Ranger Falls (Cliffside Lake)

Ranger Falls is a 30-foot waterfall on Skitty Creek in Macon County, North Carolina.  The waterfall is located in the Cliffside Recreation Area in Nantahala National Forest between Highlands and Franklin.

Hike Length: 2.4 miles
Estimated Time: 1 to 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Cliffside Lake Recreation Area (Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest)
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: Moderate
Warnings: The rocks around waterfalls are very slippery.
Trailhead GPS: 35.08129,-83.23596
Waterfall GPS: 35.08784,-83.22444

Directions:

From Highlands, go west on US-64 for 4.6 miles and turn right into the recreation area.  Go just under a mile to the entrance station and pay the day-use fee.  After the gate, bear left and continue to the Clifftop Vista Trailhead.

Map:

Hike Description:

From the parking area, pick up the Ranger Falls Trail at the upper end of the parking lot.  The trail gradually ascends for 0.4 miles to a split.  Go left and descend towards Skitty Creek.  There are some nice cascades along the creek.

In another half-mile, the trail crosses the creek just below the waterfall.

The creek is very small, so best to visit after heavy rain or there's not much of a waterfall to see.

Blog Entries:

31-Dec-2020: Rabun Bald

05-Aug-2016: Highlands Waterfalls & Panthertown Valley

External Links:

US Forest Service website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48650