Waterfall Hero Hikes: Sunburst Falls (Pigeon River)

Sunburst Falls is a roadside waterfall on West Fork Pigeon River in Haywood County, North Carolina. The waterfall is located in near Middle Prong Wilderness in Pisgah National Forest.

Hike Length: < 0.1 miles
Estimated Time: < 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Location: 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
Trailhead GPS: 35.33857,-82.90377
Waterfall GPS: 35.33794,-82.90354

Directions:

From Brevard, head west on US-64 for about nine miles and turn right on NC-215 north. Drive about 21.4 miles on NC-215, just over miles after the Blue Ridge Parkway, to a sharp left-hand turn followed by a bridge over West Fork Pigeon River and park along the side of the road just past the bridge.

Map:

Hike Description:

The upper part of the waterfall can be seen from the bridge.

Crossing the bridge from the parking area, you can scramble up the river right side to see some upper drops.

The lower portion of the waterfall drops directly beneath the road. Just past the parking area is a steep scramble path down to the base. The historic High Arch Bridge with the waterfall flowing underneath makes for a lovely scene.