Beautiful falls but only gave it 4 stars because it's the kind of place that you get to it, take a…read morepicture, and leave. After walking down wooden stairs, you end up on a viewing deck. The waterfall is in the distance. It's a fairly easy hike. Getting there is easy but after you do have to walk back up the stairs but there is a bench at the halfway point to take a rest. We did this along with Silver Run Falls, 9 miles away. Both of these hikes are fairly easy and would be good for small children and/or dogs. I recommend doing both of these falls on same day because you can easily do both within 90 minutes.

The area is a very complicated series of different jurisdictions; this is federal land under the…read moreFish and Wildlife Service. A parking lot has self-pay stations for a small fee (national parks passes can be displayed in your car instead). The walk to a first view is short, but if you can handle a stair workout, the resulting platform is eminently worthwhile. I've done my fair share of waterfall viewings, and you could hardly imagine a better sight than this complex cascade and the fall color show I arrived just in time for. A separate trail ran down into the valley, with signs saying there were no more waterfall views; and thus presumably no way to get to the falls directly.

If you start in the parking lot at Deep Creek, you can see three waterfalls easily in one day…read more First is Juney Whank which is the most challenging to get to due to steepness. it's probably five out of 10 in difficulty, but it's the hardest part of the three waterfall hike. The rest is pretty easy. After Juney, you go to Tom Branch Falls, then Indian Creek Falls, and then can circle back towards the parking lot.

We saved this hike for our last day of vacation and it was amazing! The park is very nice and has…read moreample parking space. The trail is clearly marked with wooden signs throughout. The hike to the falls is all up hill so be prepared for a pretty steep incline. There is a small waterfall very close to the entrance of the trail. I enjoyed the blooming flowers and trees on the way to the falls. Juney Whank waterfall was a site to see and well worth the hike. If you get the chance take this hike, you won't regret it!

Soco Falls is absolutely worth the stop if you're driving through the area. The waterfall is…read morebeautiful, and the photos honestly don't do it justice. That said... don't let the short hike fool you! The walk down isn't bad--it's the climb back up that will definitely remind you whether you've been keeping up with your cardio. Thankfully, there are handrails and benches along the trail because I absolutely took advantage of them on the way back. I thought I was in decent shape... the mountain quickly humbled me! My advice: wear good hiking shoes, bring water, and if you have a walking stick, use it. A neck fan isn't a bad idea either during the warmer months. Just because you see people tackling the trail in Crocs or flip-flops doesn't mean it's a good idea. If you're adventurous, there is a way to get down to the base of the falls, where people were swimming, but we admired it from the overlook instead. The surrounding mountain views are beautiful as well, making it an easy stop even if you're just passing through. If you're in the Bryson City/Cherokee area, don't skip Soco Falls. Just come prepared, take your time, and enjoy one of the prettiest waterfalls in Western North Carolina.

I was seeking a waterfall and didn't quite have time to make it to Cherokee and the Great Smoky…read moreMountains, and so located this turn-off a couple of miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The parking area is by the road, and the hike down to the falls is short, but of considerable grade. At the end, a platform allows viewing. You can't get anywhere near the falls or take a swim, and it seems like it would be a tough area even if there weren't a thousand signs telling you not to wander off the trail, which is shared with a driveway to some private property. It certainly isn't among the best Western NC waterfalls, but it's a nice site and it's free and open to the public, so not a bad place to stop depending on one's itinerary.

A very nice stop along the parkway with a good southeastern view…read more The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 470-mile-long roadway that meanders through the mountains and connects the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. The parkway boasts about 170 official stops along the path. This site is one of these many stops. This is between the Waterrock Knob stop and Fork Ridge overlook. This particular stop shares a fair amount of similarities with the Fork Ridge Overlook. It has the same southwestern view. It is a pull-off on the same side of the road. It has a broad view with very little obstruction. It does not have any restrooms or picnic tables or trails but has a wonderful view of several mountain ranges and valleys that run off to the south of the location. This stop also shares the same view as the one that can be seen from Waterrock Knob at a higher elevation so if you went there, you may want to skip this stop. If you have not been to that Waterrock Knob, then you may want to stop there next. Overall, it is a nice stop with a southwestern view. Enjoy.

This has been our favourite walk forever. Do not let the couple of bad characters hinder you from…read morethis beautiful hike, because getting to the top is its own reward with sheer beauty. This property was donated to the state park and open to all. Very clean and well-kept trails, dog friendly, and a nice place to rest and relax, including restrooms at the science centre.

