HIKING THE APPALACHIANS AND BEYOND
  • Home
  • Trail Reports
    • Best Hikes
    • Hikes with Scenic Views
    • Hikes with Water Features
    • Alabama
    • Georgia
    • Florida
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Tennessee
    • Vermont
    • Virginia
  • Map
  • Hike List
  • Testimonials
  • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • Southeast Nature Society
    • Our Team
  • Georgia Waterfalls Database

Pisgah National Forest: Elk River Falls and Jones Falls, Elk Park, North Carolina

7/24/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
If you're looking for the perfect combination of beauty and ease of access to a waterfall in North Carolina, Elk River Falls has to be at the top of your list. A well-used relaxing trail leads along the banks of the mighty Elk River to the base of Elk River Falls, a tight sheer 50-foot drop into a huge plunge pool that is known for its swimming opportunities. Most folks who hike to Elk River Falls don't know that another excellent waterfall can be reached fairly easily from the same trailhead. 100-foot Jones Falls is on a small tributary of the Elk River and during the wetter months is a sight no less impressive than Elk River Falls. A signed spur trail from the Appalachian Trail facilitates access to this gorgeous spot. Hikers will be able to see both waterfalls with a hike of fewer than four miles. This hike occurred on Wednesday, July 5th, 2017. My plan was to hike out and back to Elk River Falls and then to follow a forest road and unofficial connector path to the Appalachian Trail, which I would use to reach Jones Falls. I would return the same way. This hike was the first of ten hikes that I did during a seven-day trip to the mountains of northwest North Carolina. 

Summary

R/T Length of Trail: 3.5 Miles 
Duration of Hike: 2:40 
Type of Hike: Out and Back (Y-Configuration) 
Difficulty Rating: 4 out of 10 
Total Elevation Gain: 900 Feet
Pros: Remote setting at Jones Falls despite relative ease of access 
Cons: Trash around Elk River Falls; a couple of brief rough spots on the connector trail to the AT and Jones Falls 
Points of Interest: Elk River Falls - 9 stars; Jones Falls - 8 stars
Trail Blaze Colors: Elk River Falls Trail (Big Falls Trail) - None; Elk River to Appalachian Trail Connector - None; Appalachian Trail - White; Jones Falls Spur Trail - Blue 
Best Seasons to Hike: Winter 
Fees: None 
Beginning Point: End of Elk River Road 
Directions from Elk Park, NC: From the intersection of Old Mill Road with US 19E just north of Elk Park, follow Old Mill Road East for 0.3 miles and then turn left onto Elk River Road at the Elk River Falls sign. Continue on Elk River Road for 4.1 miles to the dead end. The large turnaround at the end serves as the parking area - do not block the gate. Be sure to get here early in summer as the parking area fills up fast! The last part of Elk River Road is unpaved but in excellent shape. 

Map

Picture
Click here to download a track of this hike. 

Details

The hike to Elk River Falls begins at the signed trailhead at the end of Elk River Road. Oddly, the official sign for the trail calls it the 'Big Falls Trail'. I've read that Big Falls is another name for Elk River Falls, but Elk River Falls definitely is the name I see used most. Head up the wooden steps and in 150 feet reach the forest road that began at the parking behind the gate. For now, stay right on the trail to Elk River Falls, but on the way back, you will take the forest road to Jones Falls. The Elk River Falls Trail comes alongside the broad and placid Elk River and reaches the top of Elk River Falls at 0.15 miles. The view down the falls from the rock slab at the top is impressive, but make sure to stay away from the edge. The trail bears left and descends down a wooden staircase to the plunge pool, reaching an open rock slab at the pool and near the base of Elk River Falls at 0.2 miles. 

