United States
North Carolina (NC)
North Carolina Mountains
Jackson County
Sapphire
Things to Do in Sapphire
Whitewater Falls
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Whitewater Falls

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Whitewater Falls
4.5
About
A favorite spot for hikers and picnickers, this scenic area features the Whitewater River dropping more than 400 feet in a series of cascading falls.
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See what travelers are saying
  • KMB_GA
    Atlanta, Georgia1,154 contributions
    Beautiful View with an Optional Steep Stair Hike
    Beautiful waterfall views a short (less than 1/2 mile) hike from the parking area. Be warned, have a map with you for the drive to/from the park or a traditional GPS because there is NO phone signal this deep into the mountains. Also, be sure to bring $3 cash to put in an envelope for parking or pay online. Last of all, if you are in a wheelchair or have mobility issues, the paved trail to see the waterfall is manageable but uphill. If you wish to see the whole waterfall with a closer view, you will need to hike down a steep, narrow set of wooden stairs. The trail appears to be dog friendly for those wanting to include their furry friends in the adventure.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 9, 2023
  • Becky V
    Norcross, Georgia338 contributions
    Incredible beautiful falls
    We visited Whitewater Falls this past weekend. What a beautiful view. The hike up the paved path to the falls is relatively easy and the view is wonderful. we also went down the 100+ steps to the observation deck which was especially nice. We saw a rainbow in the Falls mist. Very nice!
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 8, 2023
  • barryage
    3 contributions
    Nice short walk and met some nice people from all over the US.
    I took many photos and the hike was short and sweet. The day before I hiked Gorges State Park and visited Rainbow Falls, which was beautiful. But today, I found that this hike was a relief and the falls were great.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written September 24, 2023
  • Rad D
    438 contributions
    See the Tallest Falls East of the Mississippi (Depending On How You Define It)
    Brought my wife. Last came about 20 years ago with a couple friends. Best to see this in the spring or after heavy rainfall in the area. The visit a couple of days ago was pretty, but not as spectacular as the last time. Go up the walkway and take the stairs down to the viewing platform. It is a job to get back up, but you can do it!!
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 21, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
465 reviews
Excellent
353
Very good
93
Average
13
Poor
4
Terrible
2
wewhynot
Salisbury, NC1,006 contributions
Decent fall
Jun 2020
Located next to the border of North Carolina this fall is part of a set, with an additional one in South Carolina.

A $3.00 fee or more based on number of visitors is supposed to be paid, I used my National Park pass to cover that.

I'd say the paved walkway to the first overlook is about 1/4 to 1/2 mile with a slight incline. The second overlook requires desciending a number of steps down to the next overlook.

For the mobility challenged, I'd recommned not attempting the lower overlook, wish that I hadn't visited it. Going down was easy, unfortunatley it is a bit of a climb back up.

