Horseshoe Falls

Jackson County, North Carolina

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height: Not recorded
Location: Jackson County, North Carolina
Access status: Partial: no trail to the falls; final approach is a steep bushwhack
The walk: About 2.5 miles return
Ground & access: Old logging road, then a steep off-trail climb around cliffs. Waterfall Hero says the route is not dog friendly and the rocks around the falls are very slippery.

Waterfall Hero: Horseshoe Falls (Tanasee Creek Gorge)

An old logging road starts at the end of the parking area and follows Tanasee Creek upstream, high above the creek. After just over half a mile, past a small creek crossing, an open area is reached; go right to stay on national forest land. About three quarters of a mile farther the road crosses another creek. Horseshoe Falls is upstream on that creek. Cross it and bushwhack up the left bank (facing downstream), working around cliffs, to come out beside the 80-foot falls. There is no trail for this last part.

Plan your visit

Wolf Mountain Road pull-off, old logging road through Tanasee Creek Gorge, then bushwhack up the side creek to Horseshoe Falls

Waterfall Hero lists the hike as 2.5 miles. The old road reaches the side creek after a little over 0.5 miles plus another 0.75 miles; the off-trail climb at the end is not measured.

Old logging road, then a steep off-trail climb around cliffs. Waterfall Hero says the route is not dog friendly and the rocks around the falls are very slippery.

Where to start

Pull-off on the right side of Wolf Mountain Road, 0.4 miles past its start at Tanasee Creek Road, which leaves NC 281 just after the bridge where Tanasee Creek forms Tanasee Creek Lake. Wolf Mountain Road becomes four-wheel-drive only shortly after the pull-off. Published trailhead coordinates: 35.22208, -82.97241.

Timing & water

No current condition report was found. The route description dates from 2017 to 2020.

Before you go

Nantahala National Forest; no fee is stated by the source. Private land borders part of the route, so stay right at the open area.

Visitor information

Visit sources

More waterfalls nearby

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

Explore North Carolina

Waterfall location

Jackson County, North Carolina.

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