Waterfall Hero Hikes: Cane Creek Falls (Chattooga)

Cane Creek Falls is a 25-foot waterfall on its namesake, a tributary of Chattooga River, in Macon County. The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest.

Hike Length: 1.5 miles
Estimated Time: 1 to 2 hours
Difficulty: Difficult
Location: Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes, but the path is not dog friendly.
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: Low
Warnings: There is no trail to the waterfall, it's a steep bushwhack from the forest road. The rocks around the waterfalls are very slippery.
Trailhead GPS: 35.03735,-83.14158
Waterfall GPS: 35.03398,-83.13753

Directions:

To visit the falls, head south on NC-107 from US-64 in Cashiers for 1.7 miles and turn right on Whiteside Cove Road. The trailhead is in 7.1 miles. The road starts out paved, changes to gravel after about 5 miles and then back to paved right before the trailhead. Gated Forest Road 2052 splits to the left; and there is a small pull-off on either side of the road.

Map:

Hike Description:

Hike down FR-2052 for just over half a mile. The spot to get off the road is not obvious, but its right around the 2760 foot contour line on the topo map and there is a small break in the vegetation. From here, bushwhack down to the creek by the easiest path possible. It starts out moderate, but gets really steep towards the end. You should come out at the creek downstream of the falls. Rock hop or bushwhack up to the base.