About 50 feet high, Elk River Falls is very powerful because the mighty Elk River is constricted into one narrow channel down the vertical cliff at the far end of the plunge pool. Because Elk River Falls is out in the open so much, sunny day photos here often work out better than cloudy day photos. The best time of year to see the falls is winter when all the swimmers are absent, although it might not be too bad other times of the year as well if you can get there early in the morning. From Elk River Falls, return to the forest road junction and turn acutely right onto the forest road. The road heads northward, crisscrossing a powerline cut well above the Elk River. The forest road eventually descends to the level of the Elk River. At 0.95 miles, the forest road bears right and fords the Elk River. You have to stay on the same side of the river, bearing left into a field with a narrow path. Passing a campsite and quickly entering the woods, this path is the connector to the Appalachian Trail. For the next 0.15 miles, the path closely follows the Elk River, and while it is mostly easy, there are a couple of slippery spots on the steep bank. As you hike along the river, there are views of open fields on the opposite side. At 1.1 miles, the trail reaches a campsite and then bears right to cross Jones Branch. This small stream can normally be rock-hopped. After this, the trail climbs steeply for about 250 feet to a junction with the Appalachian Trail at 1.15 miles.

While the Appalachian Trail continues straight into the White Rocks Mountain area - providing access to a small 10-waterfall called Splash Dam Falls on the Elk River along the way - you have to turn sharply left onto the white-blazed trail to access Jones Falls. After the narrow connector trail, the AT will feel like a freeway! The AT crosses the Tennessee state line and enters Cherokee National Forest about 400 feet after the junction. In fact, Jones Falls is actually a quarter-mile into Tennessee, which is why it isn't well-known to North Carolina waterfallers. After an initial easy period of ascent, the AT ascends up a neat wooden staircase and makes a switchback at 1.45 miles. The trail then curves away from Jones Branch and circles around and over a small ridge, where I saw three garter snakes gathered closely together. The easy to moderate ascent continues to a signed junction with the side trail to Jones Falls at 1.8 miles. As the Appalachian Trail bears right toward US 19E, you have to stay left on the blue-blazed spur trail, which crosses a seep and ends at the base of Jones Falls at 1.9 miles. 
Picture
Elk River Falls is a spectacular 50-foot waterfall dropping into a huge plunge pool.
Jones Falls is a very tall and stunning waterfall. The full waterfall is at least 100 feet high with two distinct parts. The lower part of the waterfall is a long broad slide, while the upper part is a spectacular free-fall among jagged cliffs that resemble the cliffs of Cochrans Falls in Georgia. The main drawback of Jones Falls is that it's in a very small watershed, so the full beauty of the waterfall will be revealed during winter and other wet periods. Fortunately, my visit here was during one such wet period, as evidenced by the muddy state of the Elk River. For your visit to Jones Falls, I highly recommend taking the well-defined scramble trail to the base of the upper free-fall drop. The scramble path is on the right-hand side of the creek and ends at the upper drop in about 100 feet. As the water drops at the upper part of Jones Falls, part of it hits a large boulder that briefly sends the water backward! During high water, this is a very picturesque scene. 

​From Jones Falls, simply return along the same way back to the Elk River Falls trailhead. For the final little stretch of the hike, you can simply follow the forest road all the way to the parking area. You will return to your car and conclude the hike at 3.5 miles.

Mileage

0.0 - Elk River Falls Trailhead 
0.2 - Elk River Falls 
0.95 - Begin Connector Path in Field 
1.15 - Appalachian Trail
1.9 - Jones Falls 
3.5 - Elk River Falls Trailhead

Variations

Hike out and back to Elk River Falls - 0.4 Miles 
Add on Splash Dam Falls to the full hike - 5.3 Miles

Bonus Stops

Consider hiking to Twisting Falls on the same day as doing this hike. Twisting Falls (the main drop of which is sometimes referred to as Compression Falls) is located several miles downstream on the Elk River, although reaching the trailhead for it from Elk Park involves a fairly long drive on back roads. 

Pictures

Videos

2 Comments
Robert, Z Jaremsek
3/8/2021 09:13:10 pm

Thanks for the detailed description of the hike to Jones falls. Could a person ride a mountain bike from Elk River Falls all of the way to Jones Falls on the service road?

