We just finished this epic NC Waterfall tour.. Read on to see how you can do it yourself.
My hubby and I live in Eastern NC. In fact, way east near the coast on two rivers. We see lots of water but very few waterfalls. In fact, it’s quite flat everywhere around us. Now that we have more time to travel, we have been spending a lot of time out in the southwest. But we realized we have a lot to see right here in our very own state backyard and we need to start seeing it.
With that in mind I asked some NC friends on social media for their favorite NC waterfalls and planned out our epic 4-day NC waterfall tour. We packed the car, kissed the kids and grandkids goodbye, and stopped by NC State to take our last kiddo to go to college out for lunch. Of course, we never miss an excuse to hit up REI so we did that in Raleigh and then we were REALLY off.
Day 1 of our waterfall tour
Devil’s Bathtub
I need to preface this whole epic NC waterfall tour with the fact that we actually did veer out of the state of North Carolina for a quick adventure in Virginia. I’ve had the Devil’s Bathtub hike in my AllTrails for over a year and since we were going to be close, we went for it. We did a quick overnight in Bristol and then on our first full day we headed to the Devil’s Bathtub. For a whole blog about details of this hike check out my last post. If you can make it work in your schedule you should. It was really quite awesome.
After checking out the Devil’s Bathtub we drove and hour and a half to Boone, NC to overnight before the next day’s adventures. Boone is one of our favorite places. We are hugely involved in the ministry Operation Christmas Child, (which packs Christmas shoeboxes for children in need around the world) so we come to Boone fairly often as they are headquartered here.
If you want some good burgers and shakes, I recommend the Come Back Shack. It’s always busy which is a good sign that the food is tasty, and we never go wrong there. This time we ate at the New River Grill, and it was super yummy. They had some really great interesting French fries. Lots of fun restaurants here in Boone.
Day 2 of our waterfall tour
Linville Falls, Crabtree Falls & Looking Glass Falls
We were up and out early to start seeing more gorgeous waterfalls. We drove an hour to Linville Falls in Linville, NC. This waterfall is supposedly the most photographed waterfall in NC and after checking it out I can see why. It’s really quite interesting. When you visit Linville Falls there is a great visitor center where they can help you with the trails that you can try out. They also sold souvenirs and other goodies. There are also nice restrooms right at the visitor center. There are two different trails you can take to view the waterfall. We took both.
The first trail we took leaves to the left of the visitor center and on AllTrails is called the Linville Falls via Plunge Basin Trail. We were advised to avoid the Plunge Basin Trail part because of all the rain they had in the days before. We did the first part, and it was right at a mile round trip with some downhill at the end which included some stairs. The views from this overlook were stunning. It was a side view, and you were intrigued at the way the water was coming down.
The second trail we took started straight out behind the visitor center and over the river. On AllTrails it’s called Erwin’s View Trail and is 1.7 miles and about 300 feet of elevation. There are 3 off shoots that take you to viewing overlooks and that is extra mileage but not a lot more. From these three overlooks you see the falls from above and two front views. It is so interesting to see the different views.
After exploring Linville Falls, we continued our waterfall tour and headed down the Blue Ridge Parkway about 30 minutes and it’s always beautiful to drive the Parkway. Be sure to stop at a few of the overlooks. Our next stop was the parking area for Crabtree Falls. There is a sign and was a visitor center, but it looks like it was damaged or something in the past. There were porta potties near the parking lot and flush toilets about 0.3 miles down the trail at the campground.
The trail is called Crabtree Falls Trail on AllTrails, and it says it’s 2.6 miles but we clocked in at a little over 3 with about 700 feet of elevation. It’s a loop and starts at the parking lot, through a campground and down to the falls. It is a little steep on the way down and back and when we were there it was quite muddy. On the loop back there are a few fake side trails so just pay attention.
This fall was gorgeous. It appears like something out of a fairyland. You can climb all around near the falls. Just be careful as there are some slippery areas. You can also just enjoy the views from a neat bridge that crosses the creek.
