High Falls
Transylvania County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Transylvania County, North Carolina
- Access status
- State forest trail; short walk to overlook
- The walk
- About 0.5 miles to the overlook; about 0.8 to 0.9 miles to the base
- Ground & access
- Easy to moderate forest trail. Rocks around the falls are very slippery.
From Brevard drive south on US 276 about 11 miles and turn left on Cascade Lake Road. After 2.5 miles turn right on Staton Road and drive 1.4 miles to the visitor center and High Falls access parking on the right. From the far end of the lot take High Falls Loop Trail. At 0.3 miles keep right and continue 0.2 miles to the overlook below the picnic shelter. To reach the base, continue about 0.1 miles and turn right on the spur trail, about a quarter mile down. High Falls slides about 120 feet down a granite face on the Little River.
Plan your visit
DuPont State Recreational Forest visitor center and High Falls access area, High Falls Loop Trail to the overlook, optional spur to the base
Friends of DuPont Forest calls it an easy 0.5 mile walk from the visitor center. Waterfall Hero gives 0.5 miles to the overlook, then 0.1 miles more and a spur of about a quarter mile to the base, and a total hike length of 1.0 to 1.6 miles.
Easy to moderate forest trail. Rocks around the falls are very slippery.
Where to start
DuPont State Recreational Forest visitor center and High Falls access area on Staton Road. Published trailhead coordinates: 35.19111, -82.62319.
Timing & water
Open all year during forest hours. Check the DuPont Forest alerts page for trail closures before visiting.
Before you go
No fee is mentioned in the sources read. The forest is open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dogs must be leashed. Climbing on rocks and wading within 300 feet upstream of a waterfall are prohibited.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Grassy Creek FallsPartial: state forest road walk; final turn to the falls not describedTransylvania County, NC0.3 miNE
Triple FallsShort popular trail in DuPont State Recreational ForestTransylvania County, NC0.4 miNW
Hooker FallsShort graded trail in DuPont State Recreational ForestTransylvania County, NC0.8 miNW- Bridal Veil FallsState forest roads and trail documented by two accounts; official road work noticeTransylvania County, NC1.2 miSW
- Jenn's FallsPartial guide: final approach is off trail and described by one firsthand sourceTransylvania County, NC1.7 miS
- Wintergreen FallsState forest roads and trail from Guion FarmHenderson County, NC1.7 miE
- Merry FallsRoadside waterfall in a state forest; very limited parkingTransylvania County, NC1.8 miW
- Christmas FallsPartial guide: no maintained trail; faint path, bushwhack and wading in a state forestTransylvania County, NC1.8 miW
- Slab FallsHenderson County, NC2.4 miE