls and people would slide down it. The land changed hands and Drift Falls is now on private property. No trespassing is strictly enforced so stay on national forest property to visit.

Dry Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.06786,-83.23843 (Dry Falls Scenic Area pull-off on US-64)

Waterfall GPS: 35.07192,-83.22893

Dry Falls is a 65-foot waterfall on Cullasaja River in Macon County. This waterfall is located in the Cullasaja River Gorge in Nantahala National Forest, along US-64 just west of Highlands. The waterfall is named as such because you can walk through a grotto behind the waterfall and stay dry most of the time. Not so dry if the water level is up.

Duggers Creek Falls:

Trailhead GPS: 35.95595,-81.92844 (Linville Falls Parking)

Waterfall GPS: 35.95674,-81.92711

Duggers Creek Falls is a 20-foot waterfall on Duggers Creek, a tributary of Linville River, in Burke County. The waterfall is located in the Linville Falls area of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The hike to the waterfall is very short and easy. See my Linville Falls page for more description and directions.