Reply
Sheila
1/14/2022 05:59:03 pm

No there is a gate at beginings g that stays closed at all times

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    About Me

    Mark Oleg Ozboyd
    I'm an avid outdoor explorer and a hobbyist landscape photographer. I'm 21 years old and have been hiking since 2011. Originally based out of Atlanta, Georgia, I started out by occasionally hiking short trails throughout well-known Georgia State Parks. During 2012 and 2013, I began to expand my trips into adjacent states, as well as into the wilder National Forest areas rather than just State Parks. Throughout the years that followed, as I slowly ran out of popular hiking trails in my area, I began to search for and hike in more seldom-visited areas. Today, you can find me out in the woods every weekend, whether it's on an official trail or bushwhacking through cross-country terrain without any paths. I now attend Washington & Lee University and am exploring Virginia and West Virginia. My other hobbies include chess, science, old music, and meteorology. I have 3 years of amateur weather forecasting experience, having studied a lot of meteorology basics over the years. I am also a student at European School of Music where I learned that music and nature have a lot in common. Listening to good music inspires me to capture nature's beauty on the camera in different aspects that also make me recall many beautiful music pieces that I've heard.​


    Dear readers: I have invested a tremendous amount of time and effort in this website and the Georgia Waterfalls Database the past five years. All of the work that has gone in keeping these websites updated with my latest trip reports has almost been like a full-time job. This has not allowed me to pick up a paid job to save up money for college, and therefore, I I've had to take out loans. If you find the information on this website interesting, helpful, or time-saving, you can say "thanks" and help me out by clicking the button above and making a contribution. I will be very grateful for any amount of support you give, as all of it will apply toward my college tuition. Thank you! 

    Enter your email address to subscribe for trail reports:

    Delivered by FeedBurner


    Picture
    Coming in 2022-2023?

    Other Hiking Websites

    DWHike's Adventures
    Florida's Natural Wonders
    Florida Trailblazer
    Meanderthals
    Mountain Images
    by Bernie Boyer

    North Carolina Waterfalls with
    ​Kevin Adams
    Take-a-Hike!
    Tennessee Landforms
    Waterfall Page
    Waterfall Adventurer
    Zach's Mild Adventures

    Miles Hiked

    Year 1: 540.0 Miles
    Year 2: 552.3 Miles
    ​Year 3: 518.4 Miles
    Year 4: 482.4 Miles
    Year 5: 259.9 Miles

