Kalakaleskies Falls
Macon County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Macon County, North Carolina
- Access status
- Roadside pullout; short path to the top of the falls
- The walk
- A few hundred feet
- Ground & access
- Short path, then extremely steep and slippery ground. Stay back from the edge.
From the junction of US 64 and NC 106 in Highlands, drive about 1.9 miles west on US 64 and park in the pullout on the left just past Lake Sequoyah. The drop over the dam is not the waterfall. An obvious short path leads downstream about 100 feet to the bottom of the dam at the top of the falls, which is Kalakalaski Falls #1 in the NC Waterfalls numbering: two main drops of about 40 feet combined on the Cullasaja River. Other views need a steep, dangerous scramble through rhododendron; the view from below is not recommended.
Plan your visit
Pullout at the Lake Sequoyah dam on US 64, short path to the bottom of the dam at the top of the falls
NC Waterfalls gives a hike distance of a few hundred feet. Waterfall Hero lists less than 0.1 miles.
Short path, then extremely steep and slippery ground. Stay back from the edge.
Where to start
Pullout on the left of US 64 at the dam, just past Lake Sequoyah, about 1.9 miles west of Highlands. Published trailhead coordinates: 35.067879, -83.225315.
Timing & water
No seasonal closure is mentioned.
Before you go
No fee is mentioned in the sources read. Nantahala National Forest.
Visitor informationMore waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Sequoah FallsRoadside view of a dam spillwayMacon County, NC0.0 miE
Bridal Veil FallsPull-off verified; pedestrian approach unspecified60 ft (18.3 m) · Macon County, NC0.3 miNW- Naiad FallsBoat access only; private land at the fallsMacon County, NC0.7 miSE
Dry FallsResearched visit notesMacon County, NC0.8 miW- Laurel FallsMacon County, NC0.8 miNE
- Ranger FallsNational forest trail in a fee recreation areaMacon County, NC1.4 miN
- Pinky FallsPartial guide: land trust preserve; exact pull-off and trail length not confirmedMacon County, NC1.4 miNE
- Skitty Creek FallsMacon County, NC1.7 miN
- Pinkerton Pool FallsMacon County, NC2.0 miE