The Best Hikes to Waterfalls in Western North Carolina
Welcome to your guide to the best waterfall hikes in Western North Carolina. This section Guided Hikes in the various Trailheads on this site that travel to one of the most popular destinations for hiking in the mountains: waterfalls! With ample rainfall and erosion-resistant rocks underlying the smooth, round ridges, waterfalls are a common feature on area streams and rivers.
This represents what we think are the best hikes that include a waterfall in the region. However, it is by no means an exhaustive list of all the waterfalls you can hike to. For ALL the waterfalls we know about in Western North Carolina, visit our sister site, NorthCarolinaWaterfalls.info!
Choose a hike below. Hikes are organized from easiest to hardest. Once you select a hike, you can find all the details!
| Toms Creek Falls | Lower Douglas Falls | |||||||||||||
This easy hike is excellent for families and children, with a reward at the end that everyone will look forward to. You'll see a lush cove hardwood forest, huge boulders, and possibly an old mining shaft. Kids will love the small pool at the base of the 60-foot falls which is perfect for wading. During the spring, there are a wide variety of wildflowers to see and photograph. |
This spectacular, 70' falls is located in a former old-growth Hemlock forest (now dead). You'll walk a easy graded trail through otherwise beautiful woods and discover pleasant forest scenes along the way. Enjoy the falls from in front and from behind! The drive to the falls is a motor-nature trail of sorts, and along the way you'll pass many more scenic and interesting features. This hike has been upgraded to Moderate in difficulty and Moderately Rough, due to deterioration of the trail in the past few years. | |||||||||||||
| Forest Stroll | Graveyard Fields | |||||||||||||
This moderate hike takes you out-and-back through a vibrant forest to the base of 404' Hickory Nut Falls. You'll travel along the base of the cliffs that form the edge of the Hickory Nut Gorge and the Falls. Trees along this trail are large and interpretive signs help you identify points of interest in the geography and the ecology. At the base of Hickory Nut Falls, enjoy a splash of cold mountain water on a hot day - or just relax in the beauty of one of the highest waterfalls in the East! |
An excellent loop trail winds through this high-elevation, flat valley, with two spurs to some of the most photographed and enjoyed waterfalls in the state! You'll pass through alpine-like meadows, stands of Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron, and beside the lazy section of the river between the falls. This is a truly unique and highly recommended hike! | |||||||||||||
| Linville Falls - Erwin's View | Moore Cove Falls | |||||||||||||
This trail passes through a majestic forest of old-growth hemlock and white pines, to spectacular cliff-top views of one of the most photographed waterfalls in the East. Linville Falls has two mail trails: Erwin's view and Plunge Basin. Erwin's view is the easier of the two, and stops at three main overlooks: Upper Falls, Chimney View, and Erwin's View. Spectacular views of the falls, the surrounding mountains, and the Linville Gorge await. |
This plunge-type falls is located in one of the most popular areas of the Pisgah National Forest, near the Davidson River in the "Land of Waterfalls". It's a delightful, beautiful walk thru fern-filled woods and it's easy enough for families with small children to take. This falls is highly recommended, and a hike to it can be combined with another hike in the area if you are looking for a more difficult day of hiking. More About This Hike: | |||||||||||||
| Skinny Dip Falls | Harper Creek Waterfalls | |||||||||||||
This moderate, short hike takes you to an appealing waterfall and swimming hole on the Yellowstone Prong of the Big East Fork of the Pigeon River. It makes a great summer swimming destination, a great way to stretch your legs if you're traveling the parkway, and a great place for photographers - both for the falls and forest scenes and wildflowers on the way down. If you're feeling hoppy, this would make the start of a more strenuous trek into Graveyard Fields. |
A wilderness experience awaits along Harper Creek. However, this is a relatively gentle encounter with wilderness due to its short length, moderate grade, and sparse (but useful) trail blazes. From intimate creekside scenes, to long-distance views, to close-up encounters with two major waterfalls, excellent scenery lies along this hike. You'll follow a major, free-flowing stream for several miles and cross it a total of 12 times, getting you wet up to your knees. Not recommended in winter or during high water. | |||||||||||||
| Dupont State Forest Waterfalls | Crabtree Falls | |||||||||||||
With this hike, you can now take in up to all but one of the waterfalls in Dupont State Forest! It starts as an easy path to some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the area: Hooker, Triple, and High Falls of the Little River. Covered picnic shelters with views of the falls make for excellent family outing possibilities. If you wish to continue to Grassy Creek Falls, this will become a moderate hike, crossing a huge, scenic covered bridge to this long, sliding cascade. You can also continue on to a beautiful mountain lake, and now, Bridal Veil Falls as well! More About This Hike: |
This popular, short loop descends moderately to a majestic 70' waterfall, which has been touted as one of the most photogenic in the area. You'll climb steeply up the opposite ridge for a short distance, then hike a wide, smooth trail beside the stream. Many very large trees grace the forest in this area. Finish out the loop by climbing gently through a beautiful hardwood forest. Can you find the Fraser Magnolia, which has the largest leaves of any tree in the woods? Starts in a Blue Ridge Parkway campground which makes a good base camp for further explorations into the area. | |||||||||||||
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