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View of Dry Falls. (Sept 30, 2023).
Laura S.

This is an easily accessible 75' waterfall on the Callasaja River in the Nantahala National Forest near Highlands, North Carolina. You can access the falls by walking down well-maintained stone steps from the small crowded parking lot ($3 parking fee, Sept, 2023). The falls go over an overhanging bluff which allows visitors to walk directly under the falls while keeping relatively dry. There are additional waterfalls worth visiting in the area so you can make this a day trip.

Behind the water. June 2021
Kathleen D.

Update to my review of Dry Falls. Still love to visit here anytime I can. It's a stunning location. We had very low temperatures in late December for several days, so I knew I had to check out Dry Falls in the winter- frozen! Well, mostly frozen. There's still some Water flowing, but tons of icicles. I could not walk behind the falls this time because of the ice and my shoes would not keep me from sliding on the ice, but I did manage to get some fabulous photos!!

Stephanie J.

Hike no. 2 in the Nantahala National Forest was at Dry Falls. It is $3 per car to park so make sure you bring cash and fill out the envelope. It's an easy out-and-back hike that is 0.4 miles. The waterfall is beautiful and one of the coolest parts was being able to walk behind it. It's a must visit.

Kristine S.

I love swinging into Dry Falls! Hubby grew up visiting the falls while camping in NC & TN and he introduced me about 5 years ago. The parking lot is small and gets full quickly especially during prime visiting times like the summer months. The fee to park is cheap and totally worth it. There are a few flights of stairs and sloped walkways to get down to the falls. Most people shouldn't have any issues on the short walk down. Don't let the walk stop you from experiencing the falls up close! Once down the stairs, you will be face to face with the beautiful waterfall known as Dry Falls. Thinking about just how much water constantly flows over those rocks is astonishing. One of the coolest parts, is walking behind the falls. You can get to the other side and stay dry, hence the name. You will get some of the mist that blows around which is feel nice on a hot day. If you love nature, make sure to stop by!

Joshua B.

My buddy suggested we stop at Dry Falls on the way from Asheville to Atlanta and I am very glad we did. It was a scenic drive with a windy mountain road in, but it was all worth it. They offer about 30 parking places and it is a few stair flights down to a gorgeous waterfall. Once down there, you can walk behind the waterfall and around to the other side. It is a bit slick and wet, so make sure you are careful. The view is absolutely incredible and the roaring sound is a bit intimidating. I am really glad we stopped as it was a beautiful way to break up the road trip.

Andrew V.

One of the best falls in the state Very easy to walk and enjoy the mist Parking may be limited but totally worth the wait

waterfall
Holly N.

One of the prettiest dry falls i've seen in person! Not a long walk to the fall and railing everywhere to make sure you, your animals, your kids and even your parents don't fall haha. I went out at the perfect time with perfect weather right before rain set in. The breeze with the cool feel of being under the fall made all of my troubles i've ever felt just float away with the water at the bottom of the waterfall. Definitely a great experience for a waterfall lover and a tourist.

Laurie B.

Beautiful waterfall-- but due to construction took a long while on winding mountain to get there -- but worth it. Going under the waterfall was very cool (cool looking and got splashed a bit) On way back-- Took a short cut someone recommended-Turtle Pond road -- mostly gravel -- memorable day!

Nicki K.

January 14, 2017 was the last time I was here. At that time, I came with a group of hikers and nature lovers. This time, I dragged my husband to come with me since he's never been. We made the 2ish hours trip to check it out. Before we arrived, we stopped to have breakfast and check out the Sky Valley Overlook. The parking is small and was full. Luckily, there wasn't a long wait and we bagged a parking spot. It's $3 to park and it's the honor system. Please pay $3. The waterfalls is gorgeous and it's a very nice well maintenance place. Yes, there could be more parking space. I agree with that. You could hear how loud the waterfalls was. My husband was impressed with what he saw halfway. I told him to hold on as we get closer. It was gorgeous!!! So loud! Strong. Powerful. I captured a rainbow too. Sooooo cold going behind the waterfall. Couldn't get a great picture since the lighting was bad. One of the best waterfalls to take family and friends. Short distance. Paved. Come. You will not regret it. 256/2019

Cindy P.

Beautiful falls. Well worth the walk down and up the stairs to see them up close. Could spend the day there.

Information sign in parking lot
Bill W.

