Waterfall Hikes in North Carolina (NC)

In North Carolina the southern Blue Ridge and higher Appalachian ridgelines produce most waterfalls, where steep escarpments, narrow river gorges, alpine creeks and piedmont river valleys create a mix of plunges, tiers and cascades across granite and metamorphic bedrock. Hikes are primarily moderate backcountry routes and rocky canyon scrambles, with a substantial number of short family-friendly trails and a few roadside drops; the state's distinctive high relief and varied geology yield concentrated corridors of long, multi-step falls. See waterfalls near major North Carolina cities .