Fun easy little trail with a awesome waterfall, https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nfsnc/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5188436, https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/whitewater-falls-overlook-trail. You will cross again over Whitewater River before making a steep ascent up to the junction with Upper Whitewater Falls Trail, around 6.3 miles in. Upper Whitewater Falls to Sloan Bridge is a 5.5-mile (8.9 km) section of the trail that crosses into North Carolina and back into South Carolina. Upper Whitewater Falls Loop Get a little peace and quiet at the popular Upper Whitewater Falls with a short trip down the Foothills Trail on this less than one mile loop. Lower Whitewater Falls Sloan Bridge to Fish Hatchery Road is a 3.3-mile (5.3 km) section of the trail that starts at SC Highway 107 and ends at Fish Hatchery Road. When you are done enjoying the view of lower whitewater falls, hike the trail back to the parking lot. Take in the view of the Upper Whitewater Falls in the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. There is a small honor system fee, so bring small bills. That said, it was still 200ft tall as the waterfall cascades and plunges in a similar manner to its bigger brother. LENGTH 0.5 MILES. It is maintained by Duke Energy Co. It is accessed via a different parking lot off of Bad Creek Road. The hike catches its first views of Whitewater Falls at.25 mile, as the upper falls tumble in a series of wispy white cascades over a blocky, boulder-riddled cliff. Upper Whitewater Falls on the Whitewater River south of Sapphire is perhaps the most spectacular. Upper Whitewater Falls, tucked in Nantahala National Forest, drops 411 feet, a spectacular natural wonder you really have to see to believe. A8 NC Hwy 281 (SC 130), Upper Whitewater Overlook (Foothills Trail Guide Mini Map #7) Features: Hiking beside the Whitewater River; Corbin Creek Falls; Spur trail to Lower Whitewater Falls; View of Upper Whitewater Falls; Join Foothills Trail Conservancy. The route is pretty straight forward...simply follow the Foothills Trail east from Duke Power's Bad Creek Access … All Trails/John Morgan. For reasons I have no explanation for I had never, up until this hike, visited the falls. Eight short miles north of … The view of Sculpted Falls described here is known as the River Right Perch, because it is on the south side of the river - the right side looking downstream. To do the road walk (approximate distance 4 miles), turn left on the state highway, and then turn left … This hike primary trail can be used both directions and has a moderate overall physical rating. Foothills Trail (Upper Whitewater Falls) is a 6 mile blue singletrack trail located near Brevard North Carolina. Great for families with small children or as a leg stretcher if you’re passing through, the impressive multi-tiered falls drops over 400 feet along the Whitewater River. Trail Type: Asphalt and stairs Hike Distance: 0.5 miles round trip Difficulty: 8 if you take the stairs Beauty: 8. Took the north trail so we could be at the top of the Falls. Current. The gate will automatically open when you leave after dark, but not open when you attempt to enter from the … Lower Whitewater Falls is most easily accessed from the Foothills Trail and Whitewater River Access Area Parking off Bad Creek Road: Bad Creek Road is off SC 130 near the NC border. The falls plunge an amazing 411 feet! Paved uphill walk to an overlook, and stairs leading to another viewing platform. Lower Whitewater Falls, located just across the border in South Carolina, drops another 400 feet. As with most of North Carolina's waterfalls, it is in the mountainous area of the state. The easiest overlook to reach is a quarter-mile from the parking lot along a paved path. A lower overlook with an even better view (photos above) is located at the bottom of 154 wooden steps. Rainbow over Upper Whitewater Falls You can continue on a half-mile spur trail to the right of the lower platform, which switchbacks down the mountain. The series falls is 800+ feet in total, but this hike only catches the upper 400 feet of the falls. … The gate was open when I arrived, and stays open until dark. Upper Whitewater Falls Trail is a 2.1 kilometer moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Sapphire, North Carolina that features a waterfall and is good for all skill levels. Because of the escarpment's difficult access and rugged terrain, much of the area receives few visitors and has remained wild and undeveloped over the years. The falls were beautiful though and pretty crowded. DIFFICULTY 1.2 … To reach the … An easy hike on a well marked trail leads to a 14ft. The other whitewater stretch is the breakdown of Upper Whitewater Falls. Nice stop. A second overlook with a better … Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Big hike in for little return. There is no other trail that links Upper Whitewater Falls to the parking lot at the Bad Creek Foothills Trail Access that contains your car, so your