Located in Jackson County, North Carolina, Upper Whitewater Falls is a waterfall at about 757 m (2,484 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Walhalla, about 30 km (19 mi) away (Upper Whitewater Falls lies N of town). Its recorded drop is about 411 m (1348 ft).
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 and the Carolinas come together. Whitewater Falls is part of that group, very close to the South Carolina border. According to the U.S. Forest Service, "With a 411-foot plunge, Upper Whitewater Falls in North Carolina is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies." However, this claim is likely exaggerated, and the actual height is likely closer to 350–400 feet. Furthermore, several other waterfalls have contended to be the highest waterfall east of the Rockies, including Crabtree Falls in Virginia, Amicalola Falls in Georgia, and Glassmine Falls in North Carolina, which depends on the way waterfalls are defined and categorized.From the Wikipedia article “Upper Whitewater Falls”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Upper Whitewater Falls the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:37 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:19 AM | 60° ENE | 8:50 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 119° ESE | 5:25 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
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.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:13 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:17 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:49 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:06 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 7:06 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 49m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Upper Whitewater Falls, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 6:14 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 5:24 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 4:48 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:35 PM – 4:25 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 3:00 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:55 PM – 1:05 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 10:56 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:23 PM – 9:03 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.56 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (65%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 68 | 71 | 81 | 80 | 87 | 101 | 99 | 97 | 95 | 92 | 81 | 72 |
| Low °F | -3 | -1 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 42 | 48 | 47 | 36 | 23 | 12 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.3 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 5.3 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this waterfall
- 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.
- Bracket shutter speeds: 1/8 s, 1/2 s and 2 s give very different water textures and you can choose later.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Upper Whitewater Falls, closest first.
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Wilderness AreaCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cherry Hill Campground12.3 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
- West Fork Campground (Clayton, Ga) 19.6 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
- Cliffside Lake Shelters21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Van Hook Glade21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Willis Knob Horse Camp24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Upper Whitewater Falls?
What time is golden hour at Upper Whitewater Falls?
Where does the sun rise and set at Upper Whitewater Falls?
Can you see the Milky Way from Upper Whitewater Falls?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Upper Whitewater Falls?
How far is Upper Whitewater Falls from Walhalla?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.