Best Waterfalls Near the Smoky Mountains: A Local’s Guide to Western NC

By Zachary Goldberg  |  Smoky Mountain Dream  |  April 2026

We’ve seen some beautiful waterfalls in the past, but Mingo Falls had something special about it. On our first visit my son (5 years old at the time) took my hand and stood there in amazement at the 120 feet of powerful water flowing down a rocky wall. “Dad, is this the biggest waterfall in the whole world?” he asked. To him it was.

I’ve been chasing waterfalls in Western North Carolina since I was a kid at summer camp in these mountains. Nearly 30 years later, I own a cabin in Waynesville and I’ve made it my personal mission to visit every waterfall within an hour’s drive. Some are famous, and for good reason. Others are tucked away on forest roads that most tourists never find. This guide is everything I’ve learned — the waterfalls I keep going back to, the ones that are worth the hike, and a few honest takes on which ones to skip when your time is limited.

The waterfalls of Western NC are one of the drawcards of the Eastern United States, and while many of the falls are perfect for a quick stop and photograph, there are others that are truly worth going out of your way for. With bases in Waynesville, these stunning waterfalls can be reached within an hour. Here’s a guide to some of the best waterfalls near Waynesville, located within Pisgah National Forest, Nantahala National Forest, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and DuPont State Forest.

Soco Falls — The One Most People Drive Right Past

Another spot that I saw while driving by previously is now out the door of the cabin. Super easy to get to Soco Falls, which is why I guess it gets half seen by people since it’s on US-19 between Maggie Valley and the casino near Cherokee. But it’s a very short walk so it doesn’t matter.

For those who didn’t know, Soco has 2 waterfalls, each waterfall is over 100ft from both sides of the gorge. The trail recently got upgraded with a fantastic accessible viewing area at the top of the falls as well as an upgraded trail to the base. The kids love to hang out on the upper deck to experience the mist, he wants to slide down on his belly to experience it up close!

Turnoff for parking is on the left side of US-19 about 1 1/2 miles past Blue Ridge Parkway turnoff. There is no charge for parking and there are restrooms here. If you are traveling to Cherokee for another reason, this is a great place to stop for a visit.

Mingo Falls — The One That Takes Your Breath Away

My son Elan and I were both excited to make this hike. Along with his older brother Solomon, we were triping off the excitement of the kids. Mingo Falls is 120 feet, one of the tallest waterfalls in the Southern Appalachians. It’s a very short hike, but it’s very, very steep. The reward is worth the hike, however.

They failed to mention the trail to the falls is approximately 160 stairs. The trail is a very short hike – about 10 minutes to the falls and 10 minutes back to the parking lot at the Mingo Falls Campground on Big Cove Road, near Cherokee. This trail would be very difficult for someone with knee problems or with a stroller. However, for most folks, this is a wonderful short hike that your kids can do all by themselves.

This place has a small parking lot. It’s only about 6-7 cars deep. You can get there very early in the morning or late in the afternoon and it will probably be empty. But with the hot summer days, the lot is full in the middle of the day.

Skinny Dip Falls — The Best Swimming Hole You’ve Never Heard Of

A wonderful summer spot for the family. Skinny Dip Falls consists of several cascading waterfalls which flow into many swimming holes. Skinny Dip Falls is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Milepost 417.

The hike begins at the trailhead at the Looking Glass Rock Overlook but notice that the trail begins in the opposite direction of what you are looking. The trail begins after a short walk across the Parkway on the spur trail to the start of the hike. This is where the Mountains-to-Sea Trail begins. There is no sign at the hike start. Therefore, it is easily missed.

Both pools have shallow and deep areas. My kids liked to play in the shallow part, then swim in the deeper part. We spent hours there during our family hike. Cold, refreshing water in the middle of July – wonderful! We ate lunch on the rocky outcropping above. So beautiful.

Moore Cove Falls — The One You Can Walk Behind

This is the waterfall for kids. Moore Cove Falls is a 50-foot waterfall that drops vertically through a gorge rather than down a slope. The waterfall is surrounded by a deep gorge, and the trail follows the cove bottom on the left side. The trail leads you right down to the base of the falls where you can even walk behind it. My daughter loved it the first time she saw it and begged to drive back around the 8 mile road for the 5 trips that we did.

