Top 11 AAA (All-Around Awesomeness) Waterfalls

Feel like getting naturey in NC this summer but don't know where to start? Never fear, Kevin Adams is here! The author of North Carolina Waterfalls has been exploring and photographing waterfalls in the Old North State for more than twenty years. Let his Top 11 Waterfalls lists help you plan the perfect summer vacay. These waterfalls are not only gorgeous, but historically significant. Not what you're looking for? Check out our lists for Couch Potatoes, Navy SEALS trainers, or appreciators of interesting names and history instead.

1. Flat Creek Falls

rattreks.com

From Kevin Adams: "Flat Creek Falls is among the more spectacular waterfalls in North Carolina. It is among the select few that have achieved cult status among waterfallers....I think the biggest reason is the effect the waterfall has on anyone who stands at its base. Few waterfalls in North Carolina have the same combination of breathtaking beauty and awesome power. The difficult and dengerous hike required to see it only adds to its mystique."

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2. Big Falls

carolinawaterfalls.com

From Kevin Adams: "It's the 'holy grail' of North Carolina Waterfalls. I've heard it many times. There's something about Big Falls that makes everyone want to see it. And once they do, they can't stop coming back. It's not the biggest waterfall in North Carolina, or the highest, or the most inaccessible, or the most picture perfect. But it ranks high enough on all those lists to be the favorite of many people."

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3. Linville Falls

wikipedia.org

From Kevin Adams: "Linville Falls ranks at or near the top of any list of North Carolina waterfall superlatives. Whether the category is geology, beauty, human history, natural history, photography, or just overall appeal, few waterfalls in the state can compete with Linville."

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4. Elmo Falls

wildncwaterfalls.com

From Kevin Adams: "I knew for 25 years this waterfall was here, but for some reason I never hiked to it until I started working on this edition. When I finally saw it, wow! I had seen the photos taken by Rich Stevenson and Bernie Boyer, but they didn't prepare me for the awesomeness here."

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5. Raven Cliff Falls

hikingthecarolinas.com

From Kevin Adams: "Although Raven Cliff Falls is in South Carolina, I think it's appropriate to include it. It's near the border and is among the most impressive waterfalls of both states. I'm not knowledgeable about South Carolina waterfalls, but I can't imagine many surpass Raven Cliff Falls in beauty or height."

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6. Whitewater Falls

romanticasheville.com

From Kevin Adams: "If you can see only one waterfall in North Carolina, Whitewater Falls is a good candidate. To many people, it's the most spectacular waterfall in the East. It's also among the highest. Many publications have listed it as the highest waterfall east of the Rockies. That claim is debatable, but no one who sees Whitewater Falls argues against its beauty."

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7. Windy Falls

ncwaterfalls.com

From Kevin Adams: "The mighty Horsepasture River reaches its mightiest at Windy Falls, where it crashes over falls and through narrow chutes and pretty much scares the pants off visitors....Downstream, you can easily work your way through the woods to reach the brink of Windy Falls. If the rock is dry and you use common sense, you can safely walk out on the rock at the top for a nice view both upstream and down. Unfortunately, you can see only a portion of the falls from the top. My advice is to accept this limitation, enjoy the wonderful view, and get the heck out of there."

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8. Tuckasegee River Gorge

experiencethegoodlife.blogspot.com

From Kevin Adams: "The low flow is what makes it possible to hike the riverbed. And it's what makes the gorge so spectacular. The water-sculpted rock and potholes are exposed....Other streams in North Carolina have similar geologic features, but none has as much in a half-mile stretch as this section of the Tuckasegee. If this were all the gorge has to offer, it would make a grand adventure. But this cake has icing, and it's sweet. Towering above part of the gorge is the imposing Bonas Defeat, a 400-foot cliff rising directly from the river."

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9. Wolf Creek Falls

rattreks.com

From Kevin Adams: "For years, I visited Wolf Creek Falls and wondered what it looked like before the upstream dam was built and the creek flow was diverted. I stopped wondering after reading about a planned dam release...and visiting the falls during full flow. Wow! Even with the normal tiny flow, the geology is so fascinating that this waterfall is among my favorites."

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10. High Falls

romanticasheville.com

From Kevin Adams: "There is no way I can adequately describe what it's like to experience a dam release at High Falls. Get there early, before the release starts. One minute, you'll be looking at a mostly dry cliff while wearing dry clothes. The next, you'll see a raging torrent and your clothes will be soaked from the spray....In 1938, two years before the dam was built, Scenic Resources of the Tennessee Valley described High Falls as being 'among the three or four most beautiful and impressive cataracts in the Tennessee Valley Region.' Visit the waterfall during a dam release and you won't question that assessment. In fact, during a release, far more water goes over the falls than the normal flow before the dam was built."

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11. Middle Creek Falls

fineartamerica.com

From Kevin Adams: "Middle Creek Falls is striking and disappointing at the same time. It's beauty and awesome power are inarguable. But unfortunately, the only decent vantage point is the open area at the base of the main upper drop. There's a lot of falling water you just can't see well."

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For more information, visit Kevin's website. All quotes taken from North Carolina Waterfalls: Third Edition, which includes information on around 1,000 waterfalls, including 300 expanded profiles and gorgeous full-color photos.