Waterfall Hero Hikes: Bull Cove Falls (Nantahala)

Bull Cove Falls is a 40-foot waterfall in two sections on Bull Cove Creek in Clay County, North Carolina. The waterfall is located in Southern Nantahala Wilderness.

Hike Length: 2.0 miles
Estimated Time: 1 to 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Southern Nantahala Wilderness (Tusquitee Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest)
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: Low
Warnings: The rocks around the waterfalls are very slippery.
Trailhead GPS: 34.99875,-83.55669
Waterfall GPS: 35.00308,-83.54242

Directions:

From Franklin, head south on US-441/US-23 for about 20 miles to Clayton, GA. In Clayton, go west on US-76 for 7.5 miles and turn right on Persimmon Road. Go 4.2 miles and turn left on Tallulah River Road. In 3.3 miles, it will become Tate City Road. Continue another 4.4 miles on this road, which becomes Forest Road 56 as it enters Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. Less than a mile from the state line, pull off on the left next to a primitive campsite.

Map:

Hike Description:

From the lower trailhead, pick up Beech Creek Trail (#378) across the road from the campsite and follow a ridge steeply up and then back down to Beech Creek. In high water, the crossing is tricky, but we were able to do it dry. Once across, pick up the old mining road and follow Beech Creek upstream. At 0.9 miles from the start, the trail crosses Bull Cove Creek. Once across, turn right and follow an obvious path upstream. There are some nice cascades on the creek here.