Lower Sam Branch Falls
Haywood County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Haywood County, North Carolina
- Access status
- National forest; short scramble path across a landslide
- The walk
- About 0.25 miles each way
- Ground & access
- Steep scramble up a bank, an old grade, a landslide crossing and a creek crossing above a drop. Rocks are very slippery.
From the Blue Ridge Parkway at Beech Gap, drive north on NC 215 for 4.1 miles to where the road turns sharply left, and park on the shoulder. If you cross the river a second time at Sunburst Falls, you have gone too far. Walk uphill along the outside of the curve to the end of the guardrail and climb the steep scramble path up the bank to the old logging railroad grade. Turn left and follow the path about 0.2 miles to a large landslide from Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024. Cross it and continue a short distance to Sam Branch in the middle of Lower Sam Branch Falls. Crossing here is just above the lower drops; take care and turn back if the water is up. A path on the far side leads down to the base.
Plan your visit
Shoulder parking at the sharp curve on NC 215, scramble up the bank to an old railroad grade, path across a landslide to Lower Sam Branch Falls
Waterfall Hero gives 0.25 miles on the old grade to the middle of the falls and a hike length of 0.5 miles. NC Waterfalls gives 0.2 miles to the Helene landslide, then a short distance to the falls.
Steep scramble up a bank, an old grade, a landslide crossing and a creek crossing above a drop. Rocks are very slippery.
Where to start
Shoulder of NC 215 at the sharp left curve, 4.1 miles north of the Parkway and 13.8 miles south of US 276. Published trailhead coordinates: 35.33962, -82.90110.
Timing & water
Do not cross Sam Branch in high water. The Helene landslide must be crossed.
Before you go
No fee is mentioned in the sources read. Pisgah National Forest.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Wash Hollow FallsShort path with a creek crossing from a highway pull-off49 ft (15 m) · Haywood County, NC0.1 miN
- Sunburst FallsRoadside view from an NC 215 pullout in Pisgah National ForestHaywood County, NC0.4 miSW
- Sam Branch FallsPartial guide: no trail; roadside shoulder parking; creek walk for experienced hikers only66 ft (20 m) · Haywood County, NC0.4 miSE
- Little Bird FallsWilderness path; very short walk from NC 215Haywood County, NC1.0 miNW
- Waterfalls of Flat Laurel CreekPartial: trail to the cascades documented; which cascade this listing marks is not confirmedHaywood County, NC1.1 miS
- Little Sam FallsHaywood County, NC1.7 miS
- Boulderfield Falls164 ft (50 m) · Haywood County, NC1.7 miNE
- Lower Wildcat FallsNational forest; steep off-trail descent and river crossing39 ft (12 m) · Haywood County, NC1.9 miS
- Middle Wildcat FallsHaywood County, NC1.9 miS