The Cascades

Ashe County, North Carolina

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height: Not recorded
Location: Ashe County, North Carolina
Access status: Easy nature trail at a Blue Ridge Parkway picnic area
The walk: About 0.8 miles return (0.4 miles to the upper viewpoint)
Ground & access: Easy trail with stone steps. Stay on the trail and overlooks; the steep banks are prone to erosion.

NC Waterfalls: Cascade Falls, Blue Ridge Parkway

Cascade Falls is a long sliding cascade on Fall Creek in E. B. Jeffress Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The interpretive nature trail starts in front of the restrooms at the north end of the parking area. After 250 feet it forks into a loop; either side reaches the footlog over Fall Creek at about 0.35 miles. Head downstream down stone steps to the upper viewpoint at 0.4 miles. A lower viewpoint is a couple hundred feet farther.

Plan your visit

E. B. Jeffress Park parking at Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 271.9 on the nature trail loop to the Cascade Falls viewpoints

NC Waterfalls gives 0.4 miles to the upper viewpoint, with a lower viewpoint a couple hundred feet farther. Waterfall Hero lists 0.8 miles for the hike.

Easy trail with stone steps. Stay on the trail and overlooks; the steep banks are prone to erosion.

Where to start

Signed parking area at Milepost 271.9 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, 4.4 miles north of the US 421 underpass at Deep Gap. Restrooms and picnic area.

Timing & water

The NPS listed this Parkway section (MP 261.2 to 276.4) as ungated, with sporadic short single lane closures. The Parkway can close in winter weather.

Before you go

No fee is mentioned in the reviewed sources.

Visitor information

Visit sources

More waterfalls nearby

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

Explore North Carolina

Waterfall location

Ashe County, North Carolina.

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