1. Home
  2. Waterfalls
  3. North Carolina

Waterfalls in North Carolina

132 waterfalls in North Carolina with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Transylvania County has the most (28). The darkest skies are at Kennedy Falls (Bortle 3).

Top waterfalls

Bridal Veil FallsWaterfall
Bridal Veil FallsTransylvania County · 791 m
Dry FallsWaterfall
Dry FallsMacon County · 1,020 m
Mitchell FallsWaterfall
Mitchell FallsYancey County · 1,511 m
High FallsWaterfall
High FallsTransylvania County · 737 m
Hooker FallsWaterfall
Hooker FallsTransylvania County · 679 m
Upper Whitewater FallsWaterfall
Upper Whitewater FallsJackson County · 757 m
Linville FallsWaterfall
Linville FallsBurke County · 934 m
Cullasaja FallsWaterfall
Cullasaja FallsMacon County · 757 m
Rainbow FallsWaterfall
Rainbow FallsTransylvania County · 805 m
Moravian FallsWaterfall
Moravian FallsWilkes County · 339 m
Courthouse FallsWaterfall
Courthouse FallsTransylvania County · 1,033 m
Hidden FallsWaterfall
Hidden FallsStokes County · 463 m

Waterfalls by county

All waterfalls (132)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Bridal Veil FallsTransylvania County791 mBrevard4
Dry FallsMacon County1,020 mFranklin3
Mitchell FallsYancey County1,511 mBurnsville3
High FallsTransylvania County737 mBrevard4
Hooker FallsTransylvania County679 mBrevard4
Upper Whitewater FallsJackson County757 mWalhalla3
Linville FallsBurke County934 mSpruce Pine3
Cullasaja FallsMacon County757 mFranklin3
Rainbow FallsTransylvania County805 mBrevard3
Moravian FallsWilkes County339 mMoravian Falls4
Courthouse FallsTransylvania County1,033 mBrevard3
Hidden FallsStokes County463 mWalnut Cove4
Walker FallsBuncombe County1,142 mBlack Mountain3
Window FallsStokes County418 mWalnut Cove4
Rainbow FallsRutherford County683 mLake Lure3
Cascade FallsWilkes County975 mWest Jefferson3
Connestee Falls and Batson Creek FallsTransylvania County772 mBrevard4
Bridal Veil FallsMacon County1,036 mFranklin3
Looking Glass FallsTransylvania County720 mBrevard4
Triple FallsTransylvania County712 mBrevard4
Mingo FallsGreat Smoky MountainsSwain County793 mCherokee3
Eastatoe FallsTransylvania County—Brevard3
Hickory Nut FallsRutherford County—Lake Lure3
Slick Rock FallsTransylvania County817 mBrevard4
Turtleback FallsTransylvania County—Brevard3
McGalliard FallsBurke County—Valdese5
High Shoals FallsBurke County—Salem4
Glassmine FallsBuncombe County—Black Mountain3
Roaring Fork FallsYancey County—Marion3
Tory's FallsStokes County—King4
Lower CascadesStokes County—King4
Sliding RockTransylvania County—Brevard3
Crabtree FallsBlue RidgeMitchell County—Spruce Pine3
Corbin Creek FallsTransylvania County—Walhalla3
Upper CascadesStokes County—King4
Toms Creek FallsMcDowell County—Marion3
Setrock Creek FallsYancey County—Black Mountain3
Key FallsTransylvania County—Brevard4
Waterfall on West Prong Hickey ForkMadison County—Tusculum3
Cedar Rock FallsTransylvania County—Brevard4
Betsey's Rock FallsWilkes County—West Jefferson3
Catawba FallsBuncombe County—Black Mountain4
Log Hollow FallsHaywood County—Brevard3
Bull Cove FallsMacon County—Mountain City3
Moore Cove FallsTransylvania County—Brevard4
Douglas FallsBuncombe County—Black Mountain4
Quarry FallsMacon County—Franklin3
Pearson's FallsPolk County—Tryon4
Drift FallsTransylvania County—Brevard3
Whiteoak Creek FallsYancey County—Burnsville3
Windy FallsTransylvania County652 mBrevard3
Shunkawauken FallsPolk County—Tryon3
Silver Run FallsJackson County—Cullowhee3
Chasteen Creek CascadeGreat Smoky MountainsSwain County—Cherokee3
Bird FallsSwain County596 mBryson City3
The Bull HoleRowan County197 mMocksville4
Grassy Creek FallsMitchell County945 mSpruce Pine3
Bead and Lace FallsHenderson County803 mEdneyville4
Berties FallsMacon County1,188 mFranklin3