One of the most interesting and accessible falls in Western North Carolina When I was a child way back when and we would visit my Mother;s family outside of Sylva, we would occasionally come back this way on our way to Brevard.. I guess that is where I inherited the habit of not going and coming the same way on the same trip. The falls are about 4 - 5 miles North of Highlands on US64 and another 10 miles of so to Franklin. From Asheville about an hour away. When I was young, there was nothing but a gravel pull over to park your car and walk down a gravel path that occasionally washed out. Today the Forest Service has built a large parking lot with restroom facilities and places to have a picnic. For those who do not want to walk down to the falls, there is also a nice overlook or observation deck they have built. Still i would recommend taking the path down to and behind the Falls and experience to roar of the Cullasaja River as it cascades down the gorge. It's not a hard path and has been paved with handrails for convenience. One caution to photographers. There is considerable mist coming up from the river so take care to keep you lens dry otherwise you may have some unwanted elements in you picture. These pictures were taken in Early June and at this elevation, it more like early April. Really impressive during Autumn when the foliage turns and the gorge is filled with reds and yellows from the trees..

View from walkway down. Look at the human scale. The falls is big
Boon C.

Awesome!!! This will be the most beautiful falls we have seen in this trip. You can walk behind the falls to get a lot of steam water mist. My eyes glass will be full of water vapor when walk behind the curtain of the water falls. It is awesome to see the water falls behind the curtain of sheet of water. It was beautiful at the front for deep falls. It was amazing to go behind the scene. The Dry Falls is about 3.6 of the US 64 from the intersection of Main Street and N 4 Street at Highlands, North Carolina. Also me the way you will see the Bridal Veil Falls than you will see huge parking lot to access this falls. The walk is easy for down hill stair way. Easy walk to behind the falls. I wonder why they call it Dry Falls. It was plenty of water during our visit. I would suggest visit them just after the raining season. The time we have visited this place is begin of June. This may be dry during the winter.

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3 months ago

What an easy way to see a majestic waterfall! Even more beautiful half frozen in winter!

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10 months ago

Beautiful place. Sadly no trash cans anywhere. Bathrooms were overflowing with trash rendering them unusable.

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Ask the Community - Dry Falls

Review Highlights - Dry Falls

. Make sure you're factoring in the smaller scale Bridal Veil Falls and, if you are the intrepid type, Cullasaja Falls

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Old Iron Bridge - Ye' Old Iron Bridge

Old Iron Bridge

(1 review)

Do you ever see a landmark on Google Maps and wonder what it looks like in person? I do! I actually…read morespend hours when I'm bored traveling the world via Google Earth. It's how I find interesting things to do when I plan to be in a specific area either hiking or on vacation. ~~~ What makes this Old Iron Bridge special is its location over the mighty Chattooga River very early in the rivers journey. My guess is it's about 8 miles from where its headwaters begin @ Cashiers Lake. The Chattooga eventually becomes a much larger, wider and wild river as well as the defining squiggly boundary line between northeast Georgia and western South Carolina. This same river eventually bleeds into Lake Hartwell and soon after becomes the Savannah River, dumping all this fresh water into the Atlantic ocean. So, almost its entire journey defines South Carolina from Georgia, and it all begins very near this Old Iron Bridge. Call me a nerd if you want, but it simply fascinates me that I could possibly drop a note in a bottle from this bridge, and it has the potential of reaching Savannah, Georgia on a long journey 300+ miles away. Of course the bottle would have to survive the Class V crushing rapids + overcome multiple dams on the way to Savannah, but a fun thought nonetheless. Or what if you could drop a gallon of dye into the water that doesn't dissolve and track how long it takes to make it to the Atlantic? As a kid, I always has a fascination of how things work... like how far up does a helium filled party balloon travel and how many miles away will it be found? Coordinates: 35°00'57.5"N 83°07'34.8"W ~~~ [ WATERFALLS ] The most interesting highlight of this bridge is the waterfall below it! It's not a huge one (more of a large rapid in high water), but a thunderous spot in the river nonetheless as the southbound river takes a sharp turn east just past the bridge! I didn't know it until after I got home, but there was a spot on the other side of the river where I could have gotten a great pic of the falls, like this pic I found on pinterest: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/31/f6/fa/31f6fa1c47cfb5c0b57bc8417bea56aa.jpg My photos are from the opposite side of the bridge, which by the way, has a trail and a small parking area good for two cars. The trail leads down to the river and in a rainy period, you may also spot a LARGE 100'+ waterfall in the distance coming off the Chattooga Cliff on Bullpen Mountain. I only took the trail a short way to get a better pic of the distant waterfall, but it seems to follow the river north. ~~~ [ HISTORY ] Style: Pony truss bridge Status: Open to traffic Built: 1934 Length of largest span: 79.7 ft. Total length: 81.7 ft. Deck width: 11.8 ft. Also called Chattooga River Bridge Bull Pen Bridge Ammons Branch Bridge ~~~ [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] If you are a fan of bridges, this is a great one to add to your photo collection. Bull Pen Road is a nice wooded drive from Burrell's Ford Campground to Highlands, North Carolina. IF you are a fan of waterfalls, Kings Creek Fall and Spoonauger Falls are near the campground, and Secret Falls, Dry Falls as well as a high concentration of other named waterfalls are all near the Highlands! Enjoy 2020 / 8

