Accessibility – Roadside or short hike
Height – Approx 20′
Distance – 0.10 miles (out and back)
Beauty – 5
Photo rating – 6
Solitude – 3
GPS Info: LAT 35.29973 LONG -82.35043
Last Visited: 04/01/2026
Last Updated: 04/02/2026
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Upper Hungry River Falls, formerly Upper Waterfall on the Hungry River, is a sloped cascade with a deep pool below and the remains of an old dam above that was partially destroyed in 2024. The old dam used to add to the setting, but now it’s an eyesore, and the way it collapsed forces all the water to one side of the falls, where it used to fan out over most of the rockface. There is a rumor that the rest of the dam is going to be removed, but we’ll see about that. There is also a good chance that this waterfall was featured on a postcard in 1906, calling it Green River Falls, but the jury is still out on that one,
Where to park: There are places to park on both sides of the road. The GPS location for the bridge over the river is: 35.298422, -82.351147
There is a graded slope leading down to the river on the upstream side of the bridge, and from there, it’s a matter of walking along the bank or in the river if the water is low to get to the falls. It never got above shin-deep on my visit, and we were all over the waterfall. What’s left of the dam and cascade are upstream of the bridge and easily seen from the bridge. While not a giant waterfall, there is enough going on that this is a nice roadside stop. You can see the difference below.