This trail follows a creek through a cove hardwood forest and is as easy as a mountain trail can get. It is a short, flat trail perfect for little legs. The trailhead is located off of US-276 between the Blue Ridge Parkway and Brevard.

Another great aspect of this fall is the journey to reach it. The forest is incredible with huge hemlocks overhead and a plethora of beautiful ferns. The creek provides a wonderful backdrop for the hike up to this beauty.

Looking Glass Falls — The Famous One (That Deserves the Hype)

For many tourists and travelers this big waterfall in North Carolina is Looking Glass Falls. The 60 foot cascade drops onto a large rocky face creating a deep pool. Looking Glass Falls is very visible from the large roadside overlook on US-276, but the falls can also be easily accessed from this vantage point making it a simple walk down to the base of the falls for those interested.

We pull into parking on the right hand side of the road about 5 miles north of Brevard. It fills up quickly on the weekends. Try to go weekday morning for better lighting and to avoid as much pressure to get in a good position at the railing for a shot.

There is access down to the base of the falls on a staircase. A huge amount of mist comes off this waterfall and it looks as beautiful as you imagine.

Touristy? Yes. Worth seeing? Yes. Some things are THAT popular for a reason.

Sliding Rock — Not Technically a Waterfall, But You’re Going Anyway

This isn’t really a waterfall, but I couldn’t resist mentioning Sliding Rock, a natural waterslide that pours from the top of a rocky wall and slides down to a rather splatty pond below. The slide is accessed from a side road, but the turnoff is easily visible from the road to the more well known Looking Glass Falls and Moore Cove Falls. This is definitely a spot for kids. If you don’t bring them, they’ll hate you.

The Sliding Rock is a 60 foot long lubricated rock face with running water sliding down it and flowing into the bottom 8 foot deep pool where you land. You sit up at the top and then push off to slide down on your belly. Lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day through Labor Day. A fee of $5 per person is charged during this time but it is well worth it.

The water is cold, very cold, regardless of the season. Wear shoes that can get wet as the rocks are very slippery. If you do not know how to swim, bring a Coast Guard-approved life jacket with you. The pool at the bottom is very deep.

For my kids the number one thing they can do all summer is sliding down Sliding Rock, ahead of hiking and s’mores.

Courthouse Falls — The Hidden Gem

This waterfall is located off of a forest road in the Pisgah National Forest. It is one of those that I recommend to people who want to get a little off the beaten path. The hike to the 45 foot falls is pretty straightforward and ends in a nice slide down a twelve foot cascade into a circular pool. The water slides down the smooth, rounded rock and looks like it comes out of a fantasy novel.

The hike to the falls is very short – about 20 minutes – and passes through lovely old-growth forest with tall trees, thick undergrowth of ferns, and massive rhododendron trunks lying on the ground. Getting to the trailhead is a different matter. The forest road is a mix of gravel and dirt and can be very rough in some places. The road to the falls trailhead has been closed in the past for maintenance, so check road conditions before heading out. However, adding three miles of road walking to this very short hike isn’t much fun.

When this forest road is open to travelers this location becomes one of the prettiest places to visit within an hour of Waynesville. Although this remote forest road is infrequently traveled, there is no crowds and only solitude. But you will be surrounded by the beauty and awesome power of nature and can view one of the West’s most hidden waterfalls.

DuPont State Forest — Three Waterfalls in One Hike

This was the farthest drive from the cabin for us, about an hour, but it was the best value as we saw three waterfalls along a 4.5 mile hike in a nice loop.

High Falls is the highest waterfall in the forest at 150 feet, followed by Triple Falls, a three tiered waterfall that may be familiar to fans of The Hunger Games as the arena in which the characters played a life or death game of bowers and arrows in the Hunger Games. Hooker Falls is a broad even falls with a deep pool at its base which is a very popular swimming area.

McWay Falls trail is paved and very easy to follow. It’s moderate in length and has a moderate grade, but it’s generally pretty flat. A pretty fit 7 or 8 year old could make it. A bit long for some younger kids, but we take a backpack with snacks and water and make it a half day trip.

Dry Falls — The Easiest Spectacular Waterfall You’ll Find

If someone in your group has disabilities or just doesn’t want to spend a mile or so of hiking in Highlands, take them to Dry Falls, an 75-foot waterfall where there is a paved path and stairs that take you behind the falls. You’ll be relatively dry for a name like that.

