Waterfalls of the Southern Appalachians

Waterfalls of the Southern Appalachians

Page Type Page Type: Album
Additional Information Image Type(s): Water

A Region of Water...

I love waterfalls. I love mountains. For me there is no place better than the Southern Appalachians. The high peaks and ridges of this region recieve some of the highest annual rainfall totals in the continental U.S. Areas in the southern mountains of North Carolina recieve upwards of 100-inches per year! All this water has to go somewhere. In numerous creeks and streams it cascades its way down the mountainsides. In the Southern Appalachains you are seldom more than a dozen miles from a waterfall of some sort.

One of my growing hobbies is waterfall photography. I am always torn between using a day off to climb a mountian or visiting a waterfall. I enjoy waterfalls because of their simple beauty and their solitude. Many require surprisingly difficult hikes to reach which means you can often have them all to yourself. The number of waterfalls in this region is staggering. There are something like 87 named waterfalls in Transylvania County, NC alone!! I've barely scratched the surface when it comes ot exploring the regions' waterfalls and I love it!

I created this album to share the beauty I've found exploring the waters of the Southern Appalachians. I hope you enjoy them and I would welcome any pictures you may have from this area. I'm always looking for new falls to visit! Enjoy!!

Get A Guide...

Many of the waterfalls in the Southern Appalachains are quite diffucult to find. Just getting to the trailhead down narrow, winding dirt roads can be an adventure in intself. From there its often a steep climb or descent to a rocky gorge where you may find you have a tough bushwhack along the creekside to get a decent view. For me this just adds to the enjoyment when I get there. Needless to say you will need a good guidebook, an accurate map, and a compass for good measure.

I rely primarily on these three guidebooks:

North Carolina Waterfalls, by Ken Adams

Waterfalls of Virginia and West Virginia, by Ken Adams

Tennessee Waterfalls, by Gregory Plumb

Along with these you are going to need some good maps. The DeLorme Atlas' for North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, & West Virginia will help you find your way down those mountain backroads and I've found the Trails Illustrated maps by National Geographic quite reliable once on the trail.

Along with the guidebooks he has written above Ken Adams has a great supplemental website you can visit HERE that gives great info on road and trail closings as well as new waterfalls that are not listed in his books.

Also, you won't want to miss NCWaterfalls.com. It is probably the most extensive website on waterfalls I've found. Despite its name he has good info and pics of waterfalls all over the Southern Appalachians. He also gives some great tips on how to shoot waterfalls that I have found very helpful.

That should get ya going!

Rainy Days are a Good Thing...

Another thing I like about waterfalls is that they give me a good excuse to get out in the woods even on a dreary day. In fact, the drearier the better. The slow shutter speeds required for that silky look in many waterfall shots require an absence of bright, glaring light. You have no idea how frustrated I get after hiking 2 miles down a ravine, get set up, and have the sun break through the clouds. AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

So, if you're wanting to go out and shoot that perfect waterfall pic, pray for rain (or at least a good, thick cloud cover:)!

Georgia...

Waterfalls collected thus far, alphabetically, in Georgia...

Amicalola Falls


Dawson County

34.5701 N
84.24884 W

Anna Ruby Falls


White County

34.76545 N
83.71394 W

Crow Creek Falls



Rabun County
34.7768 N
83.52428 W

Denton Branch Falls


Towns County

34.9857 N
83.55 W
Frozen Waterfall on Bluff Mountain

DeSoto Falls


Lumpkin County

34.706167 N
83.915833 W
Bluff Mtn waterfall

Helton Creek Falls


Union County

34.7533 N
83.895 W

High Shoals Falls


Lumpkin County

34.6485 N
84.0222 W

Long Creek Falls


Fannin County

34.6698 N
84.1889 W
Courthouse Falls NC

Minnehaha Falls


Rabun County

34.7475 N
83.480667 W
Courthouse Falls


North Carolina

Waterfalls collected thus far, alphabetically, in North Carolina...

