Red Butt Falls

From US 64 at Lake Toxaway, take NC 281 north just under a mile and bear left on Cold Mountain Road. Go to the end of the road (about 5.7 to 5.8 miles), turn left on gravel Panthertown Road, and turn right into the Cold Mountain Gap parking area, the east entrance to Panthertown Valley. Take Panthertown Valley Trail (#474) from the end of the parking area down the switchbacks. In about a mile, turn right on Devils Elbow Trail (#448). Go about a mile; after crossing Little Green Creek, bear right at the split with Riding Ford Trail (#450) to stay on Devils Elbow Trail. In another 0.3 miles, where the trail turns right, take the obvious path to the left. It reaches another fork in 0.1 miles. Go straight (right) and follow this path about 0.2 miles to Red Butt Falls, a long sliding waterfall on the Tuckasegee River. The left fork goes to Elbow Falls, from which a path follows the river about 0.3 miles down to Red Butt Falls. Climb down the rocks to the base; the two guides name different sides of the river for this.