A tranquil lake surrounded by lush green trees and houses, reflecting the clear blue sky and clouds.

Hiking

A man and two children sit on a rocky hill, overlooking a scenic view of green forests and distant mountains.

Popular Hiking Trails to Waterfalls Near Highlands

Did you know North Carolina is home to more than 250 waterfalls along with miles of hiking trails? Many of the trails and waterfalls offer picturesque, one-of-a-kind views.

As your journey begins in Highlands, make your way to Fourth Street, which is US 64 and designed as the Waterfalls Byway and the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway. The scenic drives offer a variety of options for beginners to more experienced hikers.

Make a Quick Trip to the Falls

If time is short during a visit to Highlands but you want to have a moment in nature, add a stop at Dry Falls high on the list of things to do. The half-mile trail in the Nantahala National Forest allows visitors to go behind the waterfall without getting wet, hence the name Dry Falls.

Popular hiking trails near Highlands, NC are plentiful. Map out which one will get you the best views of waterfalls.

Bucket List Worthy Views and Natural History

We at The Park on Main®, the luxury hotel in Highlands, recognize the beauty that encompasses this small town. We point to nature’s scenery in hiking trails near Highlands, NC and the geological wonders that shape this place into a visual feast – a rugged work of art sculpted upon ancient tectonic shifts of earthen masses.

Two people sit facing a scenic view of a forested landscape with mountains in the distance at sunset.

Popular Hiking Trails to Waterfalls

For hiking enthusiasts, getting to the waterfalls is a great way to get some exercise and see spectacular views. The trail leading to Silver Run Falls is described as easy, likely easy for beginner hikers.

A more experienced hiker may be ready for the challenge of the steep trail leading to Glen Falls. A trio of waterfalls, each with a 60-foot drop, makes up Glen Falls. There is also Ranger Falls which is a part of the Ranger Falls Loop Trail. The hike to this waterfall is uphill and may be better suited for more experienced hikers.

Exploring a Rain Forest

Cue the jungle music for your stay at The Park on Main® to explore a real-live rainforest. Southern Appalachia is one of two rainforests in North America; the other is in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, and are both are deemed temperate rainforests.

Person standing on a wooden dock by a calm lake, surrounded by lush greenery and trees reflecting in the water.

Discover Bountiful Wildlife

You may not come face to face with any chimpanzees, or rhinoceroses or roaring lions (outside of a zoo). But for a rainforest, Southern Appalachia – with its proud mountains – certainly provides a wealth of butterflies, beetles, snakes, bog turtles, black bears, peregrine falcons and other exotic wildlife, including endangered bats and rare salamanders in green-deep, dense forests.

A small waterfall cascades over rocks surrounded by lush green foliage.

Temperatures in tropical rainforests are warmer; temperate rainforests – like the one surrounding Highlands, North Carolina – are generally cooler and are inhabited by hundreds of species of trees with broad leaves.

Person standing on a wooden dock by a calm lake, surrounded by lush greenery and trees reflecting in the water.

Going to Extremes

You may not come face to face with any chimpanzees, or rhinoceroses or roaring lions (outside of a zoo). But for a rainforest, Southern Appalachia – with its proud mountains – certainly provides a wealth of butterflies, beetles, snakes, bog turtles, black bears, peregrine falcons and other exotic wildlife, including endangered bats and rare salamanders in green-deep, dense forests.

For those brave-of-heart explorers of the wild blue yonder, we point to Highlands Aerial Park, 9625 Dillard Road, Scaly Mountain, North Carolina. Some of the activities available include touring the nature trail, zip-lining the canopy tour, zip-lining the mountain top tour and enjoying the giant mountain swing. The park and zip-lining activities are less than 10 miles southeast of The Park on Main.

A person stands on a path beside a large, flowing waterfall surrounded by greenery and rocky cliffs.

Top of the World

To get a good look at how very ancient history shaped Southern Appalachia’s natural artistry, here are two three vantage points:

The Cullasaja River Gorge between Highlands and Franklin, North Carolina along the 61-mile Waterfall Byway provides 21st-century visitors an amazing view of three major waterfalls whipping through the Nantahala National Forest. Motorists can drive under the 120-foot Bridal Veil Falls and walk behind Dry Falls.

Sunset Rock gives hikers a cliff side view of granite slabs and brilliant sunsets over Highlands, Brushy Face Mountain on the west and the Horse Cove vista on the east. Take Highlands’ Main Street east to Horse Cove Road. Continue on Horse Cove Road from Highways 28 and 64 to the Highlands Nature Center.

Nobility resides in the Nantahala National Forest and goes by the name of Whiteside Mountain, which rises to nearly 5,000 feet. Located between Cashiers and Highlands, the cliffs of this proud monster appear as ice sheets laid haphazardly upon the sharp descents. Geologists estimate the rocks of this mountain are nearly 460 million years old. A 2-mile trail takes hikers to the top of a 750-foot cliff.

Learn more about splendid mountain views. Follow us on social media for more information about North Carolina hiking trails with waterfalls and our beautiful area.