Love this hike so much. I do have to say it was quite shocking To go back after not visiting for h years- there has been a lot of maintenance since the storms washed the bridge out last year (!?). Still a beauty though. The parking lot has space for about 15 but you can park on the side of the road if you need. It's pretty safe and spacious. This hike is great for everyone- small incline and easy 1 mile ish to a fall. Where you can swim if you wish (maybe not skinny dip though- it's pretty popular). Dog friendly. Some rocks at the end but there are alternative ways and it's not unsafe or unstable. Lots of roots but overall the pathways are lovely and wide. . You can also see the semi famous wnc dragon tree :) read more

Skinny Dip Falls - Famous dragon tree - Hiking Near Me - Canton, North Carolina

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It's not a business but it was a great trail hike with lots of ups downs little bridges and stairs. Beautiful reward awaits at the end. read more

Skinny Dip Falls - Waterfalls - Hiking Near Me - Canton, North Carolina

SKINNY DIP FALLS is by no means a sizable waterfall and if I'm being honest, I thought it would be much larger and more impressive! However, it is indeed a gorgeous waterfall located in a beautiful & scenic section of the forest. The trailhead to the falls is directly across the Blue Ridge Parkway from LOOKING GLASS ROCK OVERLOOK. It is a white blazed trail and although it tends to fork off to smaller, well established side trails, the main trail is pretty obvious. When in doubt, stay on the largest/widest path. The trail starts off fairly level with only minimal ups and downs, but just past the DRAGON TREE begins a significant downhill descent as it drops from an elevation of 4505 feet to 4,325 feet at the bridge. That's 180 feet in just under 1/3rd of a mile. The trail itself is a rocky and heavily-rooted one, so it is important to watch your step considering all the natural tripping hazards. Still, despite the return elevation gain, trail tripping hazards and its small size in comparison to other nearby waterfalls, it is truly a hidden beauty worthy of any waterfall hunters list! It is located on a creek known as Yellowstone Prong and it won't be hard to see where it gets its name. The stones and boulders surrounding the falls are GORGEOUS in color as collectively they take on a golden hue. It is in fact one of the prettiest natural stone settings I've seen in all my waterfall travels. There are plenty of large boulders to sit and enjoy the falls as well as different levels of the falls for everyone to have their own space. Those that climb further to the top will find tranquil hot tub sized pools of turquoise clear water at each level. Towards the bottom is the most significant fall (about 12 feet) that immediately flows into a V-shaped rock channel cutting under the bridge and into two more pools of ultra-clear water! It is a wonderfully flat area great for smaller children to safely explore, under parental supervision of course. *** PRO TIP - I didn't know it during my visit, but even further up the creek is Yellowstone Falls. I'm not absolutely certain you can reach it by climbing from Skinny Dip Falls, but online reports say it IS possible. However, the elevation gains to get to those falls is around 300 feet according to topography maps and would require some bushwhacking to reach Yellowstone Falls from Skinny Dip Falls. But if you are the adventurous type, photos definitely show a very worthy and attractive waterfall awaits. *** [ THINGS TO KNOW ] Total Hiking Distance: 1 mile (round trip) Difficulty: Easy on the way, but a tad more difficult on the return Creek Crossings: YES (bridged) Elevation Gain: 200 feet (if you climb the falls) ~ parking elevation: 4,490' ~ base of falls elevation: 4,325' Waterfall Height: around 35 feet overall counting all the tiers Waterfall source: Yellowstone Prong WATERFALL ATTRACTIVENESS - 8 out of 10 TRAIL ATTRACTIVENESS - 6 out of 10 Access to top of falls: YES Access to base of falls: YES Pool of water @ base of Falls: YES (many) Sitting areas @ base: YES RESTROOM FACILITIES: NO PARKING: YES (space for about 20-25 cars) *** [ WHY IS THIS WATERFALL SO WONDERFUL ] A) Parking for the trailhead is at one of the most beautiful overlooks on the parkway (Looking Glass Rock). B) While the trail is a calorie burner on the return, it is not a long hike and bridges, as well as man-made steps, make it useful to most any hiking ability. C) Bring swimwear and picnic supplies because you're gonna want to stay a while. D) Levels make it possible for many families to have their OWN SECTION of the falls to enjoy, making it one of the easiest waterfalls to practice social distancing when crowds are low. E) The stones, water clarity, and overall venue are simply fabulous. F) Family & pet friendly! *** [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] SKINNY DIP FALLS has been on my radar for over a decade, so I am happy to finally cross it off my list! But make no mistake about it, I will be back again in the summer to enjoy its beauty with the younger members of our family. RICHARD RECOMMENDED :-) 2021 / 63 read more

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Hidden Gem! Beautiful waterfall, well worth the hike. Unless your looking for it you wouldn't know it is there. As with most hikes be prepared! There is some up and down inclines, steps, etc. Once you get to it, you will be like Wow! Totally worth the drive and time. Enjoy! read more

Incredible spot!! A little hard to locate but definitely a spot you don't wanna miss! A short hike with big rewards. I wouldn't call the hike strenuous but there are some steep sections going up and down, overall and easy hike though. read more

Skinny Dip Falls - The Falls - Hiking Near Me - Canton, North Carolina

I'm rating this a five because I think if I had been mentally prepared for what I was in for it would have been a 5 experience. Let me start by saying I had read it was a short hike with some moderate sections. I was thinking "okay, we can do this no issue" as we've hiked with our dogs before on many trails. The beginning is very easy- wooded and covered from the sun which is nice. As you continue the hike things get more challenging as there are lots of rocks / rock steps to watch out for. Now full disclosure we had 2 dogs and I was wearing my 6 month old... but there were definitely some parts that were steep and I had to be VERY careful to watch my footing. It's not a hike where I could just enjoy around me as I was focused on where my feet were stepping. Once you make it to the waterfall (be prepared for lots of people!) there are steep stairs down- there is a handrail on one side of the stairs but they are narrow stairs and when you get to the bottom you step onto giant rocks. The water is freezing, but beautiful. There is no real easy way to get dogs down the stairs as we were worried about them slipping so the dogs didn't go down. (However later we learned that there is a trail the dogs could take to get to the water-- but that water is not close to the main pool.) I went down with babe, but when I got down there it was more uneven rock and more climbing down. I would definitely do the hike again, but I wouldn't bring my fur friends and I'd wear my baby differently. I know the review may sound like we didn't enjoy it- that's not the case! I just wish I had some of this information before going so hopefully my review will help others! read more