The Gorgeous 2.9-Mile Hike In North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains That Will Lead You Into A Ravine And Past A Waterfall
Exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina offers numerous trails and scenic views, with the Graveyard Fields Loop Trail being a highlight for its waterfalls and natural beauty.
Exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is an activity that can take years to complete because there is so much to see and do along the Parkway! At the many pull over areas, visitors find trailheads that lead to amazing trails taking visitors to overlooks, waterfalls, and adventures into the Blue Ridge Mountains that are right out of a storybook. Graveyard Fields Loop Trail is one such trail.
Found at Milepost 418.8 on the Parkway, Graveyard Fields is a high-traffic 2.9-mile trail that leads down into a ravine and past two waterfalls.
Aside from many, many stairs, the trail is relatively easy and has an overall elevation change of 305 feet. Bring along your walking sticks to make going up and down the stairs more manageable if you have issues with your knees or ankles.
Eventually, the hike leads past the lower falls, found within the loop. Stop to enjoy the breathtaking beauty before heading out of the loop to the upper falls.
You'll see here how the trail loops and then spins out of the loop to the left. This is the more difficult section of this 2.9-mile trek because it's very steep. Take your time and don't give up. The view of the upper falls is absolutely worth the effort here.
Graveyard Fields Loop Trail sees high traffic in the height of tourist season. If visiting between April and October, you may want to consider tackling this hike very early in the morning, or simply scheduling your adventure for a weekday, rather than a weekend.
Most people can complete the hike in under three hours. The trail leads down into a ravine and the added time climbing out of the ravine is accounted for in this allotted time.
In warm seasons, wear clothing you can swim in and hop into the big blue pool at the base of the falls. The big boulders on the opposite side of the falls make this one natural swimming pool you'll absolutely love!
Chasing waterfalls is just a natural part of living in North Carolina. After all, we have so many of them – more than 250 – that we’re never too far from our next adventure, whether we want to visit an easy-access waterfall that requires little more than a few steps or we’re in the mood for a challenging trek. If you’re strapped for time or just want a laid-back adventure, you won’t find any better than the journey to this hidden gem waterfall in North Carolina.
advertisement
While most hikers can complete the short and sweet Toms Creek Falls Trail in around 15 minutes, you might want to carve out a little more time, especially if you plan to spend time admiring and snapping photos of the breathtaking 80-foot cascade. Considered a hidden gem in Pisgah National Forest, the waterfall sits along a .07-mile out-and-back trail that’s accessible to everyone. The pretty path is wheelchair-accessible and stroller-friendly, and kiddos will have an easy time navigating the winding path that also welcomes leashed pups.
Pick up the Toms Creek Falls trailhead from the small parking lot, which can fill up quickly. Some visitors prefer to park along the road if there is space. Despite its hidden gem status, the waterfall is known to locals, so the trail can get busy, especially on warm days. Don’t let that deter you, though. Because the trail is so short, the parking lot and the trail tend to empty as quickly as they fill up.
If you’re not in a rush, take your time and soak up the scenery from one of the benches along the path. The tree-lined trail, which gets pretty muddy after it rains, passes patches of wildflowers and leads across a fairy-tale footbridge, but the highlight is Toms Creek Falls, a spectacular waterfall that’s framed by trees. While the waterfall is awe-inspiring any time of the year, try to visit during the peak of the fall foliage.
The trail leads to a platform that offers views of the lower part of the waterfall, or you can simply walk to the base of the cascade, which drops into a shallow pool. Little ones like splashing around in the water during the hot days of summer. You can also climb wooden stairs to the upper portion of Toms Creek Falls for another view of the hidden gem.
Learn more about Pisgah National Forest on the official website of the USDA Forest Service.
Have you been to this hidden gem waterfall in North Carolina? What did you think? Do you know of any other little-known waterfalls in North Carolina? Let us know in the comments! Up for more waterfall chasing? Add some of the best waterfalls in North Carolina to your bucket list. If it’s a waterfall hike you’re after, find a full list of hiking trails in North Carolina on All Trails.
Skinny Dip Falls sounds more scandalous than it really is. We found this hidden gem along the Blue Ridge Parkway during one of our adventure days and were pleasantly surprised at what a fun little hike this was and a good addition to any trip along the most scenic road in North Carolina.
advertisement
As the Blue Ridge Parkway meanders through North Carolina, there are a number of can't-miss sights. From overlooks that afford views down into deep gorges to passage through majestic tunnels cut through the earth, waterfalls galore, and even a look at the tallest mountain peak east of the Mississippi, it's no wonder this National Park Service unit is one of the top two visited national parks in America. That being said, it can be difficult to prioritize what you can fit into one parkway excursion. If there is one waterfall along the parkway that you should pull over for a dip in the natural swimming hole, it's Skinny Dip Falls.
The name may imply this is a clothing-optional swimming hole — but nothing could be farther from the truth.
The waterfall cascades down the side of a mountain in a skinny flow of water (thus the name) that drops into pool, after pool, after pool of crystal clear emerald water. Flanking each side of the water flow are smooth boulders and moss-covered rocks.
Editor's Note: After some flooding in the area the waterfall looks quite a bit different than it used to. If you haven't been in recent years you should still go and check it out. Now you will find a series of cascading falls.
Taking a dip in Skinny Dip Falls is almost a must, as long as the weather is warm.
Even in the summer, the water maintains what can only be described as a sobering cold temperature but that doesn't stop most people from being tempted to test it out.
The waterfall's many lagoons make it easy to find a spot to call your own...
Unless it's the height of summer! Then you can expect to share your little slice of paradise with many others who make the short hike along the parkway.
Getting to Skinny Dip Falls is a short, 0.9-mile journey with an overall elevation change of 187 feet.
You'll park at milepost 417 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There's an overlook for Looking Glass Rock at this mile post and the trail to Skinny Dip Falls is located across the street. Be SURE to look both ways before crossing the road, as the Blue Ridge Parkway gets very busy with traffic. A helpful trick that we use while traveling along the Blue Ridge Parkway is to plan our trip ahead of time. If you write down your hikes based on the milepost marker you have a helpful way of finding some of these hard-to-find places. We have passed this lookout many times without knowing that there was a trail across the street so putting in a little research can help you when you are driving and do not have cell service in the mountains.
Although the trail is rated as easy, we advise you to bring walking sticks for the climbing as well as the rock and root jumping you'll do on this trail.
Most people hike one way in about 30 minutes. It can probably be accomplished must faster but there are many things to see and admire on the way to the falls. Be sure to bring plenty of water.
The day we hiked this trail was a rather cold morning, so needless to say there was no swimming for us.
This map will show you the proximity of the unmarked trail to the Looking Glass Rock Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The trailhead is located across the street from the Looking Glass Rock Overlook at milepost 417. There is no marker for the trail, however it follows the Mountains To Sea Trail. Enter the trail, pass the big tree (you'll know it when you see it), and then continue straight. At the top of the first natural set of stairs, veer left. To learn more you can download the map from our friends over at AllTrails of the Skinny Dip Falls trail. Want to see what this trail looks like? Check out this Adventuring in the Moment video to see the trail and the waterfall.
Have you been to Skinny Dip Falls? Share your experience about this natural swimming hole in North Carolina with others in our comments — and we'd LOVE to see your photos posted in the thread!
