Skinny Dip Falls
- Height
- 30 ft
- Hike
- 0.75 mi each way
- Road
- Paved
- Permit
- Not required
- Dogs
- Allowed
Skinny Dip Falls drops about 30 ft in Transylvania County, North Carolina. Reaching it is a 0.75 mi hike each way.
Closures and warnings
Area heavily damaged by Tropical Storm Fred (2021); stairs and bridge washed away. Forest Service strongly advises against visiting due to hazardous, altered terrain. As of September 28, 2026.
The falls
| Height | 30 ft |
|---|---|
| Flow note | Historically about a 30-foot cascade with pools; landscape and access changed after Tropical Storm Fred. |
| Water type | Waterfall basin |
|---|
Access
| Hike | 0.75 mi each way |
|---|---|
| Road | Paved |
| Road note | Historic access from Looking Glass Rock Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 417, via Mountains-to-Sea Trail. |
| Parking | Looking Glass Rock Overlook parking on the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 417 (when overlook is open). |
| Fee | No Blue Ridge Parkway entrance fee. |
| Reservation or permit | Not required |
| Managed by | National Park Service (Blue Ridge Parkway) / USDA Forest Service (Pisgah National Forest) |
Rules
| Dogs | Allowed |
|---|---|
| Camping | Not allowed |
Common questions
Common questions
Is Skinny Dip Falls open?
Area heavily damaged by Tropical Storm Fred (2021); stairs and bridge washed away. Forest Service strongly advises against visiting due to hazardous, altered terrain. As of September 28, 2026.
How tall is Skinny Dip Falls?
Skinny Dip Falls drops about 30 ft.
How long is the hike to Skinny Dip Falls?
It's a 0.75 mi hike each way. The road in is paved. Historic access from Looking Glass Rock Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 417, via Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Parking: Looking Glass Rock Overlook parking on the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 417 (when overlook is open).
Do you need a reservation for Skinny Dip Falls?
No reservation or permit is required.
Is there a fee at Skinny Dip Falls?
The fee is No Blue Ridge Parkway entrance fee.
When is Skinny Dip Falls flowing?
Historically about a 30-foot cascade with pools; landscape and access changed after Tropical Storm Fred.
What are the rules at Skinny Dip Falls?
Dogs are allowed and camping is not allowed.
Nearby
Camping nearby
Public land
Skinny Dip Falls is inside Blue Ridge Parkway .
Just outside: National Forests in North Carolina (under 0.1 mi) , Shining Rock Wilderness (0.9 mi) .
Sources
5
- https://wlos.com/news/local/top-5-waterfalls-wnc-kid-friendly-accessible-hidden-adventures-transylvania-haywood-jackson-macon-swain-counties (accessed September 28, 2026; backs waterfall.heightFt, access.hikeDistanceBasis / access.parking / access.roadNote / manager context, waterfall.ephemeral false / access.roadSurface)
- https://www.komoot.com/smarttour/e1178853376/skinny-dip-falls-via-mountains-to-sea-trail (accessed September 28, 2026; backs hazardNote, waterfall.flowNote)
- https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/fees.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs access.fee)
- https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/pets.htm (accessed September 30, 2026; backs rules.dogs)
- https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/camping.htm (accessed September 30, 2026; backs rules.camping)
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