North Carolina’s “Land of Waterfalls”

When you think of iconic waterfall locations across the country the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon may come to mind, and it should. However, there’s an area in North Carolina dubbed the “Land of Waterfalls” that’s pretty darn special as well. In fact, this mountainous area in southwestern North Carolina is one of the densest waterfall regions east of the Rocky Mountains. We were pleasantly surprised by the accessibility and magnificence of the waterfalls in this part of the country.

The combination of heavy rainfall caused by Gulf moisture being forced upward when it hits the Blue Ridge Mountains, steep terrain, ancient rock formations and a dense river network result in an unusually dense concentration of waterfalls ranging from tiny roadside cascades to huge multi-tiered drops. Although technically not correct, many naturalists refer to this area as a temperate rainforest. Either way, what all can agree on is that “hydrology” is what this region is all about!

We came to this area for a week visit to see three very special waterfalls that I had heard about, but little did we know that there are over 250 waterfalls to be seen here. We may need more than a week!

We set up basecamp in Gorges State Park, right off of the North Carolina Waterfall Byway (Highway 64), which provided a centralized locations to explore the waterfalls and more. The park has a small RV campground with large, private full hookup sites which was a great experience of its own. Yes, we did end up exploring more than just the three waterfalls we had intended but it was just the tip of the (waterfall) iceberg. We’ll cover a quick overview of the magnificent waterfalls we checked off the list along with a couple of other pretty amazing things we encountered while in the area.

OUR WATERFALL TOUR

Rainbow Falls

A great starting point is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the region. Rainbow Falls is accessed from a 3 mile round trip trail inside of Gorges State Park, so literally right around the corner from our campsite. The waterfall is worth every step to get there. There are several spots to view the falls including a platform right close where you can feel the mist and its power. Very impressive!

Turtleback Falls

If you take the Rainbow Falls trail a 1/4 of a mile further, you come to Turtleback Falls. The highlight of these falls is the large, rounded rock feature at the top of the falls that creates a very wide waterfall. When we were there, some guys were sliding off the falls to the pool below. This was very cool to watch but I would not attempt this unless you know exactly what you’re doing. A quarter mile further down the trail will take you to Drift Falls, which we did not see.

Whitewater Falls

Eight miles down the road from Gorges State Park is Whitewater Falls, the tallest waterfall east of the Rockies at 411 feet. The waterfall cascades down several levels and can be seen from a short walk and some stairs down to the lower viewing area (recommended). We were there the morning after a day of heavy rain and the low clouds were hanging around the falls obscuring some of the view but providing a very mystical experience. There’s a lower falls as well, but this requires an 8 mile steep hike down the Foothill Trail.

Dry Falls

This is one of the most unique and accessible waterfalls in the region, located just outside of Highlands North Carolina. A short fence lined path takes you down along and behind the falls. There’s a lot of water coming off these falls and crashing into the rocks below, creating a pretty dramatic scene. There’s not many opportunities to easily walk behind a waterfall, so this is certainly a must do.

Bridal Veil Falls

Along the road just before you get to Dry Falls, is Bridal Veil Falls, which you can “drive” behind. It’s not a large waterfall but does provide the cool factor of driving behind it and since it’s literally along the road it makes for an easy stop. If the road behind the falls is closed, there is a small parking area to get out and view the falls on foot.

Looking Glass Falls

I start to run out of adjectives describing these waterfalls, but here we go, another amazing waterfall just steps away from the parking lot. Looking Glass Falls, located along the Forest Heritage Byway north of Brevard, is like the perfect waterfall, what you imagine when you think of one. You can get down on the rocks below and get that perfect picture or view from above, which might be the better shot. It’s best seen in the afternoon when the sun is shining on the falls.

Moore Cove Falls

When it comes to waterfalls, size doesn’t always matter, and Moore Cove Falls, just up the road from Looking Glass Falls, is a perfect example of that. If waterfalls where an orchestra, this is the violin, creating a peaceful serene setting. This is another waterfall you can get behind as well, but there is no designated path, so caution is advised. A 2-mile pleasant trail gets you to the base of the falls.

A DAY ON THE LAKE – AND MORE WATERFALLS

We got a tip that we should visit nearby Lake Jocassee just over the state line in South Carolina, so we booked a tour with Jocassee Lake Tours. There’s nothing like a peaceful day on the lake, especially when it’s as beautiful a lake as this. Our captain, tour guide and naturalist, Zack, gave us all of the history of the lake, including how they constructed the earthen dam from rock they quarried from the cliffs along the (now) lakeshore.

Lake Jocassee sits right in the Blue Ridge Mountains and feels very remote but is also a good sized lake at 7,500 acres. One of the unique features of the lake are several waterfalls (imagine that) that cascade down into the lake, that can only be seen from the water. Mills Creek Falls is a small but beautiful waterfall that Zack nosed the boat right up to. Laurel Falls is the largest waterfall on the lake at 80 feet tall, located in a rugged forested area. In fact, one of the challenges of these falls is that it has gotten a bit overgrown so the falls have become harder to view from the water. There is an option to get out of the boat and scramble around to see them better.

We highly recommend anybody visiting the area to take a day to visit Lake Jocassee. Besides, you can only see these waterfalls from the lake!

TOP OF THE WORLD VIEW

If you think Lake Jocassee is beautiful from the water, you should see it from 350 feet above on a cliff’s edge! Zack, our guide from our lake tour, pointed out the location of Jumping Off Rock Overlook high above on the northeastern portion of the lake and our curiosity could not keep us away.

Getting to the overlook requires a 12 mile gravel and dirt mountain drive on Horse Pasture Road. Overall it was close to an hour and a half drive (pavement and dirt) from the campground. The road doesn’t require 4WD but it’s certainly not appropriate for all vehicles. When you walk up the embankment to the overlook the view will take your breath away! It’s a dramatic view on the edge that allows you to see the lake in its entirety, sitting in its mountain setting. It’s also a popular spot for sunsets, but that means 12 miles back down the mountain on that same road in the dark.

SOME FORESTRY HISTORY

A great stop when traveling along the aforementioned Forest Heritage Byway, is Cradle of Forestry in America, located just a few miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The 6,500 acre site was established to preserve, develop and make american forestry education available to current and future generations. This historical site has walking trails that take you by several historical buildings and a 1914 logging train engine. Also located along the walking trail is the American Sycamore Apollo Moon Tree, grown from seedlings that traveled to the moon. This was a great stop to learn about American forestry and take a pleasant walk through the beautiful grounds.

IN CLOSING

A short stop to visit a couple of waterfalls exposed us to an area of the Carolinas that is pretty impressive. Add in the cool mountain towns along the way such as the affluent Highlands, quaint Cashiers and Brevard, which offers a bit of everything, and you have a lot to keep you busy. But the main stars in this area are the magnificent waterfalls. We might just have to return to keep chipping away at all 250 of them.

Be sure to check out all of our amazing pictures.