Caney Bottom Falls
Transylvania County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Transylvania County, North Carolina
- Access status
- Trailside view on a Forest Service trail; no safe path to the base
- The walk
- About 2.4 miles return
- Ground & access
- Gravel road and a moderate forest trail with log footbridges and wet spots. Waterfall Hero saw no reasonable way down for a closer view; rocks are very slippery.
From the pull-off on FS 475 just before the single-lane bridge, 3.1 miles from US 276, walk up the gated road across the road toward the Cove Creek Group Campground, passing a cascade on Cove Creek at 0.3 miles. Go through the campground and pick up Caney Bottom Trail (#361). At 0.9 miles a short scramble path gives a view of a cascade on Caney Bottom. Continue 0.2 miles to the trailside view of Caney Bottom Falls. Return the same way.
Plan your visit
Cove Creek Group Camp road and Caney Bottom Trail to the trailside view of Caney Bottom Falls
Waterfall Hero gives 2.4 miles for the whole out-and-back hike, with the falls 1.1 miles from the parking.
Gravel road and a moderate forest trail with log footbridges and wet spots. Waterfall Hero saw no reasonable way down for a closer view; rocks are very slippery.
Where to start
Small pull-off on the left of FS 475, 3.1 miles from US 276 (the Forest Service describes it as 3 miles past the fish hatchery). The Forest Service says Cove Creek is a fee area for the group camp and asks hikers to stay on the trail past the campsites; no day hiking fee is stated.
Timing & water
Open year round. The Forest Service lists sections of the trail as open to bikes.
Before you go
No day hiking fee is stated. The group campground beside the trail is a fee area for campers only.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Cove Creek FallsForest Service trails documented by two recent accountsTransylvania County, NC0.3 miSW
- Upper Rockhouse Creek FallsTransylvania County, NC0.7 miE
- Middle Rockhouse Creek FallsPartial guide: 2014 description, no defined parking, steep informal pathTransylvania County, NC0.8 miE
- Transylvania FallsTransylvania County, NC0.8 miE
- Toms Spring FallsNational forest gated road; easy walkTransylvania County, NC0.9 miSW
Lower Slick Rock FallsNational forest; short informal pathTransylvania County, NC0.9 miE
Slick Rock FallsPossible road-access closure: confirm FS 475B access and parking before visiting.Transylvania County, NC1.0 miE- Lower Rockhouse Creek FallsRoadside view with a short path; very small pull-offTransylvania County, NC1.1 miSE
- Whaleback FallsNational forest; short path and a steep scramble to the riverTransylvania County, NC1.1 miS