Anthony Creek Tributary Falls


Caldwell County

36.07250 N
81.7432 W

Bluff Mountain Falls


Ashe County

36.391 N
81.572 W

Boone Fork Cascades


Caldwell County

36.12047 N
81.78671 W

Bubbling Spring Branch Falls


Haywood County

35.31096 N
82.90733 W
Cullasuja Falls

Bucks Timber Creek Falls


Avery County

36.08441 N
81.78635 W

Cascades The


Wilkes County

36.249341 N
81.454337 W

Courthouse Falls


Wilkes County

35.27511 N
82.89329 W
Dry Falls

Craborchard Falls


Watauga County

36.20337 N
81.79423 W
Dry Falls

Crabtree Falls


Yancey County

35.85802 N
82.13631 W

Cullasaja Falls


Macon County

35.116397 N
83.269527 W

Douglas Falls


Buncombe County

35.72667 N
82.38028 W
Greybeard Creek

Duggers Creek Falls


Burke County

36.119 N
81.494 W

Dry Falls


Macon County

35.068091 N
83.239067 W
This is High Shoals...

Elk Falls


Avery County

36.19849 N
81.96769 W

Flat Laurel Creek


Haywood County

35.32551 N
82.89886 W
Hooker Falls

Glen Burney Falls


Caldwell County

36.12473 N
81.68231 W
Hooker Falls

Glen Marie Falls


Caldwell County

36.12473 N
81.68231 W

Greybeard Creek Cascades


Buncombe County

35.64705 N
82.29879 W

Hebron Colony Falls


Watauga County

36.16408 N
81.73378 W

High Falls


Transylvania County

35.19272 N
82.61367 W
Brink of Linville Falls

High Shoals Falls


Burke County

35.594419 N
81.635552 W

Hunt-Fish Falls


Avery County

36.01938 N
81.80346 W

Hooker Falls


Transylvania County

35.20211 N
82.623752 W

Indian Creek Falls


Swain County

35.47266 N
83.42783 W
Mingo Falls

Jacob Fork Cascades


Burke County

35.59500 N
81.60048 W

Laurel Creek Falls


Watauga County

36.25235 N
81.85261 W

Linville Falls


Burke County

35.94957 N
81.92678 W

Little Wilson Creek


Avery County

36.08334 N
81.79148 W

Log Hollow Branch Falls


Transylvania County

35.32233 N
82.80342 W

Log Hollow Branch
North Tributary


Transylvania County

35.32233 N
82.80342 W

Log Hollow Branch
South Tributary


Transylvania County

35.32233 N
82.80342 W
Silver Run Falls

Mingo Falls


Swain County

35.531944 N
83.274722 W

Pond Creek Falls


Avery County

36.20630 N
81.8753 W
Tom Branch Falls

Roaring Fork Falls


Yancey County

35.76020 N
82.1918 W

Rufus Morgan Falls


Macon County

35.14690 N
83.5648 W

Second Falls


Haywood County

35.321667 N
82.845278 W
Unnamed Falls (Wilson Creek)

Setrock Creek Falls


Yancey County


Unnamed Falls (Wilson Creek)

Silver Run Falls


Macon County

35.06604 N
83.06694 W

Silvervale Falls


Caldwell County

36.048333 N
81.595000 W

Tom Branch Falls


Swain County

35.467 N
83.431 W

Tom's Creek Falls


McDowell County

35.77760 N
82.0623 W

Triple Falls


Transylvania County

35.19900 N
82.6713 W
Raven Cliff Falls

Unnamed Falls
(Dixon Creek)


Caldwell County

36.10971 N
81.77995 W
King Creek Falls

Unnamed Falls
(Wilson Creek)


Avery County

36.09871 N
81.8065 W
Abrams Falls
Backbone Creek, TN
Coon Den Branch, TN

Upper Creek Falls


Burke County

35.96140 N
81.8626 W
Dennis Cove Falls, TN
Firescald Branch, TN
Grotto Falls

Waterfall Park


Avery County

36.06900 N
81.9232 W
Huskey Branch Falls
Jakes Creek Trail

South Carolina

Waterfalls collected thus far, alphabetically, in South Carolina...

Raven Cliff Falls


Greenville County

35.10897 N
82.66340 W
Laurel Falls (TN)

King Creek Falls


Oconee County

34.96862 N
83.10963 W
Rainbow Falls in Snow

Tennessee

Waterfalls collected thus far, alphabetically, in Tennessee...

Abrams Falls


Blount County

35.60833 N
83.87972 W
Twisting Falls, TN

Backbone Creek Falls


Johnson County

36.5922 N
81.8155 W
Lower Cabin Creek, VA

Coon Den Branch


Carter County

36.25333 N
82.11888 W
Cabin Creek Falls (Lower)

Dennis Cove Falls


Carter County

36.24969 N
82.0991 W
Upper Cabin Creek, VA

Firescald Branch Falls


Carter County

36.2496 N
82.0872 W
Cabin Creek Cascade

Grotto Falls


Sevier County

35.6739 N
83.4496 W
Cedar Run

Huskey Branch Falls


Sevier County

35.63868 N
83.55157 W
Dark Hollow Falls

Jakes Creek Falls


Sevier County

35.6358 N
83.5866 W
Dark Hollow Falls

Laurel Falls


Sevier County

35.6775 N
83.59302 W
Dark Hollow Falls

Rainbow Falls


Sevier County

35.66194 N
83.46306 W
Upper Doyles River Falls

Twisting Falls


Carter County

36.2309 N
81.97517 W
Lower Doyles River Falls

Virginia

Waterfalls collected thus far, alphabetically, in Virginia...

