Waterfall Hero Hikes: Skinny Dip Falls (Graveyard Fields)

Skinny Dip Falls is a 30-foot waterfall on Yellowstone Prong in Haywood County, North Carolina. The waterfall is in the Graveyard Fields area in Pisgah National Forest.

Hike Length: 0.8 miles
Estimated Time: < 1 hour
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Graveyard Fields (Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest)
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: High
Warnings: The rocks around waterfalls are slippery. The waterfall was significantly altered by Tropical Storm Fred in 2021.
Trailhead GPS: 35.32183,-82.82809
Waterfall GPS: 35.32236,-82.83391

Directions:

From Brevard, head east on US-64 and then turn left on US-276. Drive 15 miles and turn right and then left to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway southbound. In about 6 miles, turn left into the Looking Glass Rock Overlook parking at milepost 417. Note this is a very popular spot and parking fills fast.

Map:

Hike Description:

From the parkway overlook, cross the parkway and take the short spur trail that leads to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST). You'll pass the "dragon" tree on the way.

At the MST, turn left to head down some stairs and follow the trail for less than a half-mile down to Yellowstone Prong downstream of the waterfall. There used to be a bridge, but now you must rock hop or wade across the creek. The trail continues across the creek and leads up along the falls before turning away.

In 2021, catastrophic flooding caused by Tropical Storm Fred moved giant boulders and significantly altered the appearance of the waterfall. The picture below is what the waterfall looks like now.