DuPont State Forest three waterfalls hike

Hike to five popular, gorgeous DuPont State Forest waterfalls, High Falls, Hooker Falls, and three waterfalls at Triple Falls, on a 4.5 mile, ultra-scenic adventure on the Little River.

DuPont State Forest is a rolling, 10,000-acre outdoor playground near Brevard, NC, well-loved for great hiking and biking trails, glassy lakes and beautiful mountaintop views. And the park’s stunning waterfalls draw hikers by the hundreds: the Little River meanders through the park’s rocky, rolling landscape, dropping and cascading in scores of beautiful waterfalls.

This 4.5-mile hike at visits three of the park’s most popular and beautiful falls, catching some spectacular waterfall views and exploring a beautiful forest. The route visits the towering single-drop cascade at High Falls, the park’s tallest waterfall, and catches views of the wooden covered bridge just above High Falls. The hike follows the Little River downstream, dropping elevation to visit the gorgeous three-tiered waterfall at Triple Falls, a former movie filming location for The Hunger Games and The Last of the Mohicans. And departing Triple Falls, the hike trails to Hooker Falls, a wide, symmetrical waterfall that drops into a deep pool that’s one of the Brevard area’s most popular summertime swimming holes.

If you love chasing waterfalls, this is your hike: it’s a wonderful, waterfall-filled hike to some of North Carolina’s most beautiful waterfalls on an ultra-scenic trail.

DuPont State Forest waterfalls: the hike

The hike departs from the High Falls trailhead off Stanton Road, located near the park’s visitor center (view maps and driving directions). The trail hikes eastbound, meandering through a forest filled with twisted-trunked rhododendron and following a crushed white gravel path. The trail crosses a small bridge and continues hiking eastbound toward High Falls.

The trail passes an intersection with Dupont’s Covered Bridge Trail at .35 mile, beginning a steady descent. The hike reaches the High Falls overlook at .5 mile, catching views of the towering, tumbling waterfall and the rustic covered bridge above.

The hike continues descending and reaches the banks of the Little River at .7 mile, hanging a right to hike the River Bend Trail to the base of High Falls. The trail reaches the waterfall’s base at 1.1 miles, catching an up-close view of the dramatic 120-foot-tall falls. (Note: the rocks on and near waterfalls can be extremely slippery; don’t climb on or around the falls.)

Departing High Falls, the hike retraces its steps on the River Bend Trail, following the wide-flowing river downstream. The hike re-joins the High Falls Trail at 1.4 miles, trailing northeast along the river’s scenic banks and rolling elevation. The hike reaches the Triple Falls Trail at 1.75 miles, turning right. In a tenth of a mile, the route turns right to descend the staircase leading to the top two tiers of Triple Falls’ three consecutive waterfalls.

Doubling back to the Triple Falls Trail, the hike climbs the stairs and turns right, veering northeast. The hike reaches a short spur trail to Lower Triple Falls, hanging another right to visit the base of the lower waterfall.

Four stunning waterfalls down, and one to go, the hike backtracks to the Triple Falls Trail and hikes downriver through a wide meander. The Little River flows broad and calm, winding between grassy, rocky banks – a contrast to the whitewater-filled waterfalls just upriver. The trail ducks under a bridge at 2.4 miles and then crosses the river over a wood and metal bridge.

The hike hangs a left on the Hooker Falls Trail, continuing to follow the river downstream. The trail catches its first views of Hooker Falls at 2.7 miles, spotting the waterfall from a riverside overlook. The hike reaches the base of Hooker Falls at 2.8 miles, catching views of the beautifully symmetrical waterfall as it spills over a 12-foot ledge. The flat, grassy rock outcrops just below the falls make a perfect place for a mid-hike chill (or a quick picnic with an amazing view).

Departing Hooker Falls, the hike retraces back to the trailhead, following the Little River upstream and hiking the outbound trek on the Hooker Falls Trail, Triple Falls Trail and High Falls Trail in reverse. It’s an almost-all-uphill return, but totally worth the workout – and a great chance to catch a second view of the waterfalls.

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The hike finishes at the High Falls trailhead at just over 4.5 miles, completing the adventure. Five waterfalls, under five miles: it’s a hike that’s worth hiking again and again.

Note: slippery rocks and fast moving water can be extremely dangerous! Please don’t climb, stand on, swim near, or jump from any waterfall.

More DuPont State Forest hiking adventures

Quenched your thirst for waterfalls, and looking for some stunning views? Hike the Stone Mountain Trail to an enormous domed summit at the park’s northern edge to catch wide panoramic views from a wildflower-stippled mountaintop. Hike to the enormous veil-like cascades of Bridal Veil Falls, crossing the crest of High Falls over the covered bridge and visiting the banks of the glassy Lake Julia. Or hike to the grassy, rocky summit of Big Cedar Mountain to score some beautiful views from the park’s opposite end.

This map shows our approximate route while exploring this trail, but does not replace an official trail map. Please refer to the official trail map for the most current and accurate route.