Hooker Falls

About Hooker Falls

Hooker Falls is a small waterfall on the Little River in DuPont State Recreational Forest, in Transylvania County. Friends of DuPont and Explore Asheville put it at 12 feet. Wikipedia gives 14 feet in two drops, a block and a cascade.

The falls was first called Mill Shoals Falls. Its current name comes from Edmund Hooker, who ran a mill below the falls in the late 1800s, according to Friends of DuPont and Wikipedia.

Wikipedia lists Hooker Falls as one of four major falls on the Little River in the forest. The others are High, Triple and Bridal Veil Falls. The N.C. Forest Service manages DuPont, and forest rules there are state law.

Expect company. The Forest Service estimates that more than 700,000 people a year hike the trail linking Hooker, Triple and High Falls.

Getting there and parking

Park at the Hooker Falls Access Area on Staton Road, next to the DOT bridge over the Little River. Friends of DuPont lists GPS coordinates of 35.20310, -82.61912 for the lot.

Directions to the Hooker Falls Access Area

From Crab Creek Road, Friends of DuPont says to turn south on DuPont Road and go 3.1 miles. DuPont Road turns into Staton Road. The access area is on the right, just before the DOT bridge.

Coming from Cedar Mountain and US-276, head north on Cascade Lake Road, then turn right on Staton Road. The access area is on the left, just past the DOT bridge.

Parking, restrooms and hours

Parking is first come, first served, per Friends of DuPont. The Forest Service says lots are often completely full by 9:30 a.m. in summer. It suggests arriving before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m.

Friends of DuPont says the lot has picnic tables and restrooms, and its falls page also mentions changing rooms. Explore Asheville lists a portable toilet instead.

The forest is open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., per the Forest Service, and Explore Asheville says 7 days a week. We found no reservation system, timed entry or shuttle.

The Forest Service lists no entry or parking fee. Explore Asheville says there is no admission fee.

Want a roadside stop on the same trip? Looking Glass Falls, in Pisgah National Forest, is another Transylvania County waterfall.

Map and nearby falls

The hike

The Hooker Falls Trail is a short, easy walk from the lot. Explore Asheville's trail info gives 0.4 mile each way, or 0.8 mile round trip.

Trail length and views

Sources differ on the length. Explore Asheville's own article text says about 0.25 mile, and Wikipedia also says roughly 0.25 mile. Plan on 0.4 mile each way to be safe.

Friends of DuPont calls the falls easy to access, just a short walk from the parking area. Wikipedia describes two viewpoints: one above the falls and one across the plunge pool.

Trail rules

The Hooker Falls Trail is closed to bikes and horses, per Friends of DuPont. Dogs are welcome on a leash. Drones, alcohol and e-bikes are banned in the forest.

Friends of DuPont says campfires and cooking fires of any fuel type are not allowed. The forest has no trash cans, so pack out everything you bring.

Add Triple Falls and High Falls

From the same lot, the trail continues to Triple Falls and High Falls. Explore Asheville puts Triple Falls 0.5 mile from the Hooker Falls lot. Seeing all three falls is 2.2 miles in total, with 160 feet of gain, per Explore Asheville.

The stairs to the base of Triple Falls are closed, per the Forest Service closures page, so you view that falls from the trail. Cell service is limited at most DuPont waterfalls. Save the Forest Service's waterfall corridor map (a PDF) before you go.

When to visit

Hooker Falls is open, as far as we can tell. The Forest Service closures page, last modified October 27, 2026, does not list Hooker Falls, its trail or its lot. We read it on November 7, 2026.

That page lists the Triple Falls stairs and the Turkey Knob Trail bridge as closed. It also said tree work would close the path from the High Falls kiosk on Nov 6, with Nov 10 as the rain date. On Nov 7 the page had no update.

The same page notes work on Buck Forest Road, with no trail or road closures anticipated. The nearby Triple Falls Trail reopened on May 21, 2025, after Hurricane Helene, per the N.C. Department of Agriculture.

Lots sometimes close for upkeep. The Hooker Falls lot closed for maintenance April 6 to 10, 2026, per WLOS. Check the closures page before you go.

Summer lots fill early, per the Forest Service. We found no official word on the best season for water flow.

Friends of DuPont posted a notice in November 2026 that hunting season is underway. Wear bright colors while you walk.

Safety and swimming

Photos

Hooker Falls FAQ

Nearby waterfalls

• 
  Triple Falls & High Falls0 mi straight-line, by our mathPartly open

  125FT
• 
  Raven Cliff Falls (SC)7 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  420FT
• 
  Looking Glass Falls10 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  60FT
• 
  Moore Cove Falls12 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  50FT
• 
  Sliding Rock12 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  60FT
• 
  Whitewater Falls25 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  411FT
• 
  Hickory Nut Falls26 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  404FT
• 
  Spoonauger Falls32 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  50FT
• 
  Catawba Falls35 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  205FT
• 
  Bridal Veil Falls35 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  45FT
• 
  Station Cove Falls36 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  60FT
• 
  Dry Falls36 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

  75FT

All waterfalls in North Carolina

City guides: Waterfalls near Brevard, NC · Waterfalls near Asheville, NC · Waterfalls near Highlands, NC