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    Otter Falls

    4.6 (17 reviews)

    Otter Falls Photos

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    Trail map
    Jenny Z.

    We came here for a little hike. We waited for the rain to clear up before we went. When we got there, we were the only car in the parking lot. The hike was not too strenuous. The trail was wet with a lot of fallen leaves that were a bit slippery, plus the wet rocks. Only the green mossy rocks were very slippery. Follow the red, blue, orange trails to the base where the waterfall is. There are arrows marked on the trees to guide your way.

    Otter Falls
    Brian C.

    I really liked Otter Falls. The hike wasn't too bad/strenuous. Only in a few places was the footing tricky. Being able to go into the falls area and get my feet wet was really cool. My son loved that he could climb all over the rocks in and around the falls.

    Trail
    Ana M.

    Fun hike for everyone with gorgeous falls at the bottom. Just a heads up that it is "strenuous" due to steep inclines but nothing too intense. I saw people with their children so they were able to handle it.

    Boon C.

    This fall near Banner Elk is not really clearly stated in many web site. The current Yelp page was created with more accurate location of the trail head. From the trail head to the fall round trip is about 2 hours if you planned the trip. The General direction is taking the Seven Devils Road to city town hall of Seven Devils. Then make a left to Skyland Dr. Just followed the sign of otter falls and you will be there less than 5 minutes from the city hall. The falls is a good nice one. It is a bit little but have steady flow. Follow the red trail then the blue trail then orange trail and you will be there. There sign along the way. Don't forget the trail back by remembering how you get down. At the fall, they have overlook. The trail is cover by trees. It has s a comfortable walk down. It is relaxing trail.

    Stephanie J.

    The hike at Otter Falls can be short or longer depending on the route that you choose. It is a beautiful hike, we loved seeing the falls. It would be the perfect spot for a lunch. The difficultly of this hike is moderate to difficult.

    Shan W.

    Our first family hike since moving from South Fla to NC. Taking in tow was an almost 5 year old, a 3 year old who spent the majority of the hike in a carrier on my hubbys back and our 9 week old. Was a great beginner hike for those used to flat - though I should have looked closer at the map because we didn't follow the colored arrows very carefully so our hike turned into a bit more than 1.2 miles. My oldest did amazing though. The falls are so beautiful and my boys loved being able to explore. They even spotted some newts and a salamander! Great hike for beginners/kids if you take the shorter route

    Waterfall

    Pretty quick trail, took us about 20-30 min to make it to the falls with a 6 and 9 year old. Can be steep in areas. The waterfall is great and you can easily walk along the creek bed below which has a lot of large rocks.

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Perfect walk for a small hike to a fall. Great area to hike but not to much. Be careful pulling in busy area limited parking

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Easy hike and amazing after a rain. Limited parking. Take a look at Hawksnest while you are up here.

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    7 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Otter Falls

    Review Highlights - Otter Falls

    Cute little hike with little falls and nicer bigger ones.

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    People searched for Hiking 540 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

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    Tanawha trail - Instagram: @telephonesmoothie

    Tanawha trail

    (3 reviews)

    We did the portion of this trail that goes to Rough Ridge Overlook. This hike is very crowded, but…read morethe views are definitely worth it. I recommend waking up early and getting there for sunrise. We got there around 7:45am and the parking lot was already full. We were able to park on the side of the road though. It got way more crowded later in the day. It's only about a 2.5 mile hike round trip from the parking area. We tried to hike further on the trail, but ended up taking a wrong turn that brought us back to where we started. It was recommended to start at Linn Cove Visitor Center and hike the back way there for less crowds. We wanted to do this, but the parking lot was closed so we couldn't. This is a great hike in the fall for gorgeous fall colors. It's hard to beat the views.

