We actually never got to the waterfall itself. Didn't realize that reservations were necessary and…read morethat it's booked a week out in advance. They're only open on some days during some times to the public. The drive there was mostly gravel including a grafitti filled tunnel. Instead we ended up going to Little Bradley Falls Trail which was free and had a beautiful waterfall.

Nice close place Worth short drive and easy walk and was…read moreable to bring kids or older parents

This weekend, my family and I decided to explore Jump Off Rock in North Carolina since the weather…read morewas nice. Jump Off Rock--located about 15 minutes from Hendersonville, NC--is a scenic overlook of Western North Carolina with three easy hiking trails, making it a perfect spot to enjoy a sunny day. There is complimentary parking, easy-to-follow trails that are hiker-friendly for all ages, benches to enjoy the scenic outlook, and wheelchair accessibility. Once my family arrived, we enjoyed the magnificent view of the Western North Carolina mountain range, taking photos of the scenery and personal selfies together. There is a drawing of the mountain range that identifies which mountains you are looking at. I found this very helpful since I could finally put names to the mountains in front of my eyes. After admiring the amazing view, we took the three hikes Jump Off Rock offers. The trails are fairly easy, ranging from 0.25 to 1 mile. They are easy to access, located on the left and right sides of the parking lot. The paths are simple to follow and not too dangerous for occasional hikers and their furry friends. While we were there, my family and I saw two deer on the path, which was really cool. Altogether, the three trails took us around 30 minutes at an average pace. Just a quick note--there are no restrooms or portable toilets at Jump Off Rock. I recommend stopping in Hendersonville or at a gas station before making your journey. If it's a nice day or you just want to get out of the house, I highly recommend visiting Jump Off Rock to enjoy the scenic overlook of the Western North Carolina mountain range and reconnect with nature.

jump off rock was a decently pretty view we saw some people taking family pics definitely good idea…read morebut i wouldn't go again i would have rather used my time to go on a hike or something else

THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO KNOW is this is one of the most uniquely beautiful waterfalls I've ever…read morehad the pleasure of visiting in the South, but it is not for the casual hiker. You absolutely need a basic understanding of how to follow blazes and navigate faint areas of the trail that might be overgrown. You also need to be in fairly good physical shape, because this trail is a WORKOUT... but the payoff is so worth it!!! ***** We completed our hike on Saturday 11/12/2022. While most other website reviews say they didn't encounter any other hikers, we actually came across several. At the falls we met a famous hiker and his crew repelling down the vertical drop section of Flat Creek Falls. I was kinda fanboying in the moment because I've used a number of his hiking notes over the years to guide me to many of the more difficult and less populated trails. On our return hike we also encounter THREE other couples separately headed to the falls. Must have been something in the air that day!!! It rained most of the week prior to our hike, so the falls were flowing nicely. But unfortunately the rain knocked all the remaining fall leaves off the trees, so my photos weren't as fall-tacular as I was hoping. The trail itself is rather boring with no scenic views other than the steep downhill section within the last mile where you can get a glimpse of Bear Lake. It can be a rather tricky trail to follow, but there are enough blazes to keep you on track. This is the first trail of hundreds that I've hiked where strips of a terrycloth towel were used as blaze markers... LOL! But hey, they were REALLY helpful! [ NOTES ] * Flat Creek Falls is broken into sections. The main visible fall is a sheer freefall of about 100 feet. Next it cascades heavily down the mountain, lengthening its overall look. Above the waterfall and out of view is another 30+ feet of sliding cascades, adding to its overall height. A drone would allow the best pic of the full glory of this waterfall. Check out this drone video by Seth Hogan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT9TiFQtNgE * Lots of blown down trees to climb over/around. * THIS IS A WET HIKE!!! There is almost no way of avoiding getting your shoes or boots wet, so bring extra socks and shoes for the ride home. * Trail can get a little tricky in parts for inexperienced hikers even with the blazes, so be sure to download the offline map. * ALLTRAILS map ends at the lowest decent viewing point. You will still need to boulder jump several more yards to get the best vantage point. * VERY surprised by the "WARNING: BEAR SANCTUARY" markers along the steep downhill section of the trail. * Don't miss NELLIE FALLS which can be accessed along a spur trail near the parking area. DO NOT FOLLOW the wide Flat Creek Road trail. It does not lead to Nellie Falls. Instead, find an unmarked opening in the trees about 100 feet from the parking area AFTER crossing the creek . It looks rather sketchy but follow this trail. It will split in about 1/3rd of a mile and you will continue on the left trail that goes downhill. Once you reach Nellie Falls, you must cross through the river and continue the trail up the left side of a very large boulder to get the best view of Nellie. The hike to Nellie will add about 2 miles to your overall Flat Creek Falls hiking distance. [ NAVIGATION NOTES ] DO NOT... I REPEAT... DO NOT USE GPS NAVIGATION through Panthertown along Forrest Service Road 4670. You WILL NOT get through! Instead, use Hwy 281 to Rock Bridge Rd. The parking area will be at the end of Rock Bridge Road. Also, it is important to download this trail map prior to arriving. Mobile coverage is very weak past Lake Toxaway: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/flat-creek-road-flat-creek-falls/print?grid_format=decimal&map_center_lat=35.2159563039431&map_center_lon=-83.03239512200847&map_type=alltrailsOutdoorsV2&map_zoom=14.007959882271786&paper_orientation=portrait&paper_size=letter [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] Maybe it is because I haven't hiked much this year and I'm no longer in hiking shape, but this trail really burned out my legs. I don't remember being this exhausted after a hike since I did Mounte LeConte in Gatlinburg via Alum Cave Trail. ALLTRAILS lists the hiking distance @ 5.8 miles round trip, but I don't believe that is accurate. My iPhone walking tracker logged me at 11.1 miles for the day (which also included the 2 miles round trip to Nellie Falls). Other than walking to my truck in my driveway, inside a restaurant after the hike, and to my shower when I got home... I did no other walking that day. TOTAL HIKE TIME - 5 hours 15 minutes It was a blessing to witness these two spectacular natural piece of art with my own eyes. They've been on my list for the past year and did not disappoint! Thank you Jess L for always being willing to tackle ANY trail with me! 2022 / 116