options are to retrace your steps along the Foothills Trail or take these steps to the state highway and walk back along the road. Apparently the south trail doesn’t offer any fees past the viewing deck. The rugged terrain around these two waterfalls remains wild and undeveloped. Come at dawn, and you can watch a spectacular sunrise as you hike up to the overlook - the trail runs along the west wall of the valley, giving you a beautiful view of the sun rising over the mountains to the east. Hike the Whitewater Falls Trail near Cashiers, NC to the stunning, tumbling cascades of a towering waterfall on this short, easy, family-friendly trail. In … The Foothills Trail continues forward to NC HWY-281, but you need to turn right onto the Upper Whitewater Falls Trail. We will hike next time. miles. Another change occurred with the rerouting of Foothills Trail. The upper whitewater falls trail was closed, it looked like because of trees down. More Stats for Foothills Trail (Upper Whitewater Falls) hike trail Nantahala National Forest has developed a small park with family amenities for those who wish to view this spectacular wall of water. It is administered by the USDA Forest Service. Upper Whitewater Falls, near Cashiers, drops over 411 feet and is the highest falls east of the Rocky Mountains. The entire Whitewater Falls chain – six different waterfalls along the North and South Carolina border – is the highest series of falls in eastern North America. For more information, see the park page here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nfsnc/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5188436 The parking lot and falls overlook is managed by the Forest Service. Upper Whitewater Falls Nantahala National Forest, NC. Go to “Join Now” to join for the first … It is managed by Forest Service. Note: You will have very limited internet access in the Highlands so you may have difficulty plugging this falls into your GPS so make sure you plan ahead by printing out … Although it is uphill, It is a very short paved trail that is both family friendly and wheelchair accessible. This waterfall has a claim as the tallest waterfall east of the Rockies, which is apparently disputed. It really depends on what your definition of a waterfall is. Upper Whitewater Falls path is about a 1.6 mile partially paved trail to an overlook and is rated as easy. At 6.3 miles, reach a junction with the Upper Whitewater Falls Trail. Prior to 2009, Turtleback Falls was a relatively difficult destination to … Restroom and picnic area available. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. 34F. There are two different views of the Falls, an upper viewing area that is handicap accessible and an easy 1/2 mile roundtrip walk up a paved walkway. Great views of the falls are available from two overlooks. The Upper Whitewater Falls trailhead is located off of NC 281 right near the South Carolina border. The boofs are 12 footers, with class 5 approaches and washouts. The trail to the overlook starts at the far end of the parking lot behind the information boards. The second, and better view of Whitewater Falls NC, is available by walking down the approximately 150 stairs from the first … There are two distinct overlooks of the 411 foot plunge taken by the river on its path to Lake Jocassee. However, if you want to miss the onslaught of visitors, avoid going to the falls during the afternoon. South Carolina's Lower Whitewater Falls drops another 400 feet. Lower Whitewater Falls trail is about 4.2 miles. The fully accessible portion to the Falls Overlook can be viewed here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/whitewater-falls-overlook-trail. The old route of Foothills Trail followed part of the original route of NC 281, then … Annual pass available for $15; One-day or season permits are also valid at Whiteside Mountain and at Dry Falls. There is a pretty spacious parking lot with a $3 fee that you pay via envelope station. This quarter mile stretch drops around 600 feet/mile and is super sick. I’m sure there’s more to see around here but it was a bit crowded so I left for the Lower Whitewater Trail, which I enjoyed much more. For an excellent view of Upper Whitewater Falls, follow the paved 1/4-mile walkway to the upper overlook. I think it was $3/vehicle and $1/person. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. And then at dawn you essentially have the overlooks and viewing platforms to yourself, allowing to enjoy the majesty of the falls over a picnic breakfast. Karen Richele Burke wrote a review Sep 2020. Stop and enjoy an impressive 400 foot multi-tiered waterfall in North Carolina's Nantahala National Forest. It used to pass from the NC 281 bridge over the Whitewater River to the upper overlook, then down the path to the lower overlook. There is a cluster of falls in the area where the borders of Georgia and the Carolinas come together. It ends at SC Highway 107. A beautiful trail that goes by the Falls Overlook viewpoint and then continues to the top of the Falls for additional gorgeous scenes. Upper falls trail was closed and looked like it would be for a while. It’s actually only a 5 minute drive from the Bad Creek parking lot for the Lower Whitewater Falls hike. Turtleback Falls Hike. Upper Whitewater Falls is a waterfall in North Carolina on the Whitewater River. For an excellent view of Upper Whitewater Falls, follow the paved 1/4-mile walkway to the upper overlook. Glad we did. Maybe a slightly cleaner Garden of the Gods if you will. