Little Laurel Branch Falls is 50 foot waterfall that empties into Wilbur Lake. It is located near Elizabethton, TN in Carter County between Wilbur Dam and Watauga Dam. While not the most impressive waterfall, it is scenic and serene.
Wilbur Lake is a well-known bird watching area with bald eagles, yellow-throated warblers, great horned owls, whippoorwills, many species of ducks and a variety of other birds.
It is located across from a picnic area. The picnic area is less than half a mile from Wilbur Dam on the left hand side. There’s even a picnic table right at the edge of the lake directly across from the waterfall. So pack a lunch at eat in front of the waterfall. There’s not many waterfalls you can do that at. There’s plenty of parking and a very short easy trail that heads down from the parking area to the lake. The picnic area has several tables and places to dispose of your trash, but no facilities.
This waterfall is perfect for people of all ages, although it is not wheelchair accessible.
This waterfall is best viewed after a good rainfall. It is also a good idea to visit when there is some cloud cover so the waterfall will photograph better. We were fortunate when we visited that there was great water flow. In fact in one area the water almost reached the bottom of a crossing bridge. I would recommend visiting this waterfall in the Winter or Spring to increase your chances of better water flow and reduce the chances of foliage obstructing the view of the falls.
But even if there’s still low water flow, you can still stop at the Wilbur Dam, which is interesting to look at and worth a quick stop.
I love the picnic table right in front of the waterfall. It’s awesome that you can have a picnic lunch right in front of the waterfall.