Will Henry Stevens Covered Bridge - Classic Carolina design

Will Henry Stevens Covered Bridge

(2 reviews)

No "shadows of a bear" for me, I passed through Highlands in order to see this famed covered…read morebridge. There really aren't many of them left in the US and very few remain in North Carolina! The bridge is the entrance to the Bascom Center, a six-acre campus of indoor and outdoor artworks. It was named for artist Will Henry Stevens (1881-1949) who lived and painted and taught here in Highlands. The bridge dates back about 200 years when it was originally build in New Hampshire over the Warner River. Disassembled rather than destroyed, it was put into storage in 1966. And then purchased and moved here to Highlands forty years later. Now it's been recreated as an Ithiel Town lattice using traditional techniques and materials including 1100 tree-nails, towels and trunnels with no metal fasteners! Unfortunately, when I arrived it was closed for reconstruction and repair. Blocked off on both sides and surrounded by piles of rough-hewn beams and planks. I'll need to come back when it's all fixed up. [Review 20018 overall - 3458 in North Carolina - 993 of 2023.]

I came to Highlands, NC in search of a bear, or more accurately the "shadow of a bear". A natural…read morephenomenon that happens from mid-October through early November when the setting sun casts a shadow onto the valley below Whiteside Mountain. The shadow takes on the appearance of a bear and I simply could not not miss this one-of-a kind opportunity. The shadow begins at 5:30 p.m. I arrived in town super early (around 1pm) so I decided to do a little exploring. There was a waterfall here I wanted to visit, but I discovered The Bascom Visual Arts Center and decided to make that my first stop. To know me is to know I have a profoundly deep love for old structures, particularly covered bridges. So to discover a covered bridge I was not aware of (that was also historic) in a gorgeous mountain setting was almost orgasmic... and I mean that literally. When I get super excited about something, it makes me wanna go poop! TMI right?, but it's true. There is no greater laxative for me than showing me a picture of someplace gorgeous that I've never been. It's why I keep travel magazines in a woven basket in our bathroom. The excitement for new adventures twists my stomach into knots. So, actually realizing I'm live on location of a place I would have seen in the pages of a magazine brings on a different excitement! LOL --- THE BRIDGE You simply can't get more picturesque than Will Henry Stevens Covered Bridge. A little research revealed this bridge was once considered the oldest covered bridge in New Hampshire. It was named Bagley Covered Bridge and it crossed the Warner River, until it was considered a hazard from its aging condition. The bridge was scheduled to be destroy until Milton & Arnold Graton, lovers of historic bridges, purchased it in 1966 and placed it in storage for the next 42 years. The bridge was built in approximately 1807 out of old growth pine. It is around 14 feet wide and almost 88 feet long. In February of 2008 it was gifted to the Bascom Art Center as a perfect entrance to their facility and reconstruction completed in 2009. This bridge looks like a totally new structure, but in fact is now over 200 years old. The design is Town lattice and uses over 1,100 wooden fasteners in keeping with the original 1800's bridge building traditions. I'm guessing the flares at the bottom were not original to the bridge, but are characteristic of Carolina-style covered bridges. SIDE NOTE: Famous people said to have once crossed this bridge are General Lafayette, President Theodore Roosevelt & President Franklin Pierce. --- FINAL THOUGHTS I am in awe of the dedication to conservation that led this bridge from New Hampshire to the Mountains of North Carolina. What love and genuine concern for the preservation of such an important artifact from a dying era! It truly brings a mist to my eyes to know that someone loved this bridge so much that they saved it, carefully dismantled it, stored it, nurtured it for 4 decades, and rebuilt it once they found it the perfect home. In Georgia, there were once over 600 covered bridges, but only 15 historic ones remain. Most met their end by arson or neglect. So I am very proud to see one of these beauties survived by being blanketed with a great deal of love. I wish we all honored such important structures & relationships in our lives and were less quick to deem things that were once important as antiquated and useless. I read an article about the father and son who saved the bridge, the Grafton's. It highlighted a quote which stated: "To me, to write-off the remaining usefulness of so faithful an old bridge... is like sentencing [someone] without hearing [their] witness. Should not this old bridge have a chance to be heard even through an interpreter?" AMEN 2016/119

