Accessibility – Moderate+
Height – 80′
Distance – 2.5 (out and back)
Beauty – 7
Photo rating – 7
Solitude – 7
GPS Info: LAT 35.19455 LONG -82.95321
Last Updated – 12-23-2024
Home Alphabetical Listing Numerical Listing Location Listing NC281N
The trailhead: The trailhead for Red Eft Falls and the three waterfalls above it is on NC281, 6.9 miles north of US64. There is a pullout and an old road at GPS 35.19313, -82.95669.
The hike: Follow the old road for 0.25 of a mile for a quick stop at Red Eft Falls which is on the left hand side, right next to the road. If you’re going to add in the waterfalls above Red Eft Falls, click here. If not, continue on the road for another 0.7 of a mile, following the contour as the road swings though the Mill Branch Drainage. From about this point, 35.19527, -82.95192, drop off the right side of the road heading down toward the creek. It’s about 0.2 of a mile to get to the base of the falls, and a drop of about 200 feet, so it will be steep. The bushwhack is pretty straight forward as far as these things go, but as always, it’s a matter of picking the preferred line, which is up to you to determine.
The waterfall is great, and it has a lot of different aspects to it. It also has some clutter, which might be even worse after Helene. Even with some logs lying on it, the waterfall is impressive and worth a look. If you add it to Red Eft and the ones above it, you have a pretty nice grouping for a short hike. Even if you skip the three above Red Eft, it’s still a worthwhile trek.
When we visited, we came down to the falls from river left, but it was horrible, which is why I recommend using the point I listed as the place to head down. You can approach it however you want since there is no right or wrong way.
