Accessibility – Easy+

Height – 20′ (several drops)

Distance – 0.1 (out and back)

Beauty – 5

Photo rating – 6

Solitude – 5

GPS Info: LAT 35.3148 LONG -82.7875

When driving along US276 through Pisgah Forest, most of your trip will be with Looking Glass Creek mirroring your path. From where it joins into the Davidson River near the intersection with FR475, Looking Glass Creek is going to be on one side of the road or the other. Several bridges pass over the creek. Looking Glass Falls and Moore Cove are on the right side when heading toward the Blue Ridge Parkway while Sliding Rock and three lesser falls are all on the left.

Starting at the intersection of US64/SC280/US276 in Brevard, follow US276 North for 8.3 miles to a pull off on the left. If you’re coming from the Blue Ridge Parkway the pull off is on the right 6.7 miles from the stop sign at the base of the ramp. Look for the picnic tables and the pull outs along the side of the road. Coming from Brevard, the picnic area is half a mile from Sliding Rock. If you miss the pull out coming from the Blue Ridge Parkway you can turn around at Sliding Rock. Heading North you may have to drive up as far as Headwaters Road (FR475B) to turn around. This stretch of US276 is winding so use caution if you need to turn around.

You will know you’re in the right spot since the moment you get out of your car you will hear the waterfall. The total drop is twenty feet over multiple drops. It has an impressive sound and this is how I initially found it. Until June of 2014, all of my trips had been in colder weather. On the June trip in 2014 I was able to drive around with the windows down so it was the sound that got me to stop. There is a path down to the creek behind the picnic tables. It gets steep in places as you move from boulder to boulder. I did this one solo as I didn’t think the little one was up to the challenge. Looking back, she likely could have made it to the falls but the reward for the effort wasn’t there.

The descent path leads to a large rock area where I was able to take a few shots. Of the three lesser falls along US276, I devoted the least amount of exploration time to this one. I’ll probably stop back on a trip in the summer of 2016 to update my pictures and explore further.

On my initial exploration my then six-year-old daughter did not make the descent. A lot of times I scout it out first and decide whether she could make the trek. She likely could have but she wasn’t missing anything so I opted against it. On my next exploration, she’ll likely come with. Like all the hikes, don’t base your decision on what my daughter can and can’t do. She’s not the average hiker for a kid her age. You know what your children are capable of. Use that as a guide.

You can set up for a shot anywhere on the exposed rock but there isn’t a lot to shoot. I wouldn’t devote a ton of time to this one.