From Crabtree Falls we headed south and stopped in Black Mountain, NC which is one of our favorite western NC towns. There are lots of cute shops and GREAT restaurants. We ate a great dinner at The Trailhead Restaurant, and I highly recommend it. After 7 miles of hiking, we were definitely ready for a yummy meal. After dinner we headed to Brevard, NC which was going to be our base for the next 2 nights.
Just near our hotel in Brevard was the beautiful Looking Glass Falls. We headed out to see it before checking in. This is literally on the side of Highway 276 about 10 minutes from Brevard. There is plenty of parking right next to the overlook and then a stairway down to several more overlooks. You can get up close and personal at this fall because there is a nice pool at the bottom. It had just started to pour when we got there so we didn’t get in because with the rain came much cooler temps.
Today’s waterfall tour involved 7 miles of hiking, but we saw 3 amazing falls and it was worth the work. We also are more likely to get excited about a waterfall that needs a hike because it means less people.
Day 3 of our waterfall tour
Bridal Veil Falls, Dry Falls, Upper Whitewater Falls, Rainbow Falls, Toxaway Falls
Setting out from Brevard early this morning we headed west toward Highlands to our first 2 waterfalls. Just outside of Highlands off of Highlands Road were 2 neat waterfalls. The first, Bridal veil falls, is LITERALLY on the road. You used to be able to drive behind it. We hopped out and walked behind and around it. It was a fun waterfall to check out.
A half a mile further up the road from Bridal Veil falls on the left was the super cool Dry Falls. There is great parking and bathrooms right there. There is a $3 fee for these falls and it’s easy to pay with credit card right there. After we paid I read more and realized our National Park pass covers this fee. No worries, we considered it a donation.
Dry Falls is amazing. There is a series of quite a few steps and when you get down you can walk all the way behind and through the waterfall. It was lots of fun. The view from behind the fall was great. In addition to coming down the stairs to explore there is an overlook from above but the view is minimal due to the plant growth which is unfortunate for those who can’t get down the many stairs.
Continuing our waterfall tour we headed from Dry Falls down south of Sapphire to Upper Whitewater Fall just off of Highway 281. This place has great parking and did have restrooms right near the entrance of the parking lot and again had a $3 fee to visit. The trail to Upper Whitewater Falls is paved and then gravel. It’s about a half a mile and easy to access. There is a nice overlook at the end of the trail and then a LOT of stairs down to another overlook. You will huff and puff a little on your way back up from the second overlook.
Ten miles north on Highway 281 is Gorges State Park where you will find the amazing Rainbow Falls. This State Park has one of the best visitor centers I have ever seen. You will find all the trail info you need as well as great restrooms and a gift shop. They also had a row of rocking chairs overlooking some great views if you want to stop and rest a while.
Just a mile drive from the visitor center is the trailhead for Rainbow Falls and Turtle Back Falls if you want to continue further. The trail to Rainbow Falls is about 3 miles with about 800 feet of elevation. It’s worth every step.
You will head down for about a mile and then reach the creek. There are several places you can walk down to the creek, but I recommend saving your time and energy for the falls and stop on your way back if you still feel like it. It’s another 1/2 mile to the fall from the first creek crossing. When you reach the fall you get a great view and see the pool underneath.
There appears to be a path down to the pool right when you reach the falls. Don’t take that path. It’s very steep and muddy. Continue up the trail past the fence at the top. Just past the fence there is a way to hike down to an overlook for a closer view. From there you will see a well-established path down to the rocks and the pool below.
We took that path and easily reached the rocks and the swimming hole. It’s quite large and was easy to access. We had our snack on the rocks, and it was so refreshing as the water sprays on you. My hubby ventured into the pool to swim, and we saw several others swimming as well.
Continuing up Highway 281 on our Waterfall Tour we got on 64 back toward Brevard and within 5 minutes we stopped at Toxaway Falls. There are no signs and we just put this name in our map app. When heading to Brevard you will see just a bit of the falls on your right and there is a little area to park on the left after you cross the bridge over the waterfall area.
