The Catawba Falls Trail at Pisgah National Forest
near Old Fort, North Carolina is a moderate 2.9-mile out-and-back hike that leads to the ~100-foot tall waterfall, Catawba Falls.
Hike
One of the most popular waterfall hikes in North Carolina, this hike is relatively easy, but has some altitude gain in the last half mile where the trail leaves the wide gravel path and becomes a narrower dirt trail. The waterfall is a set of two spectacular cascading falls, and a new stair system (as of 2024) had made the upper falls much easier to navigate. The upper falls cascades in a free-fall with lower falls consisting of multiple tiers to make up the total ~100-foot height. Be prepared for the crowds! This hike has a negative solitude rating!
Parking
Hikers will find a large parking lot at the end of Catawba River Road near Old Fort.
Pets
Dogs are allowed only if leashed and should be cleaned up after.
Find our trail guides useful? Consider becoming a Supporter to unlock perks!
MyHikes is an indie platform that makes exploring public trails easier for everyone. The platform has no investors, runs no ads, and is owned and operated by one person, Dave Miller. Dave has personally mapped and written over 1,600 trail guides on MyHikes for the public to explore. As of 2024, MyHikes has helped over 1,300,000 outdoor enthusiasts plan their next adventure.
But it takes a lot of time 🕦, money 💰, and work, and espresso shots ☕ to run MyHikes, including hiking , mapping , writing , and publishing new trails with high-quality (accurate) information... along with software engineering (coding) the platform like building new features, site and mobile app development for iOS and Android, site maintainance . and much much more.
Supporters unlock website and mobile app perks with an annual one-time payment of $25 (you renew) 😎👍. Or you can simply make a Donation of your choice. Otherwise, you can support us by telling your friends about MyHikes - both quick and free 🎉