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Waterfall

Satulah Falls

North Carolina

About

Satulah Falls is a waterfall in the Nantahala Ranger District of the National Forests in North Carolina, about 1.6 miles from the town of Highlands. It sits at roughly 3,540 feet. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Highlands show May highs around 69°F and September highs around 71°F, with July the wettest month at about 17 days with precipitation. Several other spots lie within a few miles. Secret Falls is about 1.9 miles away, and the Blue Valley Dispersed Camping and the Chinquapin hike are each about 2 miles off. Van Hook Glade Campground is about 4.1 miles away.

Waterfall Facts

Elevation

3,543 ft

Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).

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Location

Satulah 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.

  1. Jan42° high24° low
  2. Feb46° high26° low
  3. Mar54° high32° low
  4. Apr62° high39° low
  5. May69° high47° low
  6. Jun75° high54° low
  7. Jul78° high58° low
  8. Aug76° high57° low
  9. Sep71° high51° low
  10. Oct63° high41° low
  11. Nov53° high32° low
  12. Dec45° high27° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Nearest town
Highlands, North Carolina · 1.6 mi

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Nantahala Ranger District as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

Is Satulah Falls open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in National Forests in North Carolina. It doesn't name Satulah Falls, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · National Forests in North Carolina. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Satulah 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.

  1. Jan

    42° / 24°

    14 wet

  2. Feb

    46° / 26°

    13 wet

  3. Mar

    54° / 32°

    14 wet

  4. Apr

    62° / 39°

    13 wet

  5. May

    69° / 47°

    14 wet

  6. Jun

    75° / 54°

    15 wet

  7. Jul

    78° / 58°

    17 wet

  8. Aug

    76° / 57°

    16 wet

  9. Sep

    71° / 51°

    12 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 41°

    11 wet

  11. Nov

    53° / 32°

    11 wet

  12. 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.