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Waterfall

Twisting Falls

Tennessee

About

Twisting Falls is a waterfall in the Watauga Ranger District of Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, sitting at about 2,370 feet. The nearest town is Elk Park, North Carolina, about 5 miles away. September is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show highs around 73°F and lows near 54°F that month, with fewer wet days than any other time of year. The station sits higher than the falls, so temperatures at the falls run a little warmer. Several other spots are close by. The Appalachian Trail passes about 4 miles away, and the Grassy Gap Trail is just under 5 miles off. Watauga Lake Area offers fishing about 6 miles away, and Dennis Cove Campground, roughly 8 miles away, is a place to stay.

Waterfall Facts

Elevation

2,373 ft

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

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Location

Twisting Falls

Tennessee

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 62–79°F and lows of 42–61°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Flat Springs 1e, NC weather station, 3.8 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan41° high24° low
  2. Feb44° high27° low
  3. Mar52° high33° low
  4. Apr62° high42° low
  5. May70° high50° low
  6. Jun75° high58° low
  7. Jul79° high61° low
  8. Aug78° high60° low
  9. Sep73° high54° low
  10. Oct64° high44° low
  11. Nov53° high35° low
  12. Dec46° high28° low

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

Where it is

Nearest town
Elk Park, