Hickory Nut Falls Trail

The Hickory Nut Falls Trail leads to the base of one of the tallest waterfalls in the eastern United States, a 404-foot freefall cascade that plunges from the rim of Hickory Nut Gorge and surpasses Niagara Falls in sheer vertical drop. The falls tumble from the cliff edge of the Blue Ridge escarpment and drop nearly uninterrupted to the pool below, their mist visible from the Chimney Rock summit and their sound audible throughout the gorge on high-flow days. The trail winds through rich cove hardwood forest dominated by tulip poplar, red oak, and Carolina silverbell, with abundant wildflowers in spring including large-flowered trillium and wild blue phlox. Rocky Mountain-like cliffs line the upper gorge walls, their vertical faces home to rare plant communities including Michaux saxifrage found at only a handful of locations in the Carolinas. The falls were also used as a filming location during production of The Last of the Mohicans, and the dramatic setting makes it easy to understand why filmmakers chose this location for one of American cinemas most memorable chase sequences. Rainfall significantly affects the waterfall volume, and visits during or after wet weather reward visitors with maximum flow. The plunge pool at the base creates a refreshing mist zone on warm days, providing natural air conditioning at the turnaround point.