Upper Wintergreen Falls

Transylvania County, North Carolina

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height: 66 ft (20 m)
Location: Transylvania County, North Carolina
Access status: Partial guide: the last part is a long off-trail route that needs navigation skills
The walk: About 11.8 miles return, with long off-trail sections
Ground & access: Marked state park trails for about 4 miles, then significant off-trail travel that needs a GPS or a map and compass. Steep scrambling on narrow ridges near the end. Rocks are very slippery.

Waterfall Hero: Upper Wintergreen Falls (Toxaway)

Upper Wintergreen Falls is a three-part waterfall on the Toxaway River deep in Gorges State Park. Take the Augur Hole Trail about 3 miles to the Wintergreen Trail, which follows the river upstream about a mile to a campsite where it ends. Beyond that the route is a faint, hard-to-follow path: past Panther Branch, up an overgrown old road, along a ridge, and down a steep spur with knife-edge sections to the river at the falls.

Plan your visit

Gorges State Park Frozen Creek Access, Augur Hole and Wintergreen trails, then an off-trail route up the Toxaway River to Upper Wintergreen Falls

Waterfall Hero gives an 11.8-mile hike from the Frozen Creek Access parking.

Marked state park trails for about 4 miles, then significant off-trail travel that needs a GPS or a map and compass. Steep scrambling on narrow ridges near the end. Rocks are very slippery.

Where to start

Frozen Creek Access of Gorges State Park, on the right 3 miles down Frozen Creek Road. Frozen Creek Road leaves US 64 about 9 miles west of Brevard.

Timing & water

Allow 6 to 8 hours.

Before you go

No fee 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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