High Shoals Falls is a waterfall in Burke County,

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

Geology

The waterfall is on the Jacob's Fork River, flowing over a large rock outcropping in the South Mountains of North Carolina. The river continues over a series of cascades for approximately 1/4 mile past the falls, where the stream loses approximately 300 ft (100 m) in elevation.

Natural history

The falls are in

South Mountains State Park South Mountains State Park is a North Carolina state park in Burke County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Connellys Springs, North Carolina, it covers and includes part of the South Mountains, a branch of the Blue Ridge Mou ...

, which is owned and operated by the State of North Carolina. The South Mountains, carved out of the Blue Ridge by erosion, are a broad belt of peaks and knobs rising abruptly from a deep valley. These steep, rugged mountains encompass 100,000 acres (400 km²) in Burke, Cleveland and Rutherford counties. Water winding through the park to the Catawba River cuts deep into the terrain, forming rugged and steep slopes. Funds to purchase the falls and park were appropriated in 1974.

Visiting the falls

The falls is located at South Mountains State Park in North Carolina. There are many trails through the state park, and the most popular is the High Shoals Falls Loop Trail. Visitors are encouraged to stay on the trail. Absolutely no

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...

is permitted near the falls, as deaths and injuries have occurred through the years, primarily to people who swim at the top of the falls. Four people have died at High Shoals Falls since 1993, including a 17-year-old who fell to his death on June 14, 2011.{{cite web , url=http://www2.morganton.com/news/2011/jun/14/6/man-dies-after-falling-falls-ar-1121463/ , title=Teen dies after slipping from falls {{! morganton.com , website=www2.morganton.com , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617113709/http://www2.morganton.com/news/2011/jun/14/6/man-dies-after-falling-falls-ar-1121463/ , archive-date=2011-06-17

Nearby falls

Jacob's Fork River has several small cascades both upstream and downstream from High Shoals Falls. Some of these are on State property. Others are on private property. * McGalliard Falls *

Catawba Falls Catawba Falls is a series of waterfalls on the headwaters of the Catawba River, in McDowell County, near Old Fort, North Carolina. Geology The Catawba River flows over 2 major waterfalls in a short distance. The first drop, called Upper Cata ...

* Upper Catawba Falls

References

External links

High Shoals Falls at NCWaterfalls.com

Video Overview of High Shoals Falls
Protected areas of Burke County, North Carolina Waterfalls of North Carolina Landforms of Burke County, North Carolina