Walk Right Behind One Of North Carolina's Prettiest Waterfalls On This Family-Friendly Hike
Few natural sights are quite as attractive as an epic waterfall. For millions of travelers looking to get the best shots for their social media feeds, or else just experience a memorable scene of nature's beauty, waterfalls are the perfect combination of so many different factors that make for picturesque shots. Individual waterfalls are often main attractions in and of themselves, and usually feature as the centerpiece of popular hiking trails, or even an entire park.
For many hikers interested in lovely scenery, a clear view of a powerful, cascading waterfall from a distance is more than enough to justify the trip. But many waterfall hikes let you get much, much closer. For example, America has several beautiful waterfalls that you can walk behind. These kinds of hikes provide much more immersive experiences for hikers, as well as amazing shots that are quite different (but no less beautiful) than what you'd get from a scenic viewpoint at a distance.
Getting to walk behind a waterfall makes even smaller falls stand out. This is certainly the case with one of the best "walk behind" waterfalls in the United States, the spectacular Dry Falls of North Carolina. Though it's not the tallest, widest, or highest-volume waterfall in the country, Dry Falls' immersive hiking experience, combined with its picturesque setting, makes it a must-stop destination.
Dry Falls is perhaps North Carolina's prettiest and most accessible waterfall
The 75-foot-high Dry Falls is one of the many natural wonders found in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina, about an hour and a half from the state”s popular outdoor Mecca of Asheville. Since Asheville is already one of the most picturesque towns on the East Coast, a visit to Dry Falls is perfect for exploring the epic landscape and hidden gems of North Carolina's broader Appalachian Mountains.
Of all the worthwhile day trips from Asheville, Dry Falls is one of the best for combining amazing scenery with accessibility and convenience. The hike's main trailhead is located just off the Mountain Scenic Byway near the town of Highlands, North Carolina. The Mountain Scenic Byway itself is an amazing scenic drive that takes you through some of North Carolina's loveliest river gorges and forest scenes. And with a length of only a little over 61 miles, the scenic drive is more than doable in one day, even with a hike to Dry Falls included.
Once you've found the accessible (though often crowded) parking area at the trailhead, the hike to Dry Falls is only around 0.2 miles or around seven minutes at a normal pace. The name "Dry Falls" may seem like an oxymoron at first, but once you follow the trail to the grotto behind the falls, you'll quickly find it's a perfect fit! The inlet behind the falls gives you enough space to stay dry (usually) despite being so close to a towering waterfall. The trail's combination of short length, convenient parking, and less challenging terrain makes Dry Falls one of North Carolina's most accessible natural wonders.
Dry Falls is also an essential stop on a trip through North Carolina's Appalachian Mountains
Dry Falls is one of the crown jewels of the Nantahala National Forest, the largest of North Carolina's four national forests administered by the U.S. Forest Service. Within Nantahala, Dry Falls is located in the picturesque Callasaja River Gorge, which is arguably the most scenic (and accessible) of the many river gorges in the mountains of western North Carolina. The Callasaja River is a tributary of the nearby Little Tennessee River, a spectacular mountain waterway and one of the few rivers in the Blue Ridge Mountains that remains unaffected by dams, locks, and other types of infrastructure development. Sitting in such a prime location, Dry Falls is not only an amazing destination on its own; it's also a great embarking point for a much bigger adventure through one of North Carolina's last remaining wild areas.
The mountains around Dry Falls and the Little Tennessee River are top locations for finding some of the best national parks in the Southern United States. The Callasaja Gorge is also home to other scenic waterfalls nearby, including photogenic spots like Quarry Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Callasaja Falls. But a day's drive from the gorge will also take you to incredible national park sites like the Great Smoky Mountains and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. All-in-all, Dry Falls is more than "just" one of North Carolina's prettiest and most accessible family-friendly hikes. It's also a center point for an unforgettable journey through what is arguably the most beautiful region east of the Mississippi.