Town of Highlands

Town of Highlands

(2 reviews)

Not my cup of tea...snooty and pretentious. Perfect if you want to walk around in your high priced…read moreouterwear feeling superior to everyone. Upscale shopping and restaurants. We strolled the well groomed streets of downtown after a long day of hiking. We ate a few miles down the road in Cashiers. Wanted a quick walk before heading back to our cabin. I would come back to this area for the surrounding hiking opportunities...hence 2 stars. I feel no need to venture back into downtown Highlands for any reason.

Dear Town of Highlands, North Carolina…read more I would like to thank you for so many things, but first and foremost for a wonderful October 2016 visit. No doubt you are familiar with the phenomenon that happens this time of year you've named "Shadow of the Bear." It was the very reason I ventured 2.5 hours from my Georgia home to your tiny mountain hamlet. Well, in my sincere desire not to miss the event, I arrived several hours early, and used that extra time to wander about your local shops, museums and overlooks. Do you want to know what I discovered? Genuine and true warmth still exists. In a world where people have their own goals, agendas and schedules, we don't SEE others the way generations before us once did. But all throughout your town I felt very much like I was on display. EVERYONE was so warm to me, from the secretary @ the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation whom gave me an impromptu tour of the facilities to the owner of Paoletti's Ristorante, whom I met by chance while eating the best patty melt of my life @ Mountain Fresh Grocery store. He included me in his conversation as if we were old friends and directed me to Sunset Rock. I may never forget the ladies overseeing the children outside of the First Presbyterian Church whom invited me to service or the wonderful pottery students and teachers @ The Bascom, Visual Arts Center. I have not felt that welcome by total strangers in my life, a feeling I will treasure for the rest of my days. On top of seeing a bear shadow, I hiked Whiteside Mountain for some of thee most amazing fall views I've witnessed in my 47 years on this earth. I also witnessed a beautifully restored covered bridge that made my heart sing upon first gazing at its beauty. Yes City of Highlands , I indeed thank you for a wonderful day. I could not imagine a more perfect place on the map to spend a weekend with my wife, whom was not with me on this inaugural trip... but surely will be with me hereafter. Sincerely, Richard R of Georgia UPDATE January 14th, 2017 - Not only did I bring my wife and children back with me, but 17 others as well. We briefly stopped to eat lunch @ Mountain View Grocery as we were on a strict hiking schedule, but all were pleased with our visit. I have another hike planned here in July and again in October. I can't wait to return and bask in your warmth! 2017/21

Thomas Harbison - Thomas Harbison Historical Marker, Highlands

Thomas Harbison

(1 review)

This marker is located in downtown Highlands in front of the City Hall and points out this great…read moreman who moved here after being struck by North Carolina's beauty. The marker reads, "Thomas Harbison, 1862-1936. Botanist and educator. Pioneer in the study of flora, southeastern U.S. Highlands his base after 1886; taught here." Online there is more information, "Thomas Grant Harbison (1862-1936) studied the flora of his native Pennsylvania before heading south in 1886 on a walking trip to North Carolina. He was smitten with the natural beauty of the mountains and their abundant plant life. At Highlands he accepted a position as principal at Highlands Academy in August 1886. His education was unconventional. Through correspondence courses offered by the University of the City of New York, he earned a B.S. and an A.M. and a Ph.D. from the National University (Chicago) in 1888. He boasted an extensive personal library and was largely self-taught. In 1896 he married Jessamine Cobb." "Harbison was a consultant to the federal government on national forests, a promoter of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and a landscape architect. His farm in Highlands hosted field experiments with apples and other crops conducted by agronomists from Clemson, South Carolina." There isn't a great spot to stop and park right here but there is street parking nearby so that you can explore Highlands. [Review 20017 overall - 3457 in North Carolina - 992 of 2023.]

Dry Falls - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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