Lower Middle Prong Falls
Haywood County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Haywood County, North Carolina
- Access status
- Partial guide: steep off-trail finish; sources call this waterfall Middle Prong Falls
- The walk
- About 4.4 miles return from the FR 97 gate
- Ground & access
- Gated forest roads, then a very steep off-trail descent near a dangerous waterfall top. Do not go near the brink.
Walk FR 97 about a mile and a half to the second switchback and follow FR 97H upstream along Middle Prong, crossing Little Beartrap Falls and the waterfall on Berry Branch. About half a mile further, go through the gap between two large dirt mounds on the left. The route is flat, then extremely steep down through rhododendron to near the top of the falls. Just before the open rocks at the top, a faint overgrown path follows the cliffs downstream to a spot where you can get down to creek level.
Plan your visit
FR 97 and FR 97H along Middle Prong, then a steep off-trail descent to the falls
Waterfall Hero gives 4.4 miles for the whole out-and-back hike from the gate near NC 215.
Gated forest roads, then a very steep off-trail descent near a dangerous waterfall top. Do not go near the brink.
Where to start
From NC 215 just past Sunburst Campground (about 8.5 miles north of the Blue Ridge Parkway), turn onto FR 97 and go about a quarter mile to the gate just after the ford. Park without blocking the gate.
Timing & water
If the FR 97 gate is open you can drive about half the road. Current gate status 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.
- Upper Middle Prong FallsPartial guide: route is to Middle Prong Falls as a whole; the exact upper drop is not identifiedHaywood County, NC0.0 miSW
- Berry Branch FallsForest road walk then off-trail; final approach not described in detailHaywood County, NC0.3 miNW
- Little Beartrap FallsGated forest roads; view from the old road crossingHaywood County, NC0.4 miNW
- Big Beartrap FallsDocumented wilderness approach; last half mile on a steep unofficial pathHaywood County, NC0.8 miSW
- Little Bird FallsWilderness path; very short walk from NC 215Haywood County, NC1.7 miE
- Buckeye FallsPartial: wilderness trail then an off-trail creek walk66 ft (20 m) · Haywood County, NC1.7 miS
- Boomer Inn FallsHaywood County, NC1.9 miNW
- Sunburst FallsRoadside view from an NC 215 pullout in Pisgah National ForestHaywood County, NC2.4 miSE
- Sheephead FallsHaywood County, NC2.6 miS