There’s An Emerald Waterfall Hiding In North Carolina That’s Too Beautiful For Words

Exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway brings with it countless adventures to get out of the car and immerse yourself in the lush, green wilderness you admire while making the drive. Many such places to explore are conveniently found only steps from the highway; such is the case with the following trail to a lush, emerald waterfall known as Crabtree Falls, whose trailhead is located at the entrance to Crabtree Meadows Campground at mile marker 339.5. This is one of those waterfalls in North Carolina that you cannot pass up:

Park at the visitors' center and embark on a 2.5-mile loop that you won't soon forget for more reasons than one.

During the spring and summer, the trail is studded with wildflowers. The colors really pop against all of the greenery, and it makes for a breathtaking hike.

Follow the trail loop from start to finish, and eventually you'll drop down into a gorge where you'll find the base of the waterfall.

And then, on the way back to your vehicle, you'll climb back out of the same luscious and moss-covered gorge. There's no easy shortcut back to your car, though, so prepare for a workout.

But, we assure you, the 70-foot Crabtree Falls is worth every turn and every effort to get there.

The water cascades ever so gracefully over a neatly-stacked cascade that stands seven stories high. Even better still: the waterfall and its surroundings are covered in emerald moss. The general dampness down in the gorge, along with the gentle spray of the waterfall, turn this destination hike into a tropical paradise similar to a rain forest.

At the base of the falls, a wooden footbridge crosses Big Crabtree Creek.

The bridge and the gentle creek make exploring the big boulders and moss-covered smooth rocks at the base of the falls accessible. It's not the kind of waterfall that would be considered a "swimming hole", but you ought to manage to splash some water on your arms and legs to cool off before heading back out of the gorge.

Along the way to Crabtree Falls, the hike doles out plenty of cool, shady trail.

This trail is rated both moderate and strenuous, depending upon which entrance you come through. The uphill part is shorter if you take the counter-clockwise path (which is considered the moderate route).

Prepare to feel the burn whichever way you travel on the loop.

You should consider wearing good hiking boots to help combat the many roots and rocks on this well-traveled hiking path as well. Safety is important! Trust us... you don't want to stub your toe on an exposed root while wearing sandals. Nooooope.

Seasoned hikers will also appreciate busting out their hiking sticks for this trek.

And, even if your knees and ankles can withstand the strain of going down (and down) and then back up (and UP) the trail again, it's still nice to have added support for those occasions when you don't have a handrail to assist.

During spring, summer, and fall, you'll encounter fewer people on the trail (and at the falls) if you take this hike during the week. Don't forget to bring plenty of drinking water!

This is one emerald waterfall in North Carolina that isn't much of a secret and it can get busy on non-rainy weekends during the height of the tourist season. Bring a picnic for after the hike and hit one of the many roadside picnic tables on the Parkway.

The trailhead to Crabtree Falls is located at the entrance to the Crabtree Meadows Campground at Milepost 339.5 on Blue Ridge Parkway. The trail is accessible all year; do note that there are times when inclement weather may spur the closing of this section of the parkway for safety reasons, so make sure to check the campground page for info. Remember that dogs are allowed on the trail as long as they are kept on a leash, and parts of the trail require crossing small creeks that may have higher water just after rainfalls.

Ready to make the hike to this emerald waterfall in North Carolina? Learn more about the trail at this page on AllTrails! Waterfalls are found in abundance in the Tar Heel State. Explore eight easy-access falls in this previous article.