Accessibility – Hard
Height – 45-50′
Distance – 3.5 miles* (out and back)
Beauty – 3
Photo rating – 4
Solitude – 8
GPS Info: LAT 35.35482 LONG -83.99259
Last Updated – 12-26-2024
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*The mileage includes hiking up the ridge to Wolf Laurel Falls. I found the easiest way to tackle these two is on the same hike. Some prefer to come to Wolf Laurel Falls from the top. I’ve done the hike both ways and I like this approach.
Parking: The parking for Sand Creek and Wolf Laurel is along the side of FR81 – Upper Santeetlah Road, which is seasonally gated so be sure to check before you drive way out there. The parking area is next to a gated forest road. This spot is about 4.8 miles from the start of the road. If you cross the small bridge over Sand Creek, you went too far. The GPS at the location is : 35.34859, -83.97617.
The hike: Follow the logging road past the gate for roughly 0.3 of a mile. The obvious road makes a hard turn to the right, but you want to follow the overgrown road that continues straight, climbing steadily and paralleling Sand Creek. Just shy of 0.8 miles from the trailhead, the road crosses Wolf Laurel Branch. Not too far from the crossing is GPS location 35.35281, -83.98234. This is where you want to strike out up the ridge on the way back to visit Wolf Laurel Falls. If you’re not doing that one, they don’t bother making the spot. The road leading to Sand Creek Falls remains easy to follow for another 0.7 of a mile before abruptly ending short of the falls. When the road ended, we climbed higher up the ridge and resumed heading upstream. By this point, we could see the falls, making it easy to see where you have to go, even though it is extremely thick.
I’ve never cared for Sand Creek Falls, but that’s my personal belief. I’ve been a few times in different seasons, but it just don’t do it for me. On the other hand, Wolf Laurel Falls does it for me, which is the only reason I’ve hiked back to these two. From the base of the falls, make your way back to the old road, and follow it back to the GPS point that marks the ridge you need to climb to get to Wolf Laurel Falls. In Kevin Adams ‘North Carolina Waterfalls’ Third Edition, he mentions that Wolf Laurel Creek is one of the steepest in the state. You’re about to find out for yourself if this is the case. If you’re on the way back to the car, find a good spot to start up the ridge and do your best to remain above the creek on the top of the ridge. There was a lot of downfall on the spine, but there really isn’t a better way.
From the old road to Sand Creek Falls to the base of the main drop of Wolf Laurel Falls is half a mile, and it will be one of the hardest half miles you’ve ever hiked. The elevation gain from the road to the falls is just under 600 feet. Like most hikes up a ridge, the higher you go, the steeper it gets. On my first visit, I came in from above and went out the same way. It is a jumble of cliffs up there, and I didn’t think it was any easier, but I prefer to hike out heading downhill versus up. There are a bunch of drops along the creek, but the main one is pretty obvious. On this page you can have a look at Wolf Laurel Falls.