I didn't realize just how massive Gorges State Park was until I read more about it. It spans over…read more8,000 acres and has 26 waterfalls. We hiked to Rainbow Falls and Turtleback Falls, both of which were well worth the effort. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to Drift Falls (I'll blame the IPAs from the night before and my hiking attire). It's located on private property, but from what I've read, the views are still good. The hike is moderately challenging, so come prepared with proper footwear and plenty of water. The trails can be demanding, but the waterfalls and scenery make every step worth it.

We wanted to see waterfalls during our mini vacation in the mountains and this was one of the parks…read moreon a handout about places to see them. I think it said rainbow falls was about 1-1/2 miles out but it felt longer than that due to the terrain. It got a little steep and rocky at times. We went to Dupont State Park the next day and those trails were much flatter. We did make it to rainbow falls and then a little bit farther to turtleback falls. Some people went down to the waters' edge of both falls but that did not seem safe. PSA: if you're visiting any park or natural place, don't be loud and distracting. There was a group behind us yakking on and on and I actually faked tying my shoelaces so they would pass us. That's not good behavior, and they should have known better.

We love PNF. We try and make it at least once a year and get a cabin just outside of Brevard. There…read moreis so much to do and so beautiful all seasons. It's snowing right now. We love it up here and will continue to visit Pisgah National Forest as much as possible.

I had so much fun hiking Sam's knob. It was beautiful and shorter compared to looking glass. This…read morepark is such a gem. I visited the ranger station before hiking and he game me a wonderful fun fact about the part being named after a biblical mountain. I'll let you look up the rest. If you are looking for waterfalls, sliding rocks, friendly rangers, beautiful summits check this park out.

On multiple trips through the area, I hadn't taken this particular turnoff. The better known area,…read moreGraveyard Fields, lies below. This area is apparently under the Forest Service rather than the National Park service. The road dead ends in a small parking area, but most people were haphazardly parked on the side of the road. It was a bit dodgy and unclear where you were actually supposed to park, the road quality was not great, and the bathrooms would leave one wondering whether perhaps finding a secluded spot in the wilderness was a better bet. Not that well maintained, though it is certainly fair to acknowledge the difficulty of working in this remote environment. But once you're on the trail, it's all good. The trail cuts through a fascinating terrain. Signs strongly advise you not to tread off, and it feels as if the trail cuts through a layer of peat that would engulf you if you tried in some areas. I managed a loop through two peaks and took the easier route back with fewer views called the Ivestor trail (not investor). It was a great experience to look down over terrain which I've been through before, and that loop is a fairly exhausting, rocky five miles. Of course, there are always linkages to other trail systems in this area, so you can hike as little or as much as you want.

Love love this hike. It's been a staple of mine for ages. Get out there and hike it- it's perfect…read morefor all ages and levels. Parking can be dicey so make sure to go an off time if you can (ex-early or on weekdays). You will most likely park on the side of the road but people drive slowly so it's not too bad or dodgy. There are two hikes in this area- sams knob (where the parking lot is) and Black Balsam (what I am reviewing).Honestly you will get great views at any of the hikes around as they're similar. This one had an entrance/ start point right off the road. There is a sign. This hike is about 2 miles total. You have a bit of an incline at first but it's not bad. Lots of space and clean paths. When you get to the top the views are awesome. Clouds? Just wait 5 mins. They move fast :$

Another hidden gem in Pisgah National Forest is this place. To enter, you need to go through the…read moregated entrance which is currently unmanned until the tourist season begins which I believe is coming up soon. Then it will be $5 per person, not car. It was nice watching people enjoy the water.

This site definitely did not disappoint! We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon with the family. I was…read moresurprised that my granddaughters were not afraid to go down the rock slide. I was the family photographer. I certainly had lots to photograph! There was ever a great rock to lean against for taking pictures. My suggestion is that you bring along a change of clothes, wet shoes, snacks, a camera, sunscreen and life jackets for the little ones. I forgot my wet shoes and my son forgot a change of clothes. There is a rest room where you can change clothes. There are also lifeguards until 5 PM. They stayed open after 5, but did not charge admission. When we return we will go later in the afternoon. The lines are shorter and after 5 you don't have to pay the $5 per person admission charge. I definitely will return when we visit the area again. We enjoyed a great time!

Nice place to hike just outside of Sylva. There are places for about 20 or so vehicles to park in…read morethe marked area at the end of the road. The first part is quite steep and rocky. There's a massive split boulder about a half-mile in. There are multiple 3+ mile hikes to tops of local mountains.