Cabin Creek Falls


Grayson County

36.63230 N
81.5187 W
Jones Run Falls

Lewis Springs Falls
Lower Waterfall - Stoney Creek

Middle Waterfall - Stoney Creek

Cedar Run Falls


Shenandoah National Park


Upper Waterfall - Stoney Creek

Dark Hollow Falls


Shenandoah National Park

38.51889 N
78.42361 W
Falls of Naked Creek
Negro Run
South River Falls

Doyles River Falls


Shenandoah National Park


Whiteoak Falls #6
Whiteoak Falls #5

Jones Run Falls


Shenandoah National Park

38.229146 N
78.705840 W
Whiteoak Falls #1

Lewis Springs Falls


Shenandoah National Park

38.520278 N
78.449722 W
Whiteoak Falls #4

Little Stony Creek Falls


Blount County

36.87480 N
82.46250 W
Whiteoak Falls #2
Wilson Creek, VA
Blackwater Falls

Naked Creek, Falls of


Shenandoah National Park

38.512864 N
78.467748 W
Blackwater Falls, WV

Negro Run Falls


Shenandoah National Park


Elakala Falls

South River


Shenandoah National Park


[img:231090:aligncenter:small:]

Whiteoak Falls


Shenandoah National Park

38.564 N
78.3637 W
[img:230005:aligncenter:small:]
[img:230003:aligncenter:small:]
[img:229999:aligncenter:small:]
[img:230002:aligncenter:small:]
[img:230000:aligncenter:small:]

Wilson Creek Falls


Grayson County

36.646 N
81.4898 W
[img:240541:aligncenter:small:]

West Virginia

Waterfalls collected thus far, alphabetically, in West Virginia...
Blackwater Falls


Tucker County

39.108889 N
79.496111 W
[img:301012:aligncenter:small:] [img:258858:aligncenter:small:]

Elakala Falls


Tucker County

39.10889 N
79.49611 W
[img:232188:aligncenter:small:]


Comments

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Viewing: 1-11 of 11
Bob Sihler

Bob Sihler - Nov 1, 2006 10:29 pm - Voted 10/10

Waterfalls

This album is a great idea. I share your sentiments about the region, especially the falls in Shenandoah National Park. I added several shots myself, and I also attached your album to my new Blue Ridge Mountains page. If you want it detached, just let me know.

Bob

dwhike

dwhike - Nov 1, 2006 10:42 pm - Hasn't voted

Thanks...

I appreciate the nice comments. Thank you also for all the great shots you contributed. I havn't been up to the Shenandoah in search of falls yet but you've certainly whetted my appetite!

-Dan

dwhike

dwhike - Nov 3, 2006 4:59 pm - Hasn't voted

Thank you...

so much for the comment. I'm glad you enjoy it.

-Dan

SteveinFXBG - Nov 3, 2006 10:53 pm - Hasn't voted

Nice

I'm glad to see this album get created. Some great images and looking forward to seeing more. I'd post some that I have but I don't want to lower the standards of this nice album!

dwhike

dwhike - Nov 3, 2006 11:22 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Nice

I appreciate the comments. I went ahead and attached your image of Elakala Falls, its a beautiful shot. I havn't been to any falls in WV yet. Don't worry about quality, if you have some go ahead and post them!

-Dan

e-doc

e-doc - Nov 7, 2006 9:57 pm - Hasn't voted

location

Good page. What it be better placed elsewhere? People will not enjoy unless they go to Smokies page. But I'm not sure where to put it.

dwhike

dwhike - Nov 8, 2006 2:44 am - Hasn't voted

Re: location

I had the same thoughts, I've attached it to a couple range pages but aside from attaching to every single mountain page (which I won't do)I don't know. Some of the falls are in the vicinity of some more popular mountains (i.e Mt. Rogers) so maybe I'll just attch it to a select few with owners permission. If you (or anyone else) has more thoughts on this I'd be very open to ideas.
-Dan

WoundedKnee

WoundedKnee - Dec 4, 2006 11:48 am - Voted 10/10

Excellent idea

I have some pics of waterfalls near the South Mountains State Park that I'll post. Another great spot for falls.

dwhike

dwhike - Dec 6, 2006 4:13 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Excellent idea

Thanks, I visited South Mountains myself a month or so ago and was amazed to find such large falls in an area so far from the higher mountains of NC. I'd love to see some of the pics you have, the darn sun came out the day I drove there so I wasn't real happy with many of my shots.

MarkDidier

MarkDidier - Aug 9, 2008 10:29 am - Voted 10/10

Excellent Page!

Excellent page on the waterfalls of this area. Most everyone I know loves waterfalls. This page gives me some great research for organizing a trip that my wife would actually enjoy! I wish I had more than one picture to post, but most of my good waterfall pictures are prints - not digital - and I haven't scanned them to digital yet. FYI, I did post some LeConte/Boulevard pictures to your Mt. LeConte page. Great work!

dwhike

dwhike - Aug 10, 2008 9:05 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Excellent Page!

Thanks for stopping by! Glad you find it useful. Your shot of the cascade on Jakes Creek is a nice addition, I love those pics of unnamed trailside falls. Cheers, Dan

Viewing: 1-11 of 11