+ 6
Upper Creek Falls
Hiking Trail
Details
0.89 mi
289 ft
A roadside swimming hole with several stunning cascades and a rope swing!
Upper Creek Falls is a short waterfall hike along NC-181 with two spectacular waterfalls, a forested boulder field, numerous swimming holes, and even a rope swing! It's blazed with yellow markers and would make an excellent destination by itself, or as a roadside stop for anyone driving from Asheville to Grandfather Mountain or Linville Gorge.
As a whole, this hike is challenging due to its sheer steepness. The trail forms a loop from the trailhead, and if hiked clockwise, you will begin with a steep descent, then climb back to the trailhead with a series of mellow switchbacks. Reversed, the route down is easier, but ends with a steep uphill push. Hiking the entire loop also requires you get your feet wet, so an out-and-back to the river is sometimes chosen if it's been raining recently.
The trailhead is a small, unpaved lot near Jonas Ridge, about 13 miles from Morganton, and just shy of 6 from the nearest section of the [Blue Ridge Parkway]( No facilities are available, though a small general store and gas station is just north on 181.
For a longer hike nearby, a section of the [Mountains to Sea Trail]( begins just minutes away on the road. Highlights include Harper Creek, Lost Cove, and Grandfather Mountain, with the section ending at the town of Blowing Rock.
[Source]( Written by Brendon Voelker
Upper Creek Falls is a short waterfall hike along NC-181 with two spectacular waterfalls, a forested boulder field, numerous swimming holes, and even a rope swing! It's blazed with yellow markers and would make an excellent destination by itself, or as a roadside stop for anyone driving from Asheville to Grandfather Mountain or Linville Gorge.
As a whole, this hike is challenging due to its sheer steepness. The trail forms a loop from the trailhead, and if hiked clockwise, you will begin with a steep descent, then climb back to the trailhead with a series of mellow switchbacks. Reversed, the route down is easier, but ends with a steep uphill push. Hiking the entire loop also requires you get your feet wet, so an out-and-back to the river is sometimes chosen if it's been raining recently.
The trailhead is a small, unpaved lot near Jonas Ridge, about 13 miles from Morganton, and just shy of 6 from the nearest section of the [Blue Ridge Parkway]( No facilities are available, though a small general store and gas station is just north on 181.
For a longer hike nearby, a section of the [Mountains to Sea Trail]( begins just minutes away on the road. Highlights include Harper Creek, Lost Cove, and Grandfather Mountain, with the section ending at the town of Blowing Rock.
[Source]( Written by Brendon Voelker
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