Waterfall located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, the falls move in several distinct steps, beginning in a twin set of upper falls, moving down a small gorge, and culminating in a high-volume 45-foot (14 m) drop
General Information
How to Get There
then follow signs to the Blue Ridge Parkway and continue north to Milepost 316.4, where the Linville Falls Visitor Center and trailhead are located.
Overview
Linville Falls tumbles through the Blue Ridge Mountains in several dramatic steps — a twin set of upper falls, a narrow gorge, and a final high-volume 45-foot drop — carrying the highest flow of any waterfall on the northern edge of the Blue Ridge. The falls mark the start of the Linville Gorge, and the National Park Service maintains a visitor center along with several miles of trail leading to four overlooks. Swimming is unsafe above the falls but permitted in the pool at their base.
Top Trails
Upper Falls Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles round trip
Highlights: The twin upper falls and water spiraling through a small canyon on its way to the main falls.
Erwin's View Trail
Distance: 1.6 miles round trip
Highlights: Two overlooks — Chimney View (0.7 mi) and Erwin's View (0.8 mi) — with the best vantage points on the falls and gorge.
Plunge Basin & Gorge Trails
Distance: 0.5 mi and 0.7 mi respectively
Highlights: The Plunge Basin Trail reaches an overlook across the river from the falls; the connecting Gorge Trail continues down near their base.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Linville Falls", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