    My sister and I were researching a new hike in the area that would be easy to medium difficulty and…read morehad a nice view. We wanted something under 3 miles round-trip due to the coming thunderstorms. This trail was easy to spot off the road with a very nice visitors center with lots of fun items and some cute dogs to pet but that's where to good stuff ends. The trailhead marker behind the center took us the wrong direction on the trail that we wanted to head. There was not sufficient signage to indicate which way it was leading. After hiking over 1 mile we realized our mistake and turned back. There was some interesting things to see but not enough for me to ever return. The rain was holding off so we took the trail the correct way which is located on the opposite end of the parking lot from the visitor center. While this part of the trail was more interesting the view point under the bridge was very underwhelming and we would not do it again.

    Grandfather Mountain - Wilson Discovery Center

    Grandfather Mountain

    (255 reviews)

    Despite the colder than expected weather and the wind, my wife and I had a great time exploring…read moreGrandfather Mountain. The park is so nicely maintained, well mark, and cleared hiking trails for all skill levels. The Wilson Center for Nature Discovery is an amazing add on with so much fun, and educational info for all ages. The Wilson center also has a cafe, offering reasonably priced "ball park" cuisine, well maintained bathrooms and a souvenir shop. Next to the Wilson Center is the Mildred The Bear Environmental Habitats where you can get up close and learn about some of the species that call this area home. Consider it a miniature zoo with habitats for some animals needing rehab. We were able to see some bears, bald eagles, river otters, and elk, OH MY! Each area had signs posted for ranger talks, which we caught for the river otters. They tell you about the animals, and and answer any questions people have. After exploring the Wilson Center and habitats, we continued our trek up on the mountain to the swing bridge, and that's when the wind really kicked in...with wind gusts, the temp dropped quickly, with a wind chill of -9degrees, but we trudged on, and made the most of it. In the end, we had a great time, and look forward to returning to explore more of the trails. Based on other reviews, some may feel that the $35 ticket price per person may be a bit much at the main entry, but it's a small cost of maintaining such an amazing resource. If you enjoy being outside, hiking, and exploring, this is a must visit NC destination

    Nice park and mountain, but $37 PER PERSON? With NO…read moresignage/pricing posted anywhere ... yikes I could understand for something like Yosemite or Yellowstone, but just a state park ...tough pill to swallow especially when it's not posted anywhere. I was planning to hike with some friends and we were going to start at one of the other lots but the roads were closed leaving us no choice but to enter the park. I really just wish the pricing/fees were posted somewhere-anywhere- because they weren't online or on the park signs out front. Had to pull up to the gate/window and even then the park ranger seemed to want to withhold that information as long as possible. The actual park is beautiful and well maintained- and you do get an audio guide plus map upon entry. But the lack of transparency here is a hard no for me. @azfitfoodfun

    Grandfather Trout Farm and Gem Mining - Fish shack

    Grandfather Trout Farm and Gem Mining

    (36 reviews)

    I have been going to this place since the mid 1980's as a young boy and we've brought the kids here…read moreseveral times over the past few years. They have both a Gem mine and the trout fishing and in the old days had a mini golf course but that is long gone now. The main guy who operates it, Heath, is super nice and helpful. He got us setup and helped my kids learn to cast the poles and get the hook out once the fish were caught. They charge by the pound and the trout are pretty big so plan a big meal ahead. There's a little extra for cleaning the fish but that's worth it. If you are looking for a fun kid activity this is also a kid friendly place as long as they can hold the pole and reel with your help. The poles, bait, and buckets are supplied so you don't have to bring anything with you. They'll pack it in ice for you also when you leave so you'll be able to keep your fresh catch cold. ----TL;DR----- PROS: plenty of parking, friendly folks, usually it's pretty easy to catch a fish, family run, family oriented and kids will likely enjoy it CONS: none, it's lots of fun BOTTOM LINE: if you like fishing and want to spend a fun few hours, check them out. We've been many times and still love to go back!

    They supply everything. Three ponds. The man who works there was very friendly and informative…read more Very nice guy. You don't pay if you don't catch. They even have collapsible chairs. Clean spot. Great time!

    Otter Falls - hiking - Updated May 2026

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