Best waterfalls in North Carolina
Western North Carolina is the waterfall capital of the East. The Blue Ridge escarpment wrings rivers off the mountains into hundreds of falls — roadside classics off the Parkway, the movie-famous cascades of DuPont, and the tallest fall east of the Rockies at Whitewater. Spring and after-rain are best; many are family-easy.
the tallest waterfall east of the Rockies, on the NC–SC line.
a roaring roadside fall on the dramatic Cullasaja Gorge drive.
a massive sloping fall in DuPont, a "Hunger Games" filming site.
a misty, rainbow-throwing fall in Gorges State Park.
a broad sloping fall the highway crosses right at its lip.
three falls in one frame, also seen on the big screen.
a tall, delicate fall on the Cherokee reservation near the Smokies.
you can drive the old road behind this roadside fall near Highlands.
a rare double fall a few steps off the highway near Cherokee.
a layered, mossy cascade at the headwaters of the Catawba River.
multiple overlooks of the falls and the Linville Gorge.
a lacy fall on a loop off the Blue Ridge Parkway.
a series of falls with mountain views near Highlands.
walk behind the curtain without getting wet, near Highlands.
a classic Pisgah roadside fall you can wade below.
a wide, powerful High Country fall with a big plunge pool.
a popular fall in the high, open Graveyard Fields off the Parkway.
a wide, kid-friendly fall and swimming hole in DuPont.
Flows change with the season and recent rain — many falls roar at spring snowmelt and slow by late summer. Check conditions and any permit or reservation rules before you go.