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014

    Categories

    All
    Adel
    Adirondack Park
    Alabama
    Alfred A. Ring Park
    Allegheny Trail
    Amicalola Falls State Park
    Anniston Area
    Apalachicola Bluffs And Ravines Preserve
    Apalachicola National Forest
    Apalachicola/Port St. Joe Area
    Apopka
    Appalachian Trail
    Appling
    Art Loeb Trail
    Aska Trail System
    Bakersville
    Balm-Boyette Scrub Preserve
    Balsam Lake Recreation Area
    Bankhead National Forest
    Bartow County Parks
    Bartram Trail
    Basinger
    Beersheba Springs
    Benton
    Benton Mackaye Trail
    Berry College Trail System
    Best Hike
    Big South Fork National Recreation Area
    Black Bear Wilderness
    Black Rock Mountain State Park
    Blairsville
    Blakely
    Blood Mountain Wilderness
    Blowing Rock
    Blue Ridge
    Blue Ridge Parkway
    Boone
    Bradenton
    Bradenton Beach
    Brasstown Bald
    Brasstown Wilderness
    Brevard
    Bryson City
    Buchanan
    Bucks Pocket State Park
    Bulow Creek State Park
    Bulow Plantation Ruins State Park
    Caesars Head State Park
    Caladesi Island State Park
    Calhoun
    Camel's Hump State Park
    Cashiers
    Caspersen Beach Park
    Catfish Creek State Park
    Caves
    CC Putnam State Forest
    Cedar Point Environmental Park
    Chatsworth
    Chattahoochee National Forest
    Chattanooga
    Chattanooga Valley
    Chattooga National Wild And Scenic River
    Cheaha Wilderness
    Cherohala Skyway
    Cherokee
    Cherokee National Forest
    Chiefland Area
    Chillhowee Recreation Area
    Chipley
    Chunky Gal Trail
    Circle B Bar Reserve
    Citico Creek Wilderness
    Citrus Wildlife Management Area
    Clarkesville
    Clayton
    Cleevland
    Cleveland
    Cloudland Canyon State Park
    Cohutta Wilderness
    Collier-Seminole State Park
    Cordele
    Cornelia
    Covington
    Crestview Area
    Crew-land-and-water-trust
    Cullowhee
    Cumberland Trail
    Dahlonega
    Dalton
    Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area
    Dawsonville
    Dayton
    De Soto National Memorial
    DeSoto State Park
    Dillard
    Double Springs
    Ducktown
    Duncan Ridge Trail
    Dunlap
    Eagle's Rest Park
    Eastpoint
    Econfina Creek Wildife Management Area
    Eglin Air Force Base
    Elizabethton
    Elkins
    Elk Knob Game Lands
    Elk Park
    Ellicott Rock Wilderness
    Ellijay
    Emerson Point Preserve
    Englewood Area
    Enota Retreat
    Erwin
    Falling Waters State Park
    Fayetteville
    Fires Creek Recreation Area
    Fire Tower
    Flint River
    Florence Area
    Florida
    Florida Caverns State Park
    Florida Trail
    Foothills Trail
    Fort Mountain State Park
    Fort Myers Area
    Fort Payne
    Fort Payne Area
    Fort Yargo State Park
    Franklin
    Franklin Delano Roosevelt State Park
    Franklin-Marion State Forest
    Frozen Head State Park
    Gainesville
    Gainesville Area
    Gatlinburg
    George Washington National Forest
    Georgia
    Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park
    Glasgow
    Gorges State Park
    Grandfather Mountain State Park
    Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    Greeneville
    Green River Game Lands
    Gruetli-Laager
    Grundy Forest State Natural Area
    GTM Reserve
    Guana River Wildlife Management Area
    Hayesville
    Helen
    Hiawassee
    High Falls State Park
    Highlands
    Highlands Scenic Highway
    Hillsborough River State Park
    Hinson Conservation & Recreation Area
    Historic Sites
    Honeymoon Island State Park
    Hot Springs
    Huntington
    Inverness Area
    Jackson
    Jasper
    Jefferson National Forest
    Joan M. Durante Park
    Jonathan Dickinson State Park
    Jones Gap State Park
    Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness
    Joyce Kilmer - Slickrock Wilderness
    Juniper Prairie Wilderness
    Kelly Park
    Keown Falls Recreation Area
    Kolomoki Mounds State Park
    LaFayette
    Lake City Area
    Lake George Wild Forest
    Lake June-in-Winter State Park
    Lakeland Area
    Lake Placid
    Lake Russell Wildlife Management Area
    Lake Wales Ridge State Forest
    Laurel Fork North Wilderness
    Leffis Key Preserve
    Leon Sinks Geological Area
    Lexington
    Lineville
    Linville
    Linville Gorge Wilderness
    Lithia Springs
    Little Frog Wilderness
    Little Manatee River State Park
    Little River Canyon National Preserve
    Longboat Key
    Long Trail
    Lookout Mountain
    Lookout Mountain Battlefield
    Lovingston
    Lula Lake Land Trust
    Lumpkin
    Maggie Valley
    Manatee Springs State Park
    Marianna Area
    Mark Trail Wilderness
    Marlinton
    Mccaysville
    McMinville
    Mentone
    Middlesex
