Accessibility – Easy

Height – 50′

Distance – Roadside or Scramble

Beauty – 3

Photo rating – 2

Solitude – 3

GPS Info: LAT 35.05109 LONG -83.22030 (Estimated)

Last Updated – 08-27-2018

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Catstairs Falls is a roadside waterfall on NC106, just over 5 miles from the intersection of US64 and NC106 in Highlands. It’s the kind of waterfall you may want to stop and have on a look at when you’re on the road to somewhere else but it is not something I would make a special trip to visit.

The best way to locate the falls is slow down as you reach the Blue Valley Overlook on the left side of the road. Around a tenth of a mile south the road bends to the left and there is a pull out on the left. Catstairs falls is at the apex of the bend, A red-tipped carsonite sign was planted in the ground near the base of the falls. My my visit the water level was lightly less than a dribble, not worth climbing the jumbled pile of logs and rocks on the river left to get a better look.

The lower section was totally uninspiring but maybe after a severe thunderstorm it mat warrant a arduous climb up to see what needs to be seen but after several weeks without any rain I couldn’t justify the effort. The picture below shows the dribble coming through the rocks and should explain why I didn’t bother climbing up for a closer look.