Waterfall Hero Hikes: Thunderhole Falls (Pisgah)

Thunderhole Falls is a 20-foot waterfall in its namesake in Caldwell County, North Carolina. The waterfall is located in the China Creek area of Pisgah National Forest.

Hike Length: 1.0 miles
Estimated Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: China Creek (Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest)
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: Low
Warnings: The rocks around waterfalls are slippery. The path down to the base is very steep and may require the use of ropes.
Trailhead GPS: 36.11433,-81.69803
Waterfall GPS: 36.11031,-81.70012

Directions:

From Blowing Rock, head south on Main Street/US-321 business from US-221 for 0.4 miles and turn right on Globe Road, which becomes gravel. Drive about 3.5 miles turn Forest Road 4071, a sharp right turn. Note that this road is not marked on most maps, so don't rely on navigation devices. FSR-4071 is gated during the winter. Drive about 2.5 miles on FSR-4071 to the permanent gate and park without blocking the gate.

Map:

Hike Description:

Hike beyond the gate to a concrete ford over China Creek. Just after the ford, look for China Creek Trail (#250) on the left following China Creek downstream. At 0.4 miles, the trail comes to a crossing of China Creek just upstream of the confluence with Thunderhole Creek. Do not cross, but turn right to follow Thunderhole Falls Trail (#253) a short distance to the waterfall. You can see the waterfall from the trail, but it's a very steep climb down to view it from the base. A rope was tied to a tree to assist in the descent.