Lower Dismal Falls

Jackson County, North Carolina

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height: Not recorded
Location: Jackson County, North Carolina
Access status: Unmaintained trail with steep sections and a boulder climb at the end
The walk: Part of a 4 to 5 mile round trip; not measured separately
Ground & access: Unmaintained trail with many small creek crossings, a river crossing, very steep climbs and descents, and boulder climbing at the end. Rich Stevenson warns that help is far away if you are hurt.

Rich Stevenson, NCWaterfalls.com (legacy): Dismal and Rhapsodie Falls

Walk the old road past the gate, crossing several small branches; the power lines are about a mile in. About a quarter mile later, in a stand of white pines, take the left fork past a campsite and rock hop across the West Fork French Broad River. Climb the very steep path past Lower Rhapsodie Falls, keep left of a large boulder and right of a rock house, and at the next fork go left toward Dismal Creek. About 0.1 miles above Rhapsodie Falls, take the left fork over to Dismal Creek, go down the steep path into the gorge, and follow a rock wall nearly 200 yards upstream. Then climb the large boulders around the bend to the 20 to 30 foot falls. Return the same way.

Plan your visit

Gated old road off NC 281 near Lake Toxaway, unofficial trail across the West Fork French Broad River and up past Rhapsodie Falls, then down into the Dismal Creek gorge

No source measures the walk to this waterfall alone. Rich Stevenson gives 4 to 5 miles round trip for all five waterfalls on this route, with the river crossing about 1.25 miles from the parking area; Lower Dismal Falls is beyond Rhapsodie Falls.

Unmaintained trail with many small creek crossings, a river crossing, very steep climbs and descents, and boulder climbing at the end. Rich Stevenson warns that help is far away if you are hurt.

Where to start

From the junction of US 64 and NC 281 North in Lake Toxaway, drive 6.2 miles north on NC 281 and turn left on an unnamed road (in 2018 it was the access road for Trails Carolina). Stay right on the one-lane track, which ends shortly at a small parking area and a Forest Service gate. Waterfall Hero describes the same gravel spur off Winding Gap Road.

Timing & water

No closure is stated. The accounts are from 2015 and August 2018, so trail conditions since then are unknown. Avoid this route in wet weather.

Before you go

The trail starts at a Forest Service gate; no fee is stated by the sources.

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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