North Carolina’s Panthertown Valley is commonly revered at the Yosemite of the East and a day of exploration within the Valley is a delightfully rugged outdoor experience. Although the valley, named for the huge panthers that once roamed here, is made up of rugged mountain peaks, it also has tranquil valleys filled with streams, mountain summits featuring smooth balds, and more than 25 miles of trails from which to explore North Carolina’s own Yosemite.
Seen here, the Schoolhouse Falls, Little Green Mountain, Greenland Creek Falls Trail Loop is a 5.6-mile trail that's rated as moderate, yet most people find it relatively easy in terms of elevation gain.
The trail affords the opportunity to traverse a wide variety of terrain for which the Panthertown Valley is widely lauded. You'll cross footbridges over tranquil valley streams and...
Take a slow and steady climb up to the top of Little Green Mountain. Most people can complete this trail in 3-4 hours... but you'll want to add some time to stop and enjoy the attractions found on this trail.
Up on top of Little Green Mountain, you'll be enamored with a spot called Tranquility Point. After that slow and steady climb to the top, this is an ideal reward so plan to take a little break here and soak in the views.
Note: some people find it difficult to follow the trail up on top of the bald... so take it slow and consider downloading a trail app to your phone to assist, if needed. (We find the AllTrails app to be spot-on for accurate maps, by the way.)
If you don't have the time for the complete loop trail, you can begin at the trailhead and then, when you reach the loop, travel counterclockwise. One you enter the loop, it's less than a mile to Schoolhouse Falls. (And Tranquility Point is not far after the falls.)
Schoolhouse Falls comes complete with a wading pool to cool off in warm weather. Or, simply take a side trail that leads right underneath the waterfall.
The waterfall spills over a rock ledge with a bit of a cave behind it. Most people are drawn to this spot, where you can walk, sit, picnic, and more right under the waterfall.
In comparison to North Carolina's most famous walk-behind waterfall, Dry Falls near Brevard which drops 65-feet, Schoolhouse Falls is much smaller and only drops approximately 20 feet — but there is plenty of room back there to hike behind it.
For directions to the trailhead, see the Driving Directions section at this link.
Exploring the Yosemite of the East (a.k.a. Panthertown Valley) is an ideal way to reconnect with nature in North Carolina. What’s your favorite trail in this part of the Nantahala National Forest? For more waterfall hikes in the Tar Heel State, check out this trail where you can see four waterfalls in just one day of hiking.
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