Betseys Rock FallsWilkes County959 mWest Jefferson3
Betsy FallsJackson County885 mCullowhee3
Big FallsGraham County1,027 mAndrews3
Big FallsAvery County834 mRoan Mountain3
Bird Rock FallsTransylvania County837 mBrevard3
Blue Sea FallsYancey County1,089 mBlack Mountain3
Bradley FallsPolk County410 mTryon4
Burningtown FallsMacon County693 mFranklin3
Camp Minnehaha FallsHenderson County517 mLake Lure4
Carter FallsWilkes County317 mElkin4
The CascadesHenderson County777 mLake Lure4
Catheys Creek FallsTransylvania County800 mBrevard4
Crabtree FallsMitchell County873 mSpruce Pine3
Dill FallsJackson County1,271 mBrevard3
Dismal FallsTransylvania County963 mBrevard3
Douglas FalkBuncombe County1,053 mBlack Mountain4
Dutch Creek FallsWatauga County893 mFoscoe3
Fairfield FallsJackson County985 mCullowhee3
Falls of Gouges CreekMitchell County945 mSpruce Pine3
Flat Creek FallsSwain County1,444 mMaggie Valley3
Glen FallsMacon County939 mMountain City3
Glencannon FallsTransylvania County705 mBrevard5
Great FallsStanly County154 mBadin4
Hickorynut FallsRutherford County742 mLake Lure3
High FallsJackson County908 mCullowhee3
High FallsTransylvania County909 mBrevard4
Highlands FallsMacon County1,159 mFranklin3
Kennedy FallsCherokee County728 mAndrews3
Lanier FallsHarnett County40 mBroadway4
Laughing FallsTransylvania County721 mBrevard4
Laurel Creek FallsWatauga County804 mBanner Elk3
Leatherwood FallsClay County586 mAndrews3
Little Creek FallsGreat Smoky MountainsSwain County964 mCherokee3
Little FallsEdgecombe County18 mRocky Mount7
Little FallsWilkes County537 mThurmond3
Long Hope FallsAshe County1,155 mWest Jefferson3
Lower Cascade FallsStokes County298 mKing4
Maidenhair FallsJackson County1,116 mCullowhee3
Maidenhair FallsTransylvania County713 mBrevard4
Middle FallsGraham County1,074 mAndrews3
Mouse Creek FallsHaywood County717 mCove Creek3
Murphy FallsMitchell County836 mSpruce Pine3
Onion Cliff FallsJackson County889 mCullowhee3
Onion FallsJackson County1,033 mCullowhee3
Pearsons FallsPolk County518 mTryon4
Queens FallsMacon County898 mAndrews3
Reems Creek FallsBuncombe County583 mWeaverville5
Roaring Spout FallsYancey County942 mBurnsville3
Rock Creek FallsHenderson County677 mFlat Rock4
Sassafras FallsGraham County1,032 mAndrews3
Satulah FallsMacon County1,079 mMountain City3
Schoolhouse FallsJackson County1,114 mCullowhee3
Second FallsHaywood County1,494 mBrevard3
Shoal Creek FallsTransylvania County692 mEtowah4
Silvervale FallsCaldwell County488 mBlowing Rock3
Slatten FallsJackson County1,127 mCullowhee3
Soco FallsJackson County1,173 mMaggie Valley3
Thurston Hatcher FallsJackson County892 mCullowhee3
Toms FallsHenderson County775 mFairview4
Tory FallsStokes County437 mKing4
Toxaway FallsTransylvania County875 mBrevard3
Turley FallsHenderson County738 mLaurel Park5
Twin FallsJackson County1,042 mCullowhee3
Upper Cascade FallsStokes County475 mKing4
Upper FallsGraham County1,113 mAndrews3
Upper FallsNash County21 mRocky Mount7
Upper FallsYancey County1,039 mSpruce Pine3
Upper FallsHaywood County1,630 mBrevard3
Watauga FallsWatauga County781 mBanner Elk3
Whitewater FallsTransylvania County338 mBrevard3
Woodfin FallsJackson County1,249 mMaggie Valley3
Yellowstone FallsHaywood County1,460 mBrevard3
Little FallsNash County19 mRocky Mount7

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph waterfalls

Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.

  • Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
  • A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
  • Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
  • Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
  • Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.

Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.