The waterfalls of North Carolina, U.S.A., are a prominent feature of the geography of the Piedmont and mountain regions of the state, as well as a major focus of tourism and outdoor recreation. Many of these falls are located in

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

national forests A state forest or national forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign state, sovereign or federated state, or territory (country subdivision), territory. Background The precise application of the terms va ...

, wildlife management areas, and other public lands, as well as private property. Many are accessible via established hiking trails, and some developed areas include boardwalks, observation platforms, picnic areas, and other amenities. Some of the highest and most voluminous waterfalls in the eastern United States are located in North Carolina. Many of the waterfalls in the state are located in Transylvania County, which is called "The Land of Waterfalls". This is due to the orographic lift that results in the area having one of the highest average rainfalls in the United States (90 inches per year).

Falls by county

This list is incomplete. Please feel free to add waterfalls to this list and to create articles about the waterfalls. Visitors should always follow rules of safe waterfall hiking when visiting waterfalls.

Buncombe County

Although parts of Buncombe County receive less average rainfall than any other location in the Southeastern US, Buncombe County still has several waterfalls. * Cascades Waterfall (Craggy Mountains) *

Douglas Falls Douglas Falls are a 60-foot waterfall located in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is on a tributary of Waterfall Creek which flows into the Ivy River, and it is within the Big Ivy section of the Pisgah National Forest. The stream ...

Glassmine Falls Glassmine Falls is an ephemeral waterfall in Buncombe County, North Carolina, on Glassmine Branch, near Barnardsville, NC. It is located below the Blue Ridge Parkway around milepost 362. Geology When it flows, the falls slides down the rock face ...

Walker Falls Walker Falls is a 45-foot cascading waterfall in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Its ease of access makes it a popular destination for waterfall hunters. It is in a region of Buncombe County that has a large number of small waterfalls and severa ...

* Reems Creek Falls

Burke County

High Shoals Falls High Shoals Falls is a waterfall in Burke County, North Carolina. 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 cascade ...

Linville Falls Linville Falls is a waterfall located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in the United States. The falls move in several distinct steps, beginning in a twin set of upper falls, moving down a small gorge, and culminating in a high-volu ...

McGalliard Falls McGalliard Falls is a waterfall in Burke County, North Carolina. Geology The waterfall is located on McGalliard Creek, where it flows over a large bedrock to a lower plunge pool. Natural history The falls is owned by the town of Valdese, Nort ...

Clay County

* Bull Cove Falls

Jackson County

* Whitewater Falls

Macon County

* Bridal Veil Falls (Macon County) * Cullasaja Falls *

Dry Falls (North Carolina) Dry Falls, also known as Upper Cullasaja Falls, is a 65-foot (20.1 m) waterfall located in the Nantahala National Forest, northwest of Highlands, North Carolina. Geology Dry Falls flows on the Cullasaja River through the Nantahala National Fores ...

* Quarry Falls (Macon County) *

Secret Falls Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret. Secrecy is often controvers ...

Madison County

Waterfall on West Prong Hickey Fork Waterfall on West Prong Hickey Fork is a waterfall located in the Bald Mountains of the Pisgah National Forest in Madison County, North Carolina. Geology The falls flows on West Prong Hickey Fork Creek. It begins as a slide and ends in a near-ve ...

McDowell County

Toms Creek Falls Toms Creek Falls is a waterfall in the Pisgah National Forest in McDowell County, North Carolina, near the town of Marion. Geology The 60-foot falls are located on Toms Creek. The creek flows over several cascading upper sections of bedrock into ...

* Catawba Falls *

Hickory Branch Trail Falls Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mexi ...

* Crabtree Falls (North Carolina)

Montgomery County

Moccasin Creek Falls A moccasin is a shoe, made of deerskin or other soft leather, consisting of a sole (made with leather that has not been "worked") and sides made of one piece of leather, stitched together at the top, and sometimes with a vamp (additional panel o ...

Polk County

* Pearson's Falls * Big Bradley Falls * Little Bradley Falls * Shunkawauken Falls

Rutherford County

Hickory Nut Falls Hickory Nut Falls, also known as Hickorynut Falls, is a waterfall located at Chimney Rock State Park in Rutherford County, North Carolina. History Hickory Nut Falls flows on Fall Creek through the Hickory Nut Gorge, and is part of Chimney Rock ...

Rainbow Falls (Rutherford County) Rainbow Falls is a waterfall located in Chimney Rock, Rutherford County, North Carolina. History Rainbow Falls was owned privately until it was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 2003. While much of the area is expected to be developed int ...

Stokes County

Home to the isolated Sauratown Mountains. *

Hidden Falls (Hanging Rock) Hidden Falls is a waterfall in the U.S. state of North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County. Geology The waterway is Indian Creek, which flows through Hanging Rock State Park, which continues down to Window Falls. Vis ...

Lower Cascades (Hanging Rock) Lower Cascades is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County Stokes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 44,520. Its c ...

Tory's Falls (Hanging Rock) Tory's Falls, also called Tory Falls and Torys Falls is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County. History The falls are located near an area called "Tory's Den", a cave that was purportedly ...

