Upper Creek Falls
Burke County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- 98 ft (30 m)
- Location
- Burke County, North Carolina
- Access status
- Route and parking documented; secondary route details attributed
- The walk
- About 0.8 mile return to upper falls
- Ground & access
- Downhill forest trail and small staircase to water; optional loop has wet creek crossings and an uphill return.
From the parking area take the Upper Falls branch downhill to the cascades and return. The longer loop crosses the creek twice; do not attempt it in high water.
Plan your visit
Upper Creek Falls upper trail out and back; optional creek-crossing loop
RomanticAsheville specifies 0.4 mile one-way to the upper falls, about 0.8 mile return, or a 1.6-mile loop. County tourism’s 0.8-mile figure has no direction basis.
Downhill forest trail and small staircase to water; optional loop has wet creek crossings and an uphill return.
Where to start
Signed parking on NC 181, 5.5 miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway on the left, per RomanticAsheville’s photographed route account.
Timing & water
Current closure status and seasonal access not verified.
Before you go
Fees and reservations not stated.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Upper Steels Creek FallsPartial: forest road closed to vehicles; walk-in parking not describedBurke County, NC1.1 miS
- Newt FallsPartial: forest road closed to cars; parking at the closure not confirmed; difficult descentBurke County, NC1.1 miS
- Zig Zag FallsBurke County, NC1.4 miS
- Skidder FallsAvery County, NC1.6 miN
- Rip Breeches FallsBurke County, NC1.8 miS
- Burnthouse Branch FallsPartial guide: the access trail is on the Forest Service Helene closure listBurke County, NC2.4 miE
- Gingercake Creek FallsBurke County, NC2.4 miS
- Goliath Falls118 ft (36 m) · Burke County, NC2.5 miE
- Upper Raven Cliff Falls46 ft (14 m) · Burke County, NC2.5 miE