With temperatures 10 to 20 degrees cooler, Western North Carolina provides a welcome escape during the dog days of summer. Imagine your face sprinkled with the mist of a waterfall as you rest on a cool rock under a forest canopy. If this sounds good to you, Western North Carolina is the place to be.
While visiting the wonderful waterfalls of North Carolina, please always remember to enjoy and view them safely. To learn more, check out NC State Parks' waterfall safety tips.
Find your waterfall in North Carolina’s mountains. Here are six of our favorite places to chill with waterfalls:
Gorges State Park
Located in Transylvania County near the tripoint where North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia meet, Gorges State Park features 26 waterfalls.
The park’s location in Sapphire is a wonderful happenstance for the crown jewel of the Blue Ridge Escarpment. Even more apt is the name of the park itself, alluding to the breathtaking valleys that form over two dozen — ahem — gorgeous waterfalls.
The 1.5-mile journey to Rainbow Falls, which is actually located within the Pisgah National Forest, is the most popular choice, beginning at the park’s Rainbow Falls Trailhead parking area. (Continue further along the trail to also see Turtleback Falls). A quicker hike is down Bearwallow Falls Trail, a 0.2-mile strenuous trail that ends with sweeping vistas at the Bearwallow Falls Overlook. On your way to Brevard on U.S. 64, don’t miss stopping at the bridge and crossing the walkway for a jaw-dropping view of Toxaway Falls.
Image Caption/photo credit: Upper Bearwallow Falls at Gorges State Park. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina State Parks and Recreation.
Catawba Falls
Catawba Falls, just 25 miles away from Asheville, NC, is known to be one of the most popular waterfalls in North Carolina and offers stunning beauty thanks to a series of cascades that, together, are 100 feet tall.
Follow this trail along the scenic headwaters of the Catawba River for a 4-mile round-trip hike to the beautiful cascading waterfall. The trail is moderately difficult and leads you through lush forests and along the Catawba River.
Please note: that while the entire Catawba Falls loop trail is open, the upper viewing platform and Wildflower Trail remain closed following Hurricane Helene. Visitors are encouraged to exercise extra care and follow all posted signage and closures.
Chimney Rock State Park
Located in Rutherford County 25 miles southeast of Asheville, Chimney Rock State Park offers some of North Carolina's most dramatic mountain scenery, overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure.
The iconic Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock State Park may look a little familiar. You may recognize it from the climactic ending of the Academy Award-winning film “The Last of the Mohicans,” an adaptation of one of the most popular books in American literature. In the words of Daniel Day-Lewis as Hawkeye, “I will find you. No matter how long it takes. No matter how far. I will find you.” You’re in luck: it’s pretty easy to find after a 0.7-mile moderate hike from the lower parking section at the summit, taking less than an hour out and back (depending on how long you need to take selfies with this Hollywood star).
Image Caption/photo credit: Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock State Park. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina State Parks and Recreation.
Linville Falls
Linville Falls is probably one of the most famous waterfalls in the Blue Ridge. Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Linville Falls drops in a breathtaking three-tiered cascade and can be viewed from several overlooks along both moderate and strenuous hiking trails from the Linville Falls Visitors Center. The currents are too strong for swimming near the falls, but you can get near the river where there are big boulders you can sit on to enjoy the soothing sounds of the water.
Please note: the Linville Falls Visitors Center is still closed at this time, but you can access the falls via the Chimney View, Erwin's View, and Gorge View trails from the USFS Gravel Parking Lot on Old NC 105. Climbing on rocks or swimming in the water around Linville Falls is strictly prohibited.
Image Caption/photo credit: Linville Falls at the Linville Gorge Wilderness area. Photo courtesy of Craig Marimpietri.
Rendezvous Mountain
For someone looking for a challenge, take a trek on the Amadahy Trail at Rendezvous Mountain in Wilkes County. Along the 4-mile loop, you will encounter a cascading waterfall through the trees. Make sure you hike clockwise, the trail is very steep! Added bonus: this former state forest was transferred to Stone Mountain State Park as a satellite area only a few years ago, so visitation is still gradually increasing. Expect peaceful solitude even on weekends!
Stone Mountain State Park
Located in Alleghany and Wilkes counties, Stone Mountain State Park offers more than 14,000 acres of lush woodland concealing bountiful trout streams fed by gorgeous waterfalls and winding creeks.
There are four named falls in the park. The 160-foot Stone Mountain Falls is by far one of the most popular, but one of the beauties of the park, Widow’s Falls, shouldn’t be missed. This 25-foot waterfall is located in a secluded nook a short distance up the Widow’s Creek Trail, which is accessible from a small parking area along the park’s main road. A shaded swimming hole at the bottom of Widow’s Falls draws visitors seeking refuge on hot summer days.
Please note: a section of the Stone Mountain Loop Trail near the Stone Mountain Falls is closed until further notice due to upcoming construction.
Image Caption/photo credit: Widow’s Creek Falls at Stone Mountain State Park. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.