Ray Cove Falls (Bartram)

Ray Cove Falls is a 35-foot waterfall on a tributary of Wallace Branch in Macon County, North Carolina.  The waterfall is located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest.

Hike Length: 0.2 miles

Estimated Time: < 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy

Location: Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest

Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: High
Warnings: The rocks around waterfalls are slippery.
Trailhead GPS: 35.18016,-83.43316
Waterfall GPS: 35.18159,-83.43483

Directions:

From Franklin, head west on US-64 from US-441 for 0.6 miles and turn right on Sloan Road.  Go 0.3 miles and turn left on Old Murphy Road and then immediate right on Pressley Road.  Drive a total of 1.7 miles to the parking at the end.  The road changes to Ray Cove Road after a mile.

Map:

Hike Description:

From the parking area, pick up Bartram Trail that crosses Wallace Branch on a footbridge.  In 0.1 miles, the trail crosses an unnamed tributary on another footbridge at the base of Ray Cove Falls.

The stream is small, so best to visit in high water.  But its a very scenic waterfall and very easy to visit.

Blog Entries:

02-Jan-2021: Wayah Bald