Upper Gragg Prong Falls
Avery County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Avery County, North Carolina
- Access status
- National forest trail with a wade across Gragg Prong
- The walk
- About 0.9 miles each way
- Ground & access
- Rocky trail, slippery when wet. One crossing of Gragg Prong that will likely need wading. Rock scrambling around the falls.
Upper Gragg Prong Falls is a 20 foot waterfall with swimming holes on Gragg Prong in the Wilson Creek area of Pisgah National Forest. From the parking area just past the FR 981 bridge, walk back over the bridge and pick up Lost Cove Trail going downstream. The trail is blue-blazed and also white-blazed as the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. It follows the right bank (facing downstream) and at about half a mile crosses Gragg Prong; look for blazes on the far side. At about 0.7 miles, just before a small side stream, take the obvious path on the right down to a campsite. The falls are just upstream. Return the same way.
Plan your visit
Lost Cove Trail (#262, also the Mountains-to-Sea Trail) from the FR 981 bridge over Gragg Prong, downstream to Upper Gragg Prong Falls
Waterfall Hero gives a 1.8 mile hike length, with the side path at about 0.7 miles from the trailhead.
Rocky trail, slippery when wet. One crossing of Gragg Prong that will likely need wading. Rock scrambling around the falls.
Where to start
Parking area on the right of FR 981 just past the bridge over Gragg Prong, reached from the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 308.2 by Roseboro Road (gravel, narrow and steep). NC Waterfalls gives 4.8 miles from the Parkway.
Timing & water
The G5 Trail Collective list of Grandfather Ranger District trails still closed after Hurricane Helene does not include Lost Cove Trail, but it warns of downed trees and other new hazards on open trails. The creek crossing can be unsafe in high water.
Before you go
No fee or reservation is mentioned.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Middle Gragg Prong FallsNational forest trail; three creek crossings16 ft (5 m) · Avery County, NC0.3 miS
- Gragg Prong FallsNational forest trail with wet creek crossings33 ft (10 m) · Avery County, NC0.4 miSE
- Huntfish FallsSigned national forest trail; steep return; current storm-recovery status not confirmedAvery County, NC0.9 miSW
- Huntfish Sidekick FallsForest Service trail; side view and base of Sidekick Falls at the trail endAvery County, NC0.9 miSW
- Bard FallsPublished national forest trail route; creek wadeAvery County, NC1.8 miS
- Little Lost Cove FallsPartial: forest road walk, then a steep rough path with off-trail scramblingAvery County, NC1.8 miW
- Upper Little Lost Cove FallsPartial: walk on a road closed to vehicles, then an unsigned steep path; older route descriptionAvery County, NC1.9 miW
- North Harper Creek FallsNational forest trails; one creek crossingAvery County, NC2.8 miSW
- Chestnut Cove Branch FallsNational forest trails; wading for the viewAvery County, NC2.8 miSW