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Upper Whitewater Falls, near Cashiers, drops over 411 feet and is the highest falls east of the Rocky Mountains. Address & GPS. The reason Lower Whitewater is less visited than Upper Whitewater Falls is that it takes a real hike to get to them. All Trails/Wesley Black . For … Upper Whitewater Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies. This is the view most people walk to, but it’s not the best view of Whitewater Falls NC. There are a picnic area and bathrooms by the parking lot. But Whitewater falls is the main attraction at this park and definitely worth seeing. It is only 0.1 mile to the main observation area, but you need to h up a lot of small wooden steps - I would say close to a hundred. Upper Whitewater Falls (A8) to Sloan Bridge (A9) Bad Creek Access (A7) to Upper Whitewater Falls (A8) Canebrake (A6) to Bad Creek Access (A7) Laurel Fork Falls (A5) to Canebrake (A6) The walkway begins at the end of the parking lot and is accessible to wheelchairs. In the cool, moist shade of steep slopes … Now, the trail runs behind the restrooms and below the parking area, avoiding the crowded overlooks. Why weren't you on Thompson or the normal Whitewater Run might be a … The view only gets better, though, as the trail begins a descent down a series of wooden stairs and landings. The walkway begins at the end of the parking lot and is accessible to wheelchairs. Accessibility: This trail is only considered partially-accessible because it is not all paved and has some steep sections with a grade over 20%. Overcast. 55% Humidity. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. It will take you down to the Whitewater River and access to the over 75-mile Foothills Trail. It's not a long hike, mind you, but there isn't a paved path to this one. And though more travelers journey to Upper Whitewater Falls in North Carolina, the Lower Falls in Oconee County comprise a 200-foot drop as dramatic as any in this guide. So if you want to visit both sections in one day, it’s very easy. This path is steep in places. Not many eddies. Upper Whitewater Falls Trail is a 1.3 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Sapphire, North Carolina that features a waterfall and is good for all skill levels. Highway 130 Salem, SC 35.011827N, -82.999923W Weather Details & Forecast. Note that if you are leaving the trailhead after dusk, the entrance gate may be closed but it will open to let you out as you slowly approach it. Note: As of 10/14/2020, users have reported that the trail to Upper Falls is currently closed. Turn right to reach the observation area. Overview: Whitewater Falls has been given the distinction of being the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi River, although Crabtree Falls in Virginia and Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee also make the same claim. New benefit of membership: Free subscription to Backpacker magazine. The area tends to be quieter in the morning and in the evening. Lower Whitewater Falls is a smaller version of its bigger brother the Upper Whitewater Falls further upstream and across the state border. Hikes Map Explore. Upper Whitewater Falls Base Hike Route Map The approximate route of my hike to the base of Upper Whitewater Falls as depicted a la Google Earth... Foothills Trail Trailhead - Highway 281 The trailhead I'd be using on this hike is located just south of the Whitewater Falls Recreation Area access road. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website or Facebook page. North Carolina's Upper Whitewater Falls is a spectacular 411-foot cascade that rests near the border of South Carolina, dropping precipitously from the Blue Ridge Escarpment toward Jocassee Lake. Whitewater Falls to Whitewater River Trail is a 1.7 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Sapphire, North Carolina that features a waterfall and is good for all skill levels. All Rights Reserved, The Best Places to Go Hiking Near Greenville, SC, Devil’s Courthouse on the Blue Ridge Parkway [Trail Guide]. Upper Whitewater Falls resides in the Nantahala National Forest near Brevard in Jackson County, North Carolina. Fee: $3 for vehicles with seven passengers or less; $1 per person for more than seven people traveling together in a vehicle. Sculpted Falls is arguably the most scenic waterfall on the Upper Whitewater River, located in the middle of the Upper Whitewater Slot Canyon. After spending some time by the lower falls, head back to the Bad Creek Access Trail junction. 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