WaterfallNear Me

Split Rock Falls

Transylvania County, North Carolina

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height
Not recorded
Location
Transylvania County, North Carolina
Access status
Partial: state park trails, a creek ford and a bushwhack
The walk
About 4 miles return
Ground & access
Trails and old roads, a creek ford, then an off-trail walk along the creek. Below Split Rock Falls cliffs make the route much harder.
Waterfall Hero: Gorges State Park NC

From the Grassy Ridge trailhead, take the blue-blazed Raymond Fisher Trail across Chestnut Mountain Road and down to the pond and campground. Follow the service road past the campsite and make a sharp right at the junction. On the next old road, turn left at the next two intersections and ford Bearwallow Creek. Bushwhack downstream close to the creek about a quarter mile to Indian Camp Falls. Continue a short way downstream, going up a bit around rocks, to the base of Split Rock Falls.

Plan your visit

Gorges State Park Grassy Ridge access, Raymond Fisher Trail to the backpack campground, old roads to a ford of Bearwallow Creek, then a bushwhack downstream past Indian Camp Falls

Take a Hike gives about 4 miles round trip and rates it very difficult, including bushwhacking. The off-trail part starts at the Bearwallow Creek ford; Indian Camp Falls is about a quarter mile below the ford and Split Rock Falls is just below it.

Trails and old roads, a creek ford, then an off-trail walk along the creek. Below Split Rock Falls cliffs make the route much harder.

Where to start

Grassy Ridge Access and Visitor Center, 976 Grassy Ridge Road, Sapphire, NC. NC State Parks gives GPS 35.0960, -82.9510.

Timing & water

Gorges State Park hours vary by month, for example 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in October and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in November; closed Christmas Day. The route description dates from 2016.

Before you go

NC State Parks charges no fee for day use at Gorges State Park. The sources do not say whether the park encourages off-trail travel to these falls.

Visitor information
Visit sources

More waterfalls nearby

Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.

Explore North Carolina

Waterfall location

Transylvania County, North Carolina.

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