Waterfalls Near Asheville

31 waterfalls are within 120 miles of Asheville. The closest is Catawba Falls, about 18 miles away in a straight line. 7 waterfalls are free to visit. 19 need a hike. 30 have a closure or hazard note on file.

Distances are straight-line miles from Asheville, not driving distance.

No closure on file
Closed, or no soaking or swimming

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Name	Height	Access	Fee	Status
Catawba Falls McDowell County 18 mi	100 ft	Development –	Access 3.5 mi hike (round trip), paved road	Fee –	Status Closure or warning on file
Moore Cove Falls Transylvania County 23 mi	50 ft	Development –	Access 0.7 mi hike, paved road	Fee Free (NPS place page lists no entrance fee for Moore Cove Falls).	Status Closure or warning on file
Sliding Rock Transylvania County 23 mi	60 ft	Development –	Access paved road	Fee $6 per person daily when staffed; ages 5 and under free. Cash and credit accepted.	Status Closure or warning on file
Looking Glass Falls Transylvania County 24 mi	60 ft	Development –	Access paved road	Fee None	Status Closure or warning on file
Skinny Dip Falls Transylvania County 25 mi	30 ft	Development –	Access 0.8 mi hike, paved road	Fee No Blue Ridge Parkway entrance fee.	Status Closure or warning on file
Crabtree Falls Mitchell County 29 mi	60 ft	Development –	Access 2.5 mi hike (round trip), paved road	Fee –	Status Closure or warning on file
Courthouse Falls Transylvania County 30 mi	45 ft	Development –	Access 0.3 mi hike, gravel road	Fee –	Status Closure or warning on file
Rainbow Falls Transylvania County 40 mi	150 ft	Development –	Access paved road	Fee No day-use fee for Gorges State Park access.	Status Closure or warning on file
Whitewater Falls Transylvania County 41 mi	411 ft	Development –	Access paved road	Fee $3 per vehicle day-use; $15 annual pass (also valid at Dry Falls and Whiteside Mountain)	Status Closure or warning on file
Linville Falls Burke County 43 mi	45 ft	Development –	Access 1.6 mi hike (round trip), paved road	Fee –	Status Closure or warning on file
Grotto Falls Sevier County 51 mi	25 ft	Development –	Access 2.6 mi hike (round trip), paved road	Fee Parking tag: $5 daily, $15 weekly, $40 annual (over 15 min). America the Beautiful passes do not replace it.	Status Closure or warning on file
Rainbow Falls Sevier County 52 mi	80 ft	Development –	Access 5.6 mi hike (round trip), paved road	Fee Parking tag: $5 daily, $15 weekly, $40 annual (over 15 min). America the Beautiful passes do not replace it.	Status Closure or warning on file
Reedy River Falls Greenville County 53 mi	28 ft	Development –	Access paved road	Fee Free admission	Status No closure on file
Dry Falls Macon County 53 mi	75 ft	Development –	Access 0.1 mi hike, paved road	Fee $3 per vehicle day-use; $15 annual pass (also valid at Whiteside Mountain and Whitewater Falls)	Status Closure or warning on file
Spoonauger Falls Oconee County 53 mi	50 ft	Development –	Access 0.5 mi hike, gravel road	Fee –	Status Closure or warning on file
Issaqueena Falls Oconee County 58 mi	100 ft	Development –	Access 0.4 mi hike (round trip), paved road	Fee $5 per vehicle	Status Closure or warning on file
Laurel Falls Sevier County 59 mi	80 ft	Development –	Access 2.6 mi hike (round trip), paved road	Fee Parking tag: $5 daily, $15 weekly, $40 annual (over 15 min). America the Beautiful passes do not replace it.	Status Closure or warning on file
Station Cove Falls Oconee County 64 mi	60 ft	Development –	Access 0.5 mi hike, paved road	Fee No fee	Status Closure or warning on file
Chau Ram Falls Oconee County 70 mi	40 ft	Development –	Access paved road	Fee $5 per vehicle day-use entry	Status Closure or warning on file
Tallulah Falls Rabun County 76 mi	–	Development –	Access paved road	Fee Daily ParkPass $10 per vehicle (Tallulah historically listed at a lower day rate in some older materials; confirm.	Status Closure or warning on file
Panther Creek Falls Habersham County 79 mi	–	Development –	Access 3.5 mi hike, paved road	Fee Activity pass via Recreation.gov Scan & Pay at the day-use/trailhead when the fee site is operating	Status Closure or warning on file
Toccoa Falls Stephens County 83 mi	186 ft	Development –	Access –	Fee $2 adults at Gate Cottage Gift Shop; seniors $1; children 6 and under free; family of 4+ $6.	Status Closure or warning on file
Minnehaha Falls White County 84 mi	80 ft	Development –	Access 0.4 mi hike (round trip), gravel road	Fee Free	Status Closure or warning on file
Anna Ruby Falls White County 87 mi	153 ft	Development –	Access 0.4 mi hike, paved road	Fee $6 ages 16+; under 15 free. Georgia State Park Pass not accepted. America the Beautiful passes accepted.	Status Closure or warning on file
Raven Cliff Falls White County 92 mi	40 ft	Development –	Access 4.9 mi hike (round trip), paved road	Fee –	Status Closure or warning on file
Dukes Creek Falls White County 93 mi	150 ft	Development –	Access paved road	Fee $4 per vehicle/day. America the Beautiful, Senior, and Access passes accepted.	Status Closure or warning on file
Helton Creek Falls Union County 96 mi	100 ft	Development –	Access 0.2 mi hike, gravel road	Fee Free	Status Closure or warning on file
DeSoto Falls Lumpkin County 98 mi	200 ft	Development –	Access 2.4 mi hike (round trip), paved road	Fee $5 per vehicle/day (Recreation.gov Scan & Pay). Forest Annual Pass $25 at FS offices. Senior/Access discounts apply.	Status Closure or warning on file
Bad Branch Falls Letcher County 104 mi	60 ft	Development –	Access paved road	Fee No day-use fee published for Bad Branch State Nature Preserve.	Status Closure or warning on file
High Falls Fannin County 108 mi	–	Development –	Access gravel road	Fee Free (National Forest; standard USFS rules)	Status Closure or warning on file
Amicalola Falls Dawson County 119 mi	729 ft	Development –	Access paved road	Fee $10 daily ParkPass per vehicle; $70 annual. Overnight guests pay the daily pass once per stay.	Status Closure or warning on file