The waterfall is somewhat impressive, you can get a decent view from the top overlook of the entire falls.
Written August 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NeptuneBelle
Neptune Beach, FL222 contributions
Amazing! Must see
Jul 2020 • Friends
At 881 feet, this is the tallest waterfall on the East Coast. The parking lot is nearby and you will pay a three dollar fee at a box. The paved, short trail is easy for everyone. It will lead you to the perfect view of the falls. If you’re looking for a lot of hiking trails, this might not be the place for you. Don’t miss this if you’re in the area
Written July 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Al Parker
Raleigh, NC52 contributions
Spectacular Waterfall and Easy To Access
Oct 2020
This is an incredibly beautiful waterfall. The walk from the parking lot is very easy. The first view does not require much effort to reach. The second, more spectacular view is accessed by 150 steps down. This is one of the highest falls in the Eastern U.S. Highly recommend!!! There is a $3 fee (payment on the honor system) at the parking area, so make sure you bring some one dollar bills.
Written October 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert P
Dunwoody, GA211 contributions
A nice quick hike
Dec 2020
This a great very short hike to a spectacular falls, if you're in the area. The first part of the trail is wide and paved (i.e. accessible) and ends with a view of the falls. There is a set of stairs (not accessible) to a viewing platform that gets you a little closer. You will not get close to the falls, but you will get a nice view. There is a small fee required ($3 per car) paid via an envelope pay station.
Written December 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
vhash77
North Wilkesboro, NC1,015 contributions
Beauty at it's best.
Oct 2020
Simply beautiful! Watching the power of the water flowing, hearing the roar, and enjoying it in the fall with all the fall colors. Oh we wished we could have gotten closer. It's a nice little walk to the overlook area only 1/2 mile on a paved walk way. We could have spent hours just watching the falls. There are 2 observation areas - one at the end of the paved walkway, the other down a few steps. It's a must see waterfalls. I found it more beautiful than the powerful Niagra Falls.
Written October 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tayadog1
Aiken, SC431 contributions
One of the most beautiful falls ever!
Sep 2020
This is the biggest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains it is absolutely gorgeous. Have a very short walk less than a half a mile and then for the better of you and you need to go down 164 steps to another platform. Well worth it and I don’t miss for sure.
Written September 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KMB_GA
Atlanta, GA1,154 contributions
Beautiful View with an Optional Steep Stair Hike
Jul 2023 • Couples
Beautiful waterfall views a short (less than 1/2 mile) hike from the parking area. Be warned, have a map with you for the drive to/from the park or a traditional GPS because there is NO phone signal this deep into the mountains. Also, be sure to bring $3 cash to put in an envelope for parking or pay online. Last of all, if you are in a wheelchair or have mobility issues, the paved trail to see the waterfall is manageable but uphill. If you wish to see the whole waterfall with a closer view, you will need to hike down a steep, narrow set of wooden stairs. The trail appears to be dog friendly for those wanting to include their furry friends in the adventure.
Written July 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan
Panama City Beach, FL11,924 contributions
Best View Of The Highest Falls East Of The Rockies
Jul 2020 • Family
Recently my brother and I along with my daughter and my five year old Granddaughter visited Whitewater Falls. From the parking lot we followed the paved 1/4 mile walkway (accessible to wheelchairs) to the upper level overlook. From this vantage point you get an excellent view of Upper Whitewater Falls which plummets 411 feet. We then decided to walk down to the lower observation platform which provides an even better view. Be aware that you must walk down approximately 155 wooden steps to reach this vantage point. It’s worth the effort giving you an even better view of the highest waterfall (811 feet) east of the Rockies. On our way back to our car my Granddaughter wanted a snack and since the rest of us needed a break we took advantage of one of the multiple picnic tables and solved both issues. Overall we had a great time. We were able to take some fantastic pictures and make some lifetime memories. Park is open dawn to dusk. Plenty of parking ($3.00 per car fee); Restrooms on site;
Written July 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Drtess5549
Hillsborough, NC17 contributions
Easy Access to Beauty
Oct 2022
There's a short paved walk to view the falls, and it is really spectacular. It's one of the highest falls in this area of many water falls, and my disabled wife was able to access it with her scooter. There's a steep set of stairs one can take to get to the bottom of the falls, but I don't recommend it for those who are not very physically fit.
Written October 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
slansky
Boston, MA104 contributions
Be Patient on A Cloudy Day!
Feb 2021
So gorgeous! Remember, however, that this area is considered temperate rainforest so there are a lot of cloudy days! (At least in February!) We stayed at the viewing platform for about 15 minutes and finally the clouds cleared for long enough for us to appreciate the full magnitude of the falls. Wow! There's a good quick 25ish minute hiking loop you can do from the falls that will bring you along the mountainside and back up behind the bathrooms in the parking area.
You can't get too close to the falls so it's hard to fully comprehend their full size, but they are still impressive!
Written March 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Whitewater Falls - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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