Pisgah waterfalls include Looking Glass Falls, Moore Cove Falls, and more, only a short drive from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Part of the reason I chose to camp at Mount Pisgah was because of its close proximity to tons of waterfalls. We didn’t have time to explore them all, but the few we did visit are easy to fit into just one day. Keep reading to learn more about these Pisgah waterfalls and how close they are to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Looking Glass Falls
Let’s start with the easiest one because it doesn’t even require a hike. This is perfect for those who want to see a big waterfall but don’t have the ability to hike to one. You can view Looking Glass Falls right from the roadside pull-off or walk to the observation deck. If you’re able, walk down the steps to get an even closer look at this incredible waterfall. The hike to the bottom of Looking Glass Falls is less than a quarter of a mile. Some people choose to get in the water here, but please be careful. Signs are posted reminding you that it’s a treacherous, rock field that can be slippery while trying to get to the swimming hole. Proceed with caution. Also, plan to visit Looking Glass Falls on a weekday in the morning if possible as this is a highly popular area that quickly gets crowded.
Distance: ⅓ mile
Elevation: 35ft
Moore Cove Falls
Next on the list is Moore Cove Falls. This is just up the street from Looking Glass Falls but requires just over a half of a mile hike. The trail goes up and down a lot, making this hike feel longer than it is. But the scenery of the nearby creeks and vegetation makes it more bearable. Once you make it to Moore Cove Falls, there’s an observation deck. Or you can choose to walk to the base of this skinny waterfall if you’re careful. When we went, these small, lavender colored butterflies loved this water-rich area and one even loved me! Who knows, maybe you’ll make a new friend here too. Again, this is a popular area so arrive early!
Distance: 1¼ mile
Elevation: 200ft
Three Waterfalls: Discovery and Log Hollow
This area is down a gravel road off the main road that Looking Glass Falls and Moore Cove Falls are on. Just be aware that both the the gravel drive and gravel trail are popular mountain biking routes. So be on the lookout for cyclists while driving and hiking. Park on the curve and you’ll find a trailhead as well as an old logging road that is now gated and gravel. Be sure to hike down the old logging road, NOT the trail to the right. I also suggest downloading the maps offline (there’s limited cell service here) from All Trails so you can see where you need to hike.
Discovery Falls
This one is a more treacherous hike. And honestly, I’m not sure how much longer it’ll be safely accessible. Follow the old logging road until the first bridge. Look to your right and you’ll see a trail just before the bridge. This is the one third of a mile trail that will lead you to Discovery Falls. Be prepared as this trail can get muddy and slick, especially closer to the falls. Use extreme caution because this trail is eroding away and is not maintained.
Distance (one-way from trailhead): ½ mile
Elevation: 200ft
Lower Log Hollow Falls
After Discovery Falls, continue hiking down the old logging road another one third of a mile and you’ll come across another bridge. From here you will see Lower Log Hollow Falls to your right. Immediately after the bridge is a small trail that takes you closer to the waterfall. This one is my favorite of the three because it’s easily accessible without the dangers of eroding trails. And this is a free-falling waterfall while the other two are cascading waterfalls.
Distance (one-way from Discovery Falls spur trail): ⅓ mile
Elevation: 30ft
Upper Log Hollow Falls
After hiking closer to Lower Log Hollow Falls, you’ll find the trail continues to your left up the mountain. Follow this trail to the end and you’ll see some smaller waterfalls along the way. At the end is Upper Log Hollow Falls which is so big and curved that you can’t see the top of it from the bottom. Again, this trail is not maintained and is eroding badly. Please proceed with caution when hiking to Upper Log Hollow Falls.
Distance (one-way from Lower Log Hollow Falls): ¼ mile
Elevation: 125ft
Overall, the old logging road from start to finish (at Log Hollow Falls) is just over half a mile in hiking length with 30ft elevation gain. There is a fourth waterfall at the end of the old logging road, but we didn’t hike to it as we were told it’s not visible from the road and there’s no hiking trail to it.
Additional Pisgah Waterfalls
We ran out of time and energy on this Mount Pisgah camping trip so here are a few more waterfalls I recommend visiting just from my research.
Skinny Dip Falls
Another waterfall close by, right on the Blue Ridge Parkway, is a short hike to Skinny Dip Falls. We had planned to do this one on our way out but ran out of time.
Daniel Ridge Falls
This is another waterfall we did not have time to explore. Daniel Ridge Falls is located closer to Looking Glass Falls, but off a side road.
Sliding Rock
Sliding Rock, as the name implies, is actually a natural water slide area. It’s located on the same road as Looking Glass Falls and Moore Cove Falls, however you will have to pay for admission since this place requires supervision which is overseen by Adventure Pisgah.
Like I said before, there are numerous Pisgah waterfalls. We certainly didn’t have time to explore them all. But if you have the time, check out Skinny Dip Falls, Daniel Ridge Falls, and Sliding Rock as well. When I get to visit them myself, I’ll add their info to this post.
Conclusion
No matter if you’re passing through driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway or camping at Mount Pisgah Campground, there’s plenty of Pisgah waterfalls to explore. Let me know in the comments below if you’ve visited any of these spots and which ones are your favorite. I’d love to know!
Watch the final video in the three part Pisgah camping series on YouTube to get a true visual of what all these hikes are like. Until nex time, enjoy exploring Chatt!
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