Brushy Ridge Falls
Burke County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Burke County, North Carolina
- Access status
- Wilderness trails to a river-bend campsite view; difficult
- The walk
- About 2.8 miles return (Waterfall Hero hike length)
- Ground & access
- Rough wilderness trails with a steady descent into the gorge and a steep climb back out; rocks are slippery. Difficult rating.
Brushy Ridge Falls is a 15-foot falls and set of rapids on the Linville River in the Linville Gorge Wilderness. From the Pine Gap trailhead on Kistler Memorial Highway, hike down Pine Gap Trail 0.7 mile to a four-way intersection with Bynum Bluff Trail, continue straight on Linville Gorge Trail about 0.6 mile to a sharp bend in the river with a campsite; the falls are visible from the campsite, and you can climb down to river level when the rocks are dry. There are no signs or blazes in the wilderness.
Plan your visit
Pine Gap Trail and Linville Gorge Trail to the river bend at Brushy Ridge Falls
Waterfall Hero lists 2.8 miles round trip: Pine Gap Trail 0.7 mile to a four-way junction, then about 0.6 mile on Linville Gorge Trail to the river bend.
Rough wilderness trails with a steady descent into the gorge and a steep climb back out; rocks are slippery. Difficult rating.
Where to start
Waterfall Hero: from NC 181 take NC 183 north 3.8 miles, left on Kistler Memorial Highway (Old NC 105), 0.9 mile on the rough gravel road to the Pine Gap trailhead parking on the left. Trailhead GPS 35.94037, -81.93042.
Timing & water
Open year round. Kistler Memorial Highway is rough gravel.
Before you go
Linville Gorge Wilderness, Pisgah National Forest. No day-use fee. Permits are required for weekend and holiday overnight camping May through October.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Mill FallsMcDowell County, NC0.8 miW
Linville FallsResearched visit notesBurke County, NC1.2 miN
Upper Linville FallsBlue Ridge Parkway trail to an overlook; some nearby trails closedBurke County, NC1.2 miN- Duggers Creek FallsShort Park Service trail from the Linville Falls lot; Helene trail closures in the area notedBurke County, NC1.6 miN
- English FallsMcDowell County, NC2.4 miSW
- Laurel Leap FallsMcDowell County, NC2.6 miS
- Cathedral FallsWilderness trails to a view across the riverBurke County, NC2.7 miSE
Bear Den FallsMcDowell County, NC3.1 miSW- Gingercake Creek FallsBurke County, NC3.6 miE