Big Falls

Transylvania County, North Carolina

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height: 197 ft (60 m)
Location: Transylvania County, North Carolina
Access status: Partial guide: unofficial trail, dangerous ford and scramble; parking and land permission details unconfirmed
The walk: About 7.1 miles return (3.55 miles each way, 2018 GPS track)
Ground & access: Unofficial, unblazed trail. A ford that can be knee-deep or worse, and an extremely steep descent with rock scrambles. The legacy guide warns against going in high water or on wet days.

Hiking the Appalachians: Thompson River Waterfalls (2018)

Begin behind the gate at the Brewer Road and NC 281 intersection. Follow the unofficial trail on an old logging road; ford the Thompson River at about 1.2 miles. Stay left at the Y-splits. At 3.3 miles a flagged side path on the left (N35 02.706 W82 59.091) drops about 450 feet very steeply to the river, including a 15-foot rock notch where a rope is often present. Turn left and scramble 250 feet upstream to the base.

Plan your visit

Brewer Road gate off NC 281 along the old logging road, Thompson River ford, then a steep side path into the gorge

Hiking the Appalachians reached the base at 3.55 miles from the Brewer Road trailhead; its full 8.5-mile figure includes side trips to other falls. Return figure doubled from 3.55 miles.

Unofficial, unblazed trail. A ford that can be knee-deep or worse, and an extremely steep descent with rock scrambles. The legacy guide warns against going in high water or on wet days.

Where to start

Brewer Road (SR 1189) at NC 281, 3.6 miles south of US 64 near Lake Toxaway. Exact legal parking spot is not described in the archived 2018 report.

Timing & water

Summer and fall recommended by the source. Do not attempt in high water. Sources date from before 2019; current conditions unverified.

Before you go

The 2018 report lists no fees.

Visitor information

Visit sources

More waterfalls nearby

Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.

Explore North Carolina

Waterfall location

Transylvania County, North Carolina.

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