I discovered this place through my daughter. She has gone here twice- once through her middle…read moreschool, and once through a local camp. She raved about it, and we finally got a chance to check it out. So happy we did! Purchase Knob was generously donated by the McNeil-Gilmore family to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is 535 acres of land that rises ultimately to 5,086 feet at the knob. In the meadow below the knob, at 4,850 feet, there are two buildings housing offices, a lab, a classroom for fifty students, and housing for up to eight scientists. Views are 180 degrees. You can hit the Cataloochee Divide Trail here, too. A refurbished cabin originally from the 1870s is nearby, which I will get to in a bit. When you get to the park, you will be blocked by a gate with a sign to the left identifying the park. It is open once in a while for scheduled visits/field trip students. It is easy to get your vehicle locked within the park. (People cannot get locked in.) Park your car on the sides of the road. Just walk around the gate if it is locked. Bring water, and a jacket in the spring or fall. The 2.5 mile round trip trail is basically a wide, dirt road that will eventually lead up to the main buildings. It is well maintained. When you get a glimpse of the building at the top, you will also see a grass trail leading upwards. I would take that trail. It is a shortcut. If you like to walk, just keep going, and the road will eventually lead to the building as well. On the way up, you will see many types of wildflowers. We heard (up) and spotted a hawk (down). I got a photo of nightshade, all the while with my body centimeters from a hidden cliff edge. Be careful on grassy edges! The open areas and tree-filled areas were of equal beauty. In early September I saw purples, greens, grays, and yellows, all framed by a clear blue sky graced by fluffy clouds. Your soul will take this in, and it will hold on to it. When we got to the top, we relaxed. We did not go to the knob proper. We used the very clean bathrooms, and laid down in the field right in front of the buildings. There is a water fountain. You are allowed on the deck, but not in the buildings unless you are with a scheduled group. There are picnic tables grouped close together, and bear-proof trashcans and recycling bins. You can check out the outside of the weather station that is a bit away. I would not traipse around the adjacent fields. I saw tagged plants and left that area so that we would not screw up any data. If you decide to go to the actual knob, you have to blaze your own trail. As of two days ago, the footbridge leading to Cataloochee was out. There is a sign warning of that; be careful crossing creeks. Anyway, that trail is easy to find; just look for signs. Check out the bulletin board for lists of the types of birds and butterflies that you can see there. I saw (possibly) a Cloudless skipper. It was fluorescent yellow! My first. To get down to the restored Ferguson cabin, just leave via the "grass carpet" trail. Make an obvious right and hitch your horse, or kids. This right will lead you to the cabin. The Fergusons were the first farmers to have an elevated farm. Their apples are still there. Do not pick anything. Do not get in the boar trap. Do not get near bears. Do not bother the cow spirits. Call to make sure horses are indeed still allowed. Bears and boars can hurt you. We leave all snacks in the car. You never know. Call the general number to see if bear activity is intense before going to this park. Middle school and up teachers, call this number to schedule a visit: 828-926-6251. This park welcomes wimpy and tough hikers mid-March through November. Call if you have a desire to hike in the deep winter. Remember to check out the Purchase Knob WebCam online for weather and views. To get to this park, take Exit 20, stay on 276 South for five miles. Get on Hemphill Road and stay on Hemphill Road for four miles. This review is dedicated to my daughter Sophie, a quick, beautiful trailblazer.

They deserve all 5 stars for a great trip down the river. Everyone we dealt with was warm and…read morewelcoming. This was not our first time down the Nantahala, we did it the first time with a much larger company. Decided to try this mom and pop type and the experience was way more tailored to our group. We didn't have to wait for buses to fill up as we were the only raft. Our guide was Neal and he was awesome! Very experienced and a great personality. Would highly recommend this outfit. They even took pictures at no additional cost! The wetsuits and jackets were also comped!

Everything was grand -again in 2025! Our outing club does this adventure as often as possible! The…read morehurricane did not harm this region much at all. The crew at endless rivers gave us a great day on the water. Neal our guide was skilled and fun! Thank you from high point nc. Lynette

A very nice stop along the parkway with a fair and unique view…read moreThe Blue Ridge Parkway is a 470-mile-long roadway that meanders through the mountains and connects the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. The parkway boasts about 170 official stops along the path. This site is one of these many stops. It is in between the Wesner Bald and the Yellow Face overlooks. The pull-out is on the southern side of the road and gives you a southwestern view. The view is different from many of the other views for the fact that you are looking across a field and into a valley. The paved area does not have restrooms but the area directly in front of the stop is a field with the trees set back and down the hill allowing a nice view with the exception of 2 large trees. The elevation at this stop is 5280 feet and is close to a trailhead for the Mountains to Sea trail. This is a trail that stretched from the North Carolina outer banks to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That is a distance of 1150 miles that is, obviously, outside the national park boundaries. This is a nice pull-off for the park with a fair and unique view.

Spectacular view less than 20 minutes from home. The…read morecountryside is absolutely beautiful. The water from our well tastes better than any water we've bought. The air is the cleanest we've ever breathed. We've lived here for 10 years and will never leave.

Like waterfalls but not the hike? This waterfall can be viewed from a VERY narrow pull off on Hwy…read more64. It's difficult to see it in its entirety due to vegetation, but there is a trail that leads you down to the base of the falls. It's extremely steep and it would still probably be difficult to capture the full size of this waterfall. Some sources say it is around 200 feet tall while others say it's closer to 250 feet. Just from what I could see from the road, I'd be more inclined to agree with the 250' estimation. It is quite long and dramatic, but then again I'm not exactly sure where the fall begins since the river has quite a few cascades before the first major drop. Cullasaja Falls is the last and largest waterfall along the Cullasaja River. The others include Dry Falls and Bust Yer' But Falls (also known as Quarry Falls). In the Cherokee language, Cullasaja mean the place of honey locust. It sits on the Western side of the Eastern Continental Divide, which means the flow of water will eventually find its way to the Gulf of Mexico. I found a pic of an old postcard of the falls I thought was pretty cool: http://www.moonshiner28.com/moonshiner28photos/Highlands/CullasajaPostCardMirror.jpg THE VERDICT If you are doing a tour of the local waterfalls, add this one to the list. It takes very little effort to view it and has excellent photographing opportunities from the roadway overlook. I would not recommend hiking down the steep trail if you have seniors or small children in your hiking party.