Photo credits (27)

Catawba Falls: Korlandella, CC0
Moore Cove Falls: Urban Versis 32, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sliding Rock: USDAgov, Public domain
Looking Glass Falls: Bill McMannis, CC BY 2.0
Skinny Dip Falls: Jason D. Layne, CC BY-SA 4.0
Crabtree Falls: Wncoutdoors, CC BY-SA 3.0
Courthouse Falls: Kadoka1, CC BY-SA 3.0
Rainbow Falls: Wncoutdoors, CC BY-SA 3.0
Whitewater Falls: P. Hughes, CC BY-SA 4.0
Linville Falls: P. Hughes, CC BY-SA 4.0
Grotto Falls: Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
Rainbow Falls: John Manard, CC BY-SA 2.0
Reedy River Falls: P. Hughes, CC BY-SA 4.0
Dry Falls: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Spoonauger Falls: Kbdevarona, CC BY-SA 4.0
Laurel Falls: Kaldari, Public domain
Tallulah Falls: Thomson200, CC0
Panther Creek Falls: U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest, Public domain
Toccoa Falls: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
Minnehaha Falls: anoldent, CC BY-SA 2.0
Anna Ruby Falls: ChattOconeeNF, CC BY 2.0
Raven Cliff Falls: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Dukes Creek Falls: ChattOconeeNF, CC BY 2.0
Helton Creek Falls: Jsfouche, CC BY-SA 3.0
DeSoto Falls: Unknown, Public domain
High Falls: Ysabella Escalona, CC BY-SA 4.0
Amicalola Falls: Thomsonmg2000, CC0

Common questions

What is the closest waterfall to Asheville?

Catawba Falls, about 18 miles away in a straight line.

Are there free waterfalls near Asheville?

Yes. No fee on record for Moore Cove Falls, Looking Glass Falls, Reedy River Falls, Station Cove Falls, Minnehaha Falls, Helton Creek Falls, and 1 more. Each page cites its source.

Are any waterfalls near Asheville closed?

A closure or hazard note is on file for Catawba Falls, Moore Cove Falls, Sliding Rock, Looking Glass Falls, Skinny Dip Falls, Crabtree Falls, and 24 more. Each page has the dated detail.

All North Carolina waterfalls