Park, watch carefully before crossing the road and head back to your right. You can hop the guard rail and continue to the right to get the best view. Not the best falls we saw but right on the road and definitely interesting. There is house on your right that must have an amazing view.
After day 3 of our Waterfall Tour we were definitely ready for some dinner. We tried Corky’s Dawgs and were so glad we did. So great! The restaurant was cute, the employees so friendly and our food was great. We had burgers and ribs and everything was excellent. I would recommend checking it out when you are there in Brevard.
No Waterfall Tour is complete without a little ice cream so we hit up Dolly’s Dairy Bar for something sweet. I made the mistake of getting blue ice cream and paid for it for a while afterward but it was tasty!!
Day 4 of our waterfall Tour
Cathey’s Creek Falls & Sliding Rock
On the 4th and final day of our Waterfall Tour we were really adventuring because I was trying to find a waterfall that I had heard was great but could find only a little info on. So, we did a little digging and driving and eventually found this awesome spot. We had the whole place to ourselves which is always a bonus. The bottom of the falls has a pool with some great sand that was easy to walk around in. We really enjoyed being here. Not so much getting here.
To get to the falls drive west on 64 from Brevard for 3.3 miles and turn right onto Cathey’s Creek Road (S.R.1401). Take an immediate left and continue 0.7 miles until the road turns to gravel. Continue driving and cross a neat old bridge (we had to jump someone’s car here) You will reach a small pullout on the right at about 3.1 miles. We did find Cathey’s Creek Falls on our apple map app so that will really help you out because the pull out is tiny and the path is almost not noticeable.
We missed the turnout on our first pass and parked farther up. We saw a trail and tried it, and it took us to the top of the falls. I decided to get cute and rock hop for a better view and face planted. Yep, moss on the rocks. I landed on my hand and knee and for a few minutes I was sure I broke my kneecap. Thankfully, I think I will live this time. I don’t have time for injuries now as I’m hiking part of the AT next week with 2 of my boys and then off to Washington State for 3 weeks of hiking. So far, so good.
We gave up eventually and were heading back out when my hubby saw what he thought was the trail. He jumped out and yes, it was the one. He was going to go check it out without me, but this was our epic waterfall tour and I wasn’t going to miss. I made my way down slowly and carefully. It was worth the effort. This was a great falls to visit. Use your map app to find Cathey’s Creek Falls and look for the parking spot that would hold two cars on the right side. The trail is right there by the parking.
From Cathey’s Creek Falls we headed back out to Brevard to find some ice for my knee. Then we were off to Sliding Rock which is one of the more well-known waterfalls on our waterfall tour.
Sliding Rock is pretty well known in this area. Actually, it draws people from all around North Carolina. I was excited to check it out. It’s just a little up the road from Looking Glass Falls that we visited two days ago. Sliding Rock is on the left side about a mile and half past Looking Glass Falls. They charge $5 per person to visit and have bathroom and a place with cubbies to change into your swimsuit. The $5 helps them to pay for lifeguards near the pool at the end of sliding rock. On the day we went they didn’t have lifeguards, so they only charged $2.
After you get changed, head down a path to the pools and be careful when you walk up to the top of the falls. They have installed a railing to help you as you are walking up the rock. Once at the top there are several ways to slide down and some are faster than others. It’s a lot of fun. They require that you know how to swim to slide. The pools at the bottom are fairly deep. You can slide as many times as you want, so go and enjoy!
We ended our epic waterfall tour after our visit to Sliding Rock and started our 6-hour drive home. We had the most amazing time but wow, did we feel like there was still a lot more to see. Maybe we will have to have an epic waterfall tour part 2.
I hope you enjoyed following our waterfall tour adventure and got some great ideas for a waterfall tour of your own I would greatly appreciate a like, comment, share or all of the above. Subscribe to be notified of new posts and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and X.
Keep on exploring,
Stephanie