Waterfalls of the Southern Appalachians

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

by Zac Finley

by Zac Finley

by Zac Finley

Anna Ruby Falls White County 34.76545 N 83.71394 W

by Zac Finley

by Zac Finley

by Zac Finley

Crow Creek Falls Rabun County 34.7768 N 83.52428 W

by Zac Finley

by Zac Finley

by Zac Finley

Denton Branch Falls Towns County 34.9857 N 83.55 W

by tarol

by Zac Finley

by dwhike

DeSoto Falls Lumpkin County 34.706167 N 83.915833 W

by dwhike

Helton Creek Falls Union County 34.7533 N 83.895 W

by dwhike

High Shoals Falls Lumpkin County 34.6485 N 84.0222 W

by dwhike

Long Creek Falls Fannin County 34.6698 N 84.1889 W

Minnehaha Falls Rabun County 34.7475 N 83.480667 W

North Carolina

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

Anthony Creek Tributary Falls Caldwell County 36.07250 N 81.7432 W

by dwhike

Bluff Mountain Falls Ashe County 36.391 N 81.572 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

Boone Fork Cascades Caldwell County 36.12047 N 81.78671 W

by dwhike

Bubbling Spring Branch Falls Haywood County 35.31096 N 82.90733 W

Bucks Timber Creek Falls Avery County 36.08441 N 81.78635 W

by dwhike

Cascades The Wilkes County 36.249341 N 81.454337 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

Courthouse Falls Wilkes County 35.27511 N 82.89329 W

by dwhike

Craborchard Falls Watauga County 36.20337 N 81.79423 W

by dwhike

Crabtree Falls Yancey County 35.85802 N 82.13631 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

Cullasaja Falls Macon County 35.116397 N 83.269527 W

by dwhike

Douglas Falls Buncombe County 35.72667 N 82.38028 W

by dwhike

Duggers Creek Falls Burke County 36.119 N 81.494 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

Dry Falls Macon County 35.068091 N 83.239067 W

by dwhike

Elk Falls Avery County 36.19849 N 81.96769 W

by dwhike

Flat Laurel Creek Haywood County 35.32551 N 82.89886 W

Glen Burney Falls Caldwell County 36.12473 N 81.68231 W

Glen Marie Falls Caldwell County 36.12473 N 81.68231 W

by dwhike

Greybeard Creek Cascades Buncombe County 35.64705 N 82.29879 W

by dwhike

Hebron Colony Falls Watauga County 36.16408 N 81.73378 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

High Falls Transylvania County 35.19272 N 82.61367 W

High Shoals Falls Burke County 35.594419 N 81.635552 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

Hunt-Fish Falls Avery County 36.01938 N 81.80346 W

by dwhike

Hooker Falls Transylvania County 35.20211 N 82.623752 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

Indian Creek Falls Swain County 35.47266 N 83.42783 W

Jacob Fork Cascades Burke County 35.59500 N 81.60048 W

by dwhike

Laurel Creek Falls Watauga County 36.25235 N 81.85261 W

by dwhike

Linville Falls Burke County 35.94957 N 81.92678 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

by dwhike

Little Wilson Creek Avery County 36.08334 N 81.79148 W

by dwhike

Log Hollow Branch Falls Transylvania County 35.32233 N 82.80342 W

by dwhike

Log Hollow Branch North Tributary Transylvania County 35.32233 N 82.80342 W

by dwhike

Log Hollow Branch South Tributary Transylvania County 35.32233 N 82.80342 W

Mingo Falls Swain County 35.531944 N 83.274722 W

by dwhike

Pond Creek Falls Avery County 36.20630 N 81.8753 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

Roaring Fork Falls Yancey County 35.76020 N 82.1918 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

Rufus Morgan Falls Macon County 35.14690 N 83.5648 W

by dwhike

Second Falls Haywood County 35.321667 N 82.845278 W

Setrock Creek Falls Yancey County

Silver Run Falls Macon County 35.06604 N 83.06694 W

by dwhike

Silvervale Falls Caldwell County 36.048333 N 81.595000 W

by dwhike

Tom Branch Falls Swain County 35.467 N 83.431 W

by dwhike

Tom's Creek Falls McDowell County 35.77760 N 82.0623 W

by dwhike

by dwhike

Triple Falls Transylvania County 35.19900 N 82.6713 W

Unnamed Falls (Dixon Creek) Caldwell County 36.10971 N 81.77995 W

Unnamed Falls (Wilson Creek) Avery County 36.09871 N 81.8065 W

Upper Creek Falls Burke County 35.96140 N 81.8626 W

Waterfall Park Avery County 36.06900 N 81.9232 W

South Carolina

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

Raven Cliff Falls Greenville County 35.10897 N 82.66340 W

King Creek Falls Oconee County 34.96862 N 83.10963 W

Tennessee

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

Abrams Falls Blount County 35.60833 N 83.87972 W

Backbone Creek Falls Johnson County 36.5922 N 81.8155 W

Coon Den Branch Carter County 36.25333 N 82.11888 W

Dennis Cove Falls Carter County 36.24969 N 82.0991 W

Firescald Branch Falls Carter County 36.2496 N 82.0872 W

Grotto Falls Sevier County 35.6739 N 83.4496 W

Huskey Branch Falls Sevier County 35.63868 N 83.55157 W

Jakes Creek Falls Sevier County 35.6358 N 83.5866 W

Laurel Falls Sevier County 35.6775 N 83.59302 W

Rainbow Falls Sevier County 35.66194 N 83.46306 W

Twisting Falls Carter County 36.2309 N 81.97517 W

Virginia

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

Cabin Creek Falls Grayson County 36.63230 N 81.5187 W

Cedar Run Falls Shenandoah National Park

Dark Hollow Falls Shenandoah National Park 38.51889 N 78.42361 W

Doyles River Falls Shenandoah National Park

Jones Run Falls Shenandoah National Park 38.229146 N 78.705840 W

Lewis Springs Falls Shenandoah National Park 38.520278 N 78.449722 W

Little Stony Creek Falls Blount County 36.87480 N 82.46250 W

Naked Creek, Falls of Shenandoah National Park 38.512864 N 78.467748 W

Negro Run Falls Shenandoah National Park

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

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[img:258858:aligncenter:small:]

Elakala Falls Tucker County 39.10889 N 79.49611 W

[img:232188:aligncenter:small:]

Images

View Waterfalls of the Southern Appalachians Image Gallery - 148 Images

Comments

Post a Comment

Viewing: 1-11 of 11

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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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

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