Wintergreen Falls

Wintergreen Falls starts as a small ledge-type cascade, then moves into a steeper cascading slide, before deflecting off a boulder into a small free fall and onto bedrock below. There is a small alcove behind the lowest portion of the falls. The stream makes a 90 degree turn into a pool and then over a smaller slide just downstream of the main waterfall.

Directions

Driving

From downtown Asheville, take I-240 west to I-26 east. Go about 12 miles and take Exit 40 for the Asheville Airport/NC Hwy. 280. Turn right toward Brevard, and go south on 280 (a 4-lane highway) for 16 miles to the big intersection with US Hwy. 64/276. Turn left on US 64 East and drive 3.7 miles. Turn right on Crab Creek Road. Drive 4.3 miles and turn right on Dupont Road. Go 0.7 miles and turn left onto Sky Valley Road. The parking area is on the right after 1.4 miles after the road turns to gravel.

Trail

The hike to the falls is about 3 miles round-trip and is rated as moderate in difficulty. There are some wet areas, and a few stones in the trail and some rocks to scramble up right at the end, but it's mostly smooth. Walk through the large meadow to the left of the parking area as you drove in, and pick up Tarkiln Branch Road on the other side. This forest road undulates through an area planted with white pines and winds downhill. Turn left onto Wintergreen Falls trail - another forest road - and go about 1/3 mile. Bear left at the intersection with the Sandy trail and reach a hitching line for horses. The road becomes a footpath, turns left, and uphill. It goes a short distance up to the falls - the last little bit is a scramble up some rocks (bear left for the easier route once you're almost at the falls). Return to your vehicle on the same path.