Upper Cascades (Hanging Rock) Upper Cascades is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park, in Stokes County Stokes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 44,520. Its ...

Window Falls (Hanging Rock) Window Falls is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County. Geology The subject watercourse A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a chan ...

Swain County

* Mingo Falls * Little Falls * Juneywhank Falls * Tom Branch Falls *

Indian creek Falls Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South As ...

Soco Falls Soco, SOCO, or SoCo may refer to: Organizations * Saskatchewan Opportunities Corporation, a provincial crown corporation in Saskatchewan, Canada * Society for Community Organization, a non-governmental and human rights advocacy group in Hong Kong ...

Transylvania County

This area receives more average annual rainfall than any other place in the Eastern United States - over 90 inches a year. *

Bridal Veil Falls (DuPont State Forest) {{Infobox waterfall , photo = Upper Bridal Veil Falls.jpg , photo_caption = Top portion of Bridal Veil Falls , name = Bridal Veil Falls , location = DuPont State Forest, Transylvania County, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina , type ...

* Corbin Creek Falls *

Drift Falls Drift Falls, also known as Bust-Yer-Butt Falls and Driftwood Falls, is a waterfall located on private property Hwt 64 macon County, North Carolina. History Drift Falls flows on the Horsepasture River in the Jocassee Gorge. The falls is an 80- ...

High Falls (DuPont State Forest) High Falls, on the Little River in Transylvania County, is a 125 ft (38 m) waterfall located in the DuPont State Forest, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Geology High Falls is located in Transylvania County on the Little Rive ...

Hooker Falls {{Infobox waterfall , photo = HookerFalls.JPG , photo_caption = Hooker Falls, Mar 2007 , name = Hooker Falls , location = DuPont State Forest, Transylvania County, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina , type = Block, Cascade , height ...

Log Hollow Falls Log Hollow Falls (also known as Falls in Log Hollow, or the Falls on Log Hollow Creek) is a waterfall in the Pisgah National Forest, Transylvania County, North Carolina Transylvania County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of ...

* Looking Glass Falls * Moore Cove Falls * Rainbow Falls (Horsepasture River) *

Silver Run Falls Silver Run Falls is a 20-foot waterfall a few miles from the town of Cashiers, North Carolina. It is popular with locals and tourists alike. The falls are located after a flat, 200 yard trail. Additionally, there is a second secret falls located ...

Slick Rock Falls Slick Rock Falls is a waterfall in Western North Carolina, located near Brevard. Geology Slick Rock Falls flows on Slick Rock Creek over an overhanging bluff. The falls occasionally dries to a near-trickle, depending on the available watershed. ...

Sliding Rock Sliding Rock is a waterfall in Western North Carolina, located near Brevard, so named because visitors can slide all the way down the waterfall into the plunge pool below. Sliding Rock is a small slide-type waterfall on Looking Glass Creek, in t ...

Triple Falls (DuPont State Forest) Triple Falls is a 125-foot (38 m) waterfall located in the DuPont State Forest, southeast of Brevard, North Carolina. Geology Triple Falls flows on the Little River through the DuPont State Forest in Transylvania County. It is one of 4 major wa ...

Turtleback Falls Turtleback Falls, also called Umbrella Falls, is a waterfall in Western North Carolina, located near Rosman. The falls is located on the Horsepasture River in the Pisgah National Forest. The falls is usually accessed by a hike starting in Gorg ...

Upper Whitewater Falls Upper Whitewater Falls is a waterfall in North Carolina on the Whitewater River. As with most of North Carolina's waterfalls, it is in the mountainous area of the state. There is a cluster of falls in the area where the borders of Georgia an ...

, part of Whitewater Falls which extends into South Carolina, which together drop over 1000' in elevation before hitting the plunge basin.

Wilkes County

Betsey's Rock Falls Betsey's Rock Falls is a waterfall in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Geology The falls is a long series of cascades beginning at Betsey's Rock, located near the headwaters of North Prong Lewis Fork in Wilkes County in North Carolina. The rock ...

Cascade Falls (Falls Creek) Cascade Falls, also called "The Cascades", is a waterfall located at E. B. Jeffress Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, United States. Geology The waterfall is located on Falls Creek. It begins wi ...

Yancey County

Mitchell Falls Mitchell Falls is a waterfall located in Yancey County, North Carolina on the slope of Mount Mitchell, the highest mountain in the Appalachian Mountain chain and highest point in the eastern United States. The falls, the mountain and its relate ...

Roaring Fork Falls (Yancey County) {{Infobox waterfall , photo = Roaring Fork Falls.jpg , photo_caption = , name = Roaring Fork Falls , location = Pisgah National Forest, Yancey County, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina , type = Cascade, Slide , height = {{Convert, ...

Setrock Creek Falls Setrock Creek Falls is a waterfall in the Pisgah National Forest, in North Carolina. Geology The falls is located at the base of Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain in the United States east of the Mississippi River, on Setrock Creek, a small tr ...

References

External links and resources

NCWaterfalls.comWaterfalls in Western North Carolina
*Adams, Kevin. ''North Carolina Waterfalls: A Hiking and Photography Guide''. Blair Publishing, 2005. {{North Carolina * North Carolina