Waters and
Sapphire Valley Resort

Waterfalls!

These three waterfalls are worth the effort. In some cases, you can drive your card right up like an old drive in theatre! Some will require a small hike and others a more moderate hike -  but all are very close to Sapphire Valley Resort

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We will be adding Google Maps and much more info to our waterfalls page! We are in a constant state of improvements! Thanks for visiting our Sapphire Valley websites!
dry falls near sapphire valley resort

DRY FALLS

Dry Falls near Highlands North Carolina is one of the easiest waterfalls to visit and the only one where you can walk behind the falls.
Access: Easy
[Directions / More Info]

DRY FALLS

DIRECTIONS:
Dry Falls is located on the side of U.S. Highway 64 north of Highlands, North Carolina. From downtown Highlands, take Highway 64 north toward Franklin for 3.1 miles. There is a parking area on the side of the road, where visitors can park before walking the short path with stairs to the falls.

The Forest Service recently made improvements to the parking area, which included renovation and expansion and the addition of bathroom facilities. A new walkway and overlook were also constructed adjacent to the parking area.

Western North Carolina (WNC) is renowned for its breathtaking waterfalls, which are nestled within the region's lush forests and rolling mountains. These cascades range from gentle, multi-tiered flows to dramatic plunges over sheer rock faces, offering something for every nature enthusiast. Fed by the abundant rainfall and winding streams of the Blue Ridge Mountains, waterfalls such as Whitewater  Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Dry Falls are popular destinations for hikers, photographers, and travelers seeking natural beauty. Surrounded by vibrant greenery in the spring and summer, colorful foliage in the fall, and occasional icy formations in winter, WNC waterfalls provide year-round scenic splendor and a peaceful escape into nature.

whitewater falls near sapphire valley

Whitewater Falls

Whitewater Falls is a series of waterfalls and cascades on the Whitewater River in North Carolina and South Carolina. Over the 3.5 mi course of the river between the two falls, the Whitewater River drops 1,500 ft.

WHITEWATER FALLS 

DIRECTIONS

Bad Creek Access to Upper Whitewater Falls is a 2.3-mile section of the trail. Much of it parallels the Whitewater River. It crosses back into North Carolina. There is net ascent of about 800 feet (200 m).
Upper Whitewater Falls to Sloan Bridge is a 5.5-mile section of the trail that crosses into North Carolina and back into South Carolina. It ends at SC Highway 107.

Bad Creek is the site of the largest hydroelectric station operated by Duke Power, a Duke Energy company. The Bad Creek site provides a trailhead for the 80-mile long Foothills Trail. Duke provides a parking area, with public phone and portajons, and a half-mile spur trail takes the hiker to the Foothills Trail. Set your navigation to Bad Creek for only a 32 minute drive from Sapphire Valley.

bridal veil falls

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls is our ‘Drive In Theatre’ waterfall - you can drive right up to it! It is not the most dramatic but has good flow during rainy periods and is so easy so see.

What's unique about this falls is that you could once drive a car behind them! The main route of US Hwy. 64 used to pass behind the falls. However, dripping water would freeze into solid ice on the road in winter, and falling ice and rock blocking the road were common. US-64 was re-routed in front of the falls, leaving a small loop of road behind the falls for people to travel.
The danger here was effectively illustrated in December 2003 when an enormous chunk of rock fell onto the old road from above, blocking it. The road behind the falls is currently closed.

Directions

From the intersection of US Hwy. 64 and NC Hwy. 28 in Highlands, drive 2.6 miles West on 64 toward Franklin, NC  to the falls on the right.

Credits:

Dry Falls Foreground   Zhans33 - Own work CC BY-SA 3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dry_Falls2.JPG

Dry Falls Background  Jsfouche - Own work CC BY-SA 3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dry_Falls-heavy_flow.jpg

Whitewater Foreground  By Daniel Hass - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16690659 

Whitewater Background  By Drmies - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27296168

All images cropped slightly.

Dry Falls Content: wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_Falls_(North_Carolina)]

Whitewater: Content: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitewater_Falls_(North_Carolina)

Bridal Veil Falls: Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-SA 3.0 US) https://www.wncwaterfalls.info/waterfall/7/Bridal_Veil_Falls Content updated, images adjusted.


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*This web site and the others listed are part of the High South Media Network.
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This web site is not associated with Capital Vacations, Diamond Resorts, Wyndham, Sapphire Valley Master Association, nor any other HOA. We provide independent multi-media content, news, vacation rental portals, and real estate services to everyone! All information believed to be correct but not guaranteed.
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'Sapphire Valley' - This name was created in 1954 by the Howerdd Family / High South Ventures, LLC
"Ski Sapphire" and " Ski Sapphire Valley" created in 1964 by Gene Howerdd, Jr
**The Sapphire Country: learn more about this at History of Sapphire Valley.org