Lichen Falls
Jackson County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Jackson County, North Carolina
- Access status
- Partial guide: river wade with no trail; location given by description only
- The walk
- About 6 miles return, including about 1 mile of wading
- Ground & access
- Trail, then fisherman paths, then about half a mile of wading and boulder hopping with a difficult final climb. Remote; rescue would be slow. For experienced off-trail hikers only.
From Cold Mountain Gap parking, take the Panthertown Valley Trail (#474) about a mile, turn right on the Devils Elbow Trail (#448) and go about a mile to the Riding Ford Trail split; stay right on Devils Elbow. Side paths on the left lead to Elbow Falls and then down to Red Butt Falls. From Red Butt there is no trail: wade and rock hop about half a mile downstream. Lichen Falls is on a side stream just above the river, among huge boulders; climb onto the ledge on the left for the view.
Plan your visit
Cold Mountain Gap access to Red Butt Falls, then wading down the Tuckasegee River to Lichen Falls
Take a Hike gives about 5 miles return to Red Butt Falls; the legacy account adds about half a mile of wading downstream to Lichen Falls each way.
Trail, then fisherman paths, then about half a mile of wading and boulder hopping with a difficult final climb. Remote; rescue would be slow. For experienced off-trail hikers only.
Where to start
Cold Mountain Gap access to Panthertown Valley: from US 64 at Lake Toxaway take NC 281 north, bear left on Cold Mountain Road, go 5.7 miles to the end, turn left on the gravel road and right into the parking area.
Timing & water
Only safe at normal or low water. The legacy account dates from July 2014; current conditions unverified.
Before you go
Current fees and reservation requirements unknown.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Red Butt FallsNational forest trails; short unofficial path and scrambleJackson County, NC0.2 miS
- Elbow FallsPanthertown trails and a defined side path from the Cold Mountain Gap accessJackson County, NC0.4 miS
- Riding Ford FallsBackcountry trail route from Cold Mountain GapJackson County, NC0.6 miS
- Jawbone FallsNamed national forest trails, then a short informal path to the baseJackson County, NC0.7 miS
Warden FallsForest trails, then a steep scramble path to the baseJackson County, NC0.8 miS
Schoolhouse FallsNational forest trailsJackson County, NC1.4 miS- Coolidge FallsJackson County, NC1.6 miSW
- Rhapsodie FallsUnmaintained but obvious path with a river crossing and a very steep climb66 ft (20 m) · Jackson County, NC1.7 miE
- Tuckasegee River FallsJackson County, NC1.8 miN