Cascade Falls (Jeffress Park)

Cascade Falls is a tall sliding waterfall on Fall Creek in Wilkes County, North Carolina.  The waterfall is located in E. B. Jeffress Park along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Hike Length: 0.8 mile
Estimated Time: < 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Location: E. B. Jeffress Park
Trail Users: Hiking Only
Dogs: Must be on a leash
Features: Waterfall (1)
Crowds: Moderate
Warnings: Stay on the trail and the overlooks; do not attempt to climb down the steep banks, which are prone to erosion.
Trailhead GPS: 36.24566,-81.45831
Waterfall GPS: 36.24943,-81.45506

Directions:

Head east from Boone on US-421 south for about 10 miles and bear right for the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Turn left to go southbound on the parkway and drive 4.4 miles to the parking area for E. B. Jeffress Park on the right at milepost 271.9.

Map:

Click here for an interactive map of E. B. Jeffress Park.

Hike Description:

The hike begins at the north end of the parking lot and shortly comes to a split.  A left at the junction leads down to Fall Creek and follows it downstream towards the waterfall.  There are some scenic cascades along the trail.

After crossing Fall Creek a short spur leads to the top of the waterfall.

Continue down to an overlook further down with a nice view of the upper part of the waterfall.

Here's another view with fall color.

Blog Entries:

29-Oct-2022: Blue Ridge Parkway MST Hikes

17-Feb-2020: Blue Ridge Parkway MST Hike

09-Apr-2016: Waterfalls on the Way Home

External Links:

Virtual Blue Ridge website: https://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway-place/e-b-jeffress-park/