Highlands Falls
About
Highlands Falls is a waterfall in the Nantahala Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina, about 1.7 miles from the town of Highlands. It sits at roughly 3,816 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Highlands show July highs around 78°F with lows near 58°F, while winter highs stay in the low 40s. The surrounding area offers plenty to pair with a visit. The Southwest Corner and Main North Face climbing areas are each about 1.9 miles away. Yellow Mountain and Norton Mill are both about 3 miles off.
Waterfall Facts
Elevation
3,816 ft
Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).
Location
Highlands Falls
North Carolina
Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Apr–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 62–78°F and lows of 39–58°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Highlands, NC weather station, 1.7 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan42° high24° low
- Feb46° high26° low
- Mar54° high32° low
- Apr62° high39° low
- May69° high47° low
- Jun75° high54° low
- Jul78° high58° low
- Aug76° high57° low
- Sep71° high51° low
- Oct63° high41° low
- Nov53° high32° low
- Dec45° high27° low
Where it is
- Nantahala Ranger District · Ranger district
- National Forests in North Carolina · National forest
- Nearest town
- Highlands, North Carolina · 1.7 mi
Conditions
Active alerts for Nantahala Ranger District as of Oct 9, 2026:
Arrowood Glade Alcohol Prohibitions- Nantahala Ranger District
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Finger Lake Area Prohibitions- Nantahala Ranger District
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Connely Creek Road (NFSR 86) Closure
information · posted Aug 24, 2026
Source: USFS forest alerts
Nearby
- Southwest CornerRock climbing1.9 mi
Main North FaceRock climbingPhoto: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)1.9 mi- Yellow MountainHiking2.9 mi
- Norton MillHiking3 mi
Van Hook Glade CampgroundCampingPhoto: Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)3.9 mi- Blue Valley Dispersed CampingLake fishing5 mi
- Burrells FordCamping7.7 mi
- Chattooga RiverRiver fishing10 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Is Highlands Falls open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Highlands Falls, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).
Rainbow Springs Road closed for reconstruction
Agency closure covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
Closures in anticipation of Hurricane Isaias
Agency closure covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
Siddie Fields Day Use Area closed for improvements
Agency alert covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
Pisgah National Forest Driving Safety Alert
Agency alert covering National Forests in North Carolina · USFS · National Forests in North Carolina
As of · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Highlands Falls
Best months: September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
42° / 24°
14 wet
Feb
46° / 26°
13 wet
Mar
54° / 32°
14 wet
Apr
62° / 39°
13 wet
May
69° / 47°
14 wet
Jun
75° / 54°
15 wet
Jul
78° / 58°
17 wet
Aug
76° / 57°
16 wet
Sep
71° / 51°
12 wet
Oct
63° / 41°
11 wet
Nov
53° / 32°
11 wet
Dec
45° / 27°
14 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Highlands, NC, 1.7 mi away at 3,850 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
