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.
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 | Forest Stroll | |||||||||||||
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 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! | |||||||||||||
| Lower Douglas Falls | Moore Cove Falls | |||||||||||||
This spectacular, 70' falls is located in a beautiful, old-growth Hemlock forest with some exceptionally large trees. You'll walk a easy graded trail through 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 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 | Dupont State Forest 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. |
Walk an easy path to some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the area: Triple Falls 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 take you on a moderate hike, crossing a huge, scenic covered bridge to this long, sliding cascade. There is an optional side hike to a beautiful mountain lake, and a loop option as well! | |||||||||||||
| Crabtree Falls | Linville Falls - Erwin's View | |||||||||||||
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. |
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. | |||||||||||||
| Graveyard Fields | Panthertown Valley Tour | |||||||||||||
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! |
This is a large loop with a wide variety of main attractions. The trails will take you past lazy, meandering streams with clean white sandbars, yet you'll discover 5 major waterfalls as well. You'll explore the unusual, flat-bottomed, high-elevation valley and 300-foot high granite domes standing guard over it. Sheer cliffs offer great views of the unique area. Carnivorous plants grow among thick blankets of sphagnum moss, and rare and endangered species exist in the moist spray-cliff communities and on the dry, windy granitic domes as well. Be sure to bring your camera on this long hike! | |||||||||||||
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