The top viewing area was wheelchair accessible. The stairs down to the base were solid. It only took 15 minutes from approaching the tower to leaving, 15 impressive minutes. $3 parking per vehicle.

Dry Falls is very equalizing in that regard. My dad isn’t hilly-tourable these days but this would have been something he would have loved to see. He could have stood right there behind that fall of water and enjoyed the same amazement that someone who had hiked five miles to see it would have felt.

Catawba Falls — The Underrated Powerhouse

This waterfall is off the beaten path, not well-known, and I like it that way. The bottom falls alone is a fantastic 250′ fall pouring down a tremendous rock face, one of the tallest waterfall faces in Western North Carolina. The access trail to reach it is a little under 3 miles long and moderate grade, and for the most part you’ll be following right along side the Catawba River.

The upper falls were a bit of a trek. A total of 580 stairs led up to an observation tower that was 60 feet tall. The views of the upper falls and surrounding mountains from the top were incredible. The climb was tiring for my poor legs, but the view was so gorgeous that I barely felt the pain as I stepped the final foot up.

The parking area for this waterfall is a bit on the large side for the size of the waterfall, but it fills up on the weekends. The trail for this waterfall begins at the end of Catawba River Road near Old Fort.

A Few Honest Notes Before You Go

Leave early. Most of these waterfalls have very limited parking and reach full capacity by mid-morning on summer weekends. We never leave the cabin later than 8 AM for a waterfall day.

Wear good footwear. Due to the proximity to water, even the trails to waterfalls can be very slippery and soggy. If you’re hiking, wear hiking boots or good trail running shoes with an aggressive tread. There’s no need to risk twisting an ankle or worse by wearing flip-flops to a waterfall on a hike.

Bring extra clothing for the tour. Waterfalls can be cool and damp so even when it’s 85 degrees during the day it is wise to dress in layers with light jacket, sweater or rain jacket for adults and kids alike.

Check conditions. Trail closures can occur at any time for any reason, and some trails which are closed following a storm event may remain closed for months. During the Hurricane Helene storm event of 2025 several trails, including some within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, were closed including the famous Midnight Hole swimming hole on the Big Creek Trail. Some of these trails are still closed today. It is a good idea to check the National Forest Service web site and/or the NPS web site prior to heading out on trail.

Best single day waterfalls: US-276 corridor. If you only have one day to hit waterfalls then drive US-276 from the Blue Ridge Parkway (milepost 419.8) south towards Brevard. This corridor contains three of the most photographed waterfalls in North Carolina including Moore Cove Falls, Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock. Add Skinny Dip Falls at the Parkway end and you hit four waterfall hotspots in about a 20 minute span. This is the route that I take when showing my out of town friends the waterfalls that are near my Waynesville cabin.

Why This Area Is Special

I’ve traveled to a lot of places. I’ve seen waterfalls in Hawaii, in the Pacific Northwest, in Iceland. But something about the waterfalls in Western North Carolina hits different for me. Maybe it’s because I first saw them as a nine-year-old at summer camp, knee-deep in a creek with that feeling of discovery that you spend the rest of your life trying to recapture.

For those who love waterfalls, the mountains are paradise with so many cascading down all over the place. Many consider the mountains to have the most waterfalls — per square mile — east of the Rockies. Of course, because of the very diverse geography, the waterfalls come in many different shapes and sizes, some being easy to access and others having gullies, steep cliffs, and even rock slides to contend with. There are so many waterfalls here that you could spend a month visiting a different one every day and never see the same one again.

That’s what I’m trying to do, honestly. Every summer when my family comes out to the cabin, I add a few more to my list. The kids are old enough now to handle real hikes, so we’re pushing further out, finding the ones that don’t show up on the first page of Google. When I find a good one, I’ll add it here.

If you make it out to any of these waterfalls, I’d love to hear about it. And if you find one I’m missing, tell me. I’m always looking for the next one.

About the Author

Zachary Goldberg

I fell in love with these mountains at summer camp when I was 9 years old. Nearly 30 years later, my dad and I made our shared dream a reality and bought Smoky Mountain Dreams — a luxury log cabin in Waynesville, NC. I spend my summers here with my family exploring every trail, waterfall, restaurant, and hidden gem I can find. This blog is my way of sharing what I’ve discovered with you.

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