    Mistletoe State Park
    Monongahela National Forest
    Montreat
    Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area
    Mountain City
    Mountains To Sea Trail
    Mountains-to-Sea Trail
    Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
    Myakka River State Park
    Myron B. Hodge City Park
    Nantahala National Forest
    Naples
    Naples Area
    Natural Bridge State Park
    Neal Preserve
    New Castle
    Newport
    New River Gorge National Park
    New York
    North Carolina
    Ocala Area
    Ocala National Forest
    Ocean-to-Lake Trail
    Oconee State Park
    Oconee Station Historic Site
    Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest
    Oldsmar
    Oneida
    Orlando Area
    Ormond Beach
    Oscar Scherer State Park
    Oxford
    Palatka
    Palmetto Trail
    Panama City Area
    Panthertown Valley
    Parrish
    Paynes Creek Historic State Park
    Peaks Of Otter Recreation Area
    Pigeon Crockford Mountain Wildlife Management Area
    Pigeon-Crockford Mountain Wildlife Management Area
    Pigeon-Crockford Wildlife Management Area
    Pine Mountain
    Pinhoti Trail
    Pinnacle Park
    Pisgah Civitan Park
    Pisgah National Forest
    Pittman Center
    Pond Mountain Wilderness
    Ponds/Lakes
    Prentice Cooper State Forest
    Providence Canyon State Park
    Pumpkintown
    Quick Point Nature Preserve
    Raven Cliffs Wilderness
    Reed Bingham State Park
    Reliance
    Rice Creek Conservation Area
    Riverview Pointe Preserve
    Robbinsville
    Robinson Preserve
    Rock Creek Gorge Scenic Area
    Rock Island State Park
    Rome
    Rosman
    Sale Creek
    Salem
    Salt Springs
    Saluda
    Santa Rosa Beach
    Sarasota
    Sarasota Area
    Savage Gulf State Natural Area
    Scenic Views
    Scottsboro Area
    Sebring Area
    Sewanee
    Sheltowee Trace Trail
    Shining Rock Wilderness
    Signal Mountain
    Sipsey Wilderness
    Sky Valley
    Smithgall Woods State Park
    Snowbird Backcountry Area
    Soddy Daisy
    Soddy-Daisy
    Sopchoppy
    South Carolina
    South Cumberland State Park
    Southeastern Cave Conservancy
    Southern Nantahala Wilderness
    Sparta
    Sprewell Bluff Park
    Spring City
    Spring Hill
    Springs
    Spruce Pine
    Standing Indian Backcountry Area
    St. Augustine
    St. George Island State Park
    St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve
    St. Marks Area
    St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
    Stone Mountain
    Stone Mountain Park
    Suches
    Sumatra
    Sumter National Forest
    Suwannee River
    Swallow Creek Wildlife Management Area
    Sweetwater Creek State Park
    Sylva
    Talladega National Forest
    Tallahassee Area
    Tallulah Falls
    Tallulah Gorge State Park
    Tampa Bay Area
    Tate City
    Tate's Hell State Forest
    Tea Creek Wildlife Management Area
    Tellico Plains
    Tennessee
    Thomaston
    Toccoa
    Topsail Hill State Park
    Torreya State Park
    Townsend
    Tracy City
    Tray Mountain Wilderness
    Trenton
    Triple Creek Preserve
    Troutdale
    Unaka Mountain Wilderness
    Upper Tampa Bay County Park
    Venice
    Vermont
    Virgin Falls State Natural Area
    Virginia
    Virginia Outdoors Foundation
    Vogel State Park
    Wakulla Springs State Park
    Waleska
    Walhalla
    Wartburg
    Water Features
    Waynesville
    Weedon Island Preserve
    Weeki Wachee Preserve
    Wekiwa Springs State Park
    West Palm Beach Area
    West Virginia
    Whitehall
    White Springs
    Winder
    Withlacoochee State Forest
    Young Harris

    RSS Feed

TRAIL REPORTS

Hikes in Alabama
​Hikes in Florida
Hikes in Georgia
Hikes in North Carolina
Hikes in South Carolina
Hikes in Tennessee
Hikes in Virginia

Hiking Resources

Alabama Resources
​
Florida Resources
Georgia Resources
North Carolina Resources
​South Carolina Resources
​
Tennessee Resources

Other

Contact
Map of Hikes
Alphabetical List of Hikes
Southeast Nature Society
© COPYRIGHT 2014-2018
​ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Important: I disclaim any responsibility for any damage or personal injury that may occur as a result of the activities and information found on this website. All outdoor activities, especially off-trail hiking, are done at your own risk. Never hike or head into that area that may be above your fitness or experience level.
  • Home
  • Trail Reports
    • Best Hikes
    • Hikes with Scenic Views
    • Hikes with Water Features
    • Alabama
    • Georgia
    • Florida
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Tennessee
    • Vermont
    • Virginia
  • Map
  • Hike List
  • Testimonials
  • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • Southeast Nature Society
    • Our Team
  • Georgia Waterfalls Database