Planning on traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway this summer and want to check out some waterfalls along the way. We can help you out! We’ve mapped out a few for you to check out on your travels. Including time for eating, bathroom breaks, overlook stops and hiking to see these waterfalls, this trip should take you three to five days.
Our route is mapped from the beginning of the North Carolina portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway to the end. Click on the links provided below to get more information about each waterfall listed.
Cascade Falls/The Cascades
The first waterfall on our trip is Cascade Falls/The Cascades. The Cascades are located at mile post 271.9 (E. B. Jeffress Park) on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This easy 1 mile trail is perfect for the whole family.
Dugger’s Creek Falls
The second waterfall on our trip is Dugger’s Creek Falls. This waterfall is located at the Linville Falls parking area at milepost 316.4. I would hike this waterfall first before attempting Linville Falls, as the waterfall will seem even less impressive after seeing Linville Falls (which is next on our list). By itself this waterfall is not worth the effort of hiking to, however if you have time it is worth a small side trip. The easy 0.2 mile trail is located to the left of the visitor’s center, just follow the sidewalk.
Linville Falls
The third waterfall on our trip is Linville Falls. If you stopped for Dugger’s Creek Falls, you’re already in the parking lot. There are four overlooks that you can hike to for different views of Linville Falls. I recommend them all. Please note that trail difficulty ranges from easy, moderate and hard depending on the trail you take.
Crabtree Falls
The fourth waterfall on our trip is Crabtree Falls, which is located at milepost 339.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Crabtree Falls Loop Trail is 2.5 miles. This 70 foot waterfall never fails to impress. We rate this trail as strenuous, so if you have smaller children with you this might be one you should skip.
Graveyard Fields
The fifth waterfall on our trip is Graveyard Fields, which is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 418.8. This overlook features two impressive waterfalls. The Graveyard Fields Loop is 3.2 miles. This moderate trail has a elevation gain of 450 ft. Lower/Second Falls is 55 feet high and Upper Falls is about 40 feet high.
Skinny Dip Falls
The sixth waterfall on our trip is Skinny Dip Falls. To access Skinny Dip Falls, park at the Looking Glass Rock overlook at milepost 417 on the Blue Ridge Parkway and walk across the parkway to the white blazed Mountains to Sea Trail. The trail is easy to moderate, and is only an 0.8 mile hike. I would only consider the trail moderate in that part of the terrain is rocky and there are many steps.
Want to extend your waterfall trip? After viewing Skinny Dip Falls, exit the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 412 and head down US 276 through Pisgah National Forest and check out Looking Glass Falls, Sliding Rock, and Moore Cove Falls.
Please note that some of these waterfalls may not be able to be accessed during the winter, so if you decide to travel the Blue Ridge Parkway during the winter be sure to call ahead and make sure you can get in.
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