Waterfalls near Boone, North Carolina

How the list breaks down

Know this before you plan: two of the six falls here are closed. The NPS bans hiking at Crabtree Falls over Helene damage, per its Nov 3, 2026 road status page. NC Parks closed the entire trail to High Shoals Falls, as of Nov 4, 2026.

We measure from the Census Bureau's internal point for the town of Boone, in a straight line, so your drive will run longer. The circle stops at 75 miles and counts only falls we have published.

Linville Falls is 23.4 miles out on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with some areas still shut. Farther south, Catawba Falls near Old Fort is 53.2 miles away, and Hickory Nut Falls at Chimney Rock is 63.4.

Just past our circle, Brevard-area falls such as Looking Glass Falls are about 89 miles from Boone by our math. Our North Carolina waterfalls guide lists the rest.

Closed right now: Crabtree Falls and High Shoals Falls

Crabtree Falls is on the Parkway between mileposts 339 and 341, per the NPS. At 7 a.m. on Nov 3, 2026, the NPS road status page read: "Hiking is PROHIBITED at Crabtree Falls due to Helene related damage." The picnic area was open and the campground closed.

The NPS has given no reopening date for that trail. Its trail page dates from Nov 1, 2024 and still reads as if the hike were normal, so go by the newer road status page.

High Shoals Falls is an 80-foot drop on the Jacob Fork in South Mountains State Park, per NC Parks. On Nov 4, 2026, NC Parks wrote: "The entirety of High Shoals Falls Trail is closed." It added that the viewing areas stay closed "due to continued hazards."

A June 9, 2026 NC Parks recovery update put the project in planning and design. NC Parks has set no date. As far as we can tell (Nov 4, 2026), both falls remain off limits, so pick another stop below.

West toward Elk Park: Elk River Falls

The Forest Service puts Elk River Falls at 65 feet, while Banner Elk's tourism site says 50. Locals call it Big Falls, per a 2025 Forest Service release.

The Forest Service describes a rocky 0.5-mile walkway from the Elk Park parking lot, about 15 minutes on foot. It warns the walkway is not maintained as a trail. A Forest order keeps everyone out from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Bring water, since the Forest Service lists no restrooms or potable water. Its page lists no fee.

Do not swim here. The Forest Service reports deaths and paralysis from people jumping off the falls, and it tells visitors to stay out of the water because of a strong undercurrent.

Helene cleanup closed the site more than once. WataugaOnline reported a reopening on May 22, 2026, and the Forest Service page updated May 28, 2026 showed no closure when we checked it on Nov 6, 2026.

South on the Parkway: Linville Falls, partly open

Linville Falls sits at milepost 316 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. On Oct 27, 2026, the NPS listed the Parkway there and the 1.5-mile spur road from milepost 316.4 as open.

Two overlook trails start where the visitor center stood. The NPS rates Erwins View, 1.6 miles round trip, as moderate. Plunge Basin is 1 mile round trip and strenuous; WHKY reported on Oct 25, 2026 that it had reopened.

Some parts stay closed, as far as we can tell (Oct 28, 2026). The NPS says Helene destroyed the visitor center, and it lists the campground and picnic area as closed. We treat the Gorge Trail to the river as closed.

You can also start from the Forest Service lot on Old NC 105, which a May 2026 Parkway release named. The NPS forbids swimming in the Linville River.

Old Fort and Chimney Rock: Catawba and Hickory Nut

Catawba Falls begins at a Forest Service trailhead where Catawba River Road ends, off I-40 Exit 73 at Old Fort. The Forest Service gives 205 feet for the lower falls and 80 for the upper.

Its 3.5-mile loop climbs 580 stairs past a 60-foot observation tower, per the Forest Service. Destination McDowell warns that cars parked on the road shoulder get towed, and that trailhead spaces are limited.

As far as we can tell (Oct 27, 2026), the loop is open. Smokies.LIVE reported the rebuilt upper viewing platform reopened in September 2026. We could not confirm the Wildflower Trail.

Hickory Nut Falls drops 404 feet in Chimney Rock State Park, per NC Parks and the attraction's operator. NC Parks lists its trail at 0.7 mile one way, rated moderate. As far as we can tell (Nov 4, 2026), that trail is open, though NC Parks lists three other park trails as closed.

What each stop costs

Fees depend on who runs the land. The NPS says no fee is charged to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, and it lists no fee on its Linville pages. The Forest Service lists no fee at Elk River Falls or Catawba Falls.

NC Parks says no fees are required for day use at South Mountains State Park. That does not help with High Shoals until its trail reopens.

Hickory Nut Falls is the paid stop. It lies inside the Chimney Rock attraction, and Chimney Rock Management, LLC sets prices and hours, NC Parks says. The operator listed $17 per adult and $8 for ages 5 to 15 for one day on Nov 7, 2026. From Nov 1 to Dec 31, its gate admits cars from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Waterfalls near Boone: FAQ