Kuykendall Falls

Transylvania County, North Carolina

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height: Not recorded
Location: Transylvania County, North Carolina
Access status: Long forest-road walk and steep bushwhack; route from a 2014 trek
The walk: About 9.2 miles return (about 4.5 to 4.7 miles each way), including a steep off-trail descent of under 0.2 miles
Ground & access: Long, undulating forest-road walk, then a steep Class II bushwhack through dog hobble and rhododendron. Rocks are very slippery. Flagging tape seen by NC Waterfalls marks a ridge route that does not lead to the falls.

Kuykendall Falls is a 35 to 40 foot waterfall on Kuykendall Creek in the Pisgah Ranger District. Walk the gated FR 5361 for about 4.5 miles; there are few landmarks. NC Waterfalls gives a GPS point (35.24288, -82.78928) at a sharp left swing around a ridge; continue about 135 feet, then turn right and follow the drainage steeply down toward the sound of the falls, less than 0.2 miles. Waterfall Hero says you come out just upstream of the Hickory Mountain Branch confluence with the falls visible upstream. Return the same way, including the climb back to the road.

Plan your visit

Gated Forest Road 5361 off Catheys Creek Road, then a steep bushwhack down to Kuykendall Creek

Waterfall Hero lists 9.2 miles for the hike; NC Waterfalls gives about 4.7 miles one way, mostly on the old forest road.

Long, undulating forest-road walk, then a steep Class II bushwhack through dog hobble and rhododendron. Rocks are very slippery. Flagging tape seen by NC Waterfalls marks a ridge route that does not lead to the falls.

Where to start

At the gated FR 5361 on Catheys Creek Road (FR 471), about 3.1 to 3.55 miles from US 64 and 0.35 miles before Catheys Creek Falls. Park without blocking the gate.

Timing & water

NC Waterfalls says its directions are based on a 2014 trek. Conditions after Tropical Storm Helene (2024) were not verified. Winter gives views from the road.

Before you go

No fee is mentioned in the reviewed sources.

Visitor information

Visit sources

More waterfalls nearby

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

Explore North Carolina

Waterfall location

Transylvania County, North Carolina.

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