WaterfallNear Me

Upper Cedar Rock Falls

Transylvania County, North Carolina

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height
Not recorded
Location
Transylvania County, North Carolina
Access status
National forest trail with a short scramble at the end
The walk
About 0.8 miles each way
Ground & access
Trail with a rock-hop creek crossing that may be wet in high water. Steep scramble path at the end. Rocks are slippery. The first section is shared with mountain bikes.
Waterfall Hero: Upper Cedar Rock Falls (Pisgah)

Upper Cedar Rock Falls is a small, scenic waterfall on Cedar Rock Creek in Pisgah National Forest, just upstream of a primitive campsite. From the fish hatchery parking area, walk toward the closed Pisgah Center building, pass the gate on the gravel road and start the orange-blazed Cat Gap Loop Trail on the right just past the bridge. Cross Cedar Rock Creek on rocks, keep left on the hikers-only Cat Gap Trail at the junction with the new Butter Gap section, and climb about 0.4 miles. Pass the side trail to Cedar Rock Falls. About a tenth of a mile farther, take a steep scramble path on the left down to the campsite; the falls are on the right. Return the same way.

Plan your visit

Cat Gap Loop Trail from the Pisgah fish hatchery parking, past the Cedar Rock Falls spur, to a side path down to a campsite at Upper Cedar Rock Falls

Waterfall Hero gives a 1.6 mile hike length and places the side path 0.1 miles past the Cedar Rock Falls spur at 0.7 miles. NC Waterfalls gives just under a mile to Cedar Rock Falls with the upper falls about a tenth of a mile farther.

Trail with a rock-hop creek crossing that may be wet in high water. Steep scramble path at the end. Rocks are slippery. The first section is shared with mountain bikes.

Where to start

Fish hatchery parking area on FR 475, 1.4 miles from US 276, next to the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education building, which NC Waterfalls reports closed since flooding in 2021. The lot is busy in warm weather.

Timing & water

Year-round trail. The Cedar Rock Creek footbridge was washed out in 2021, so the crossing can be difficult in high water.

Before you go

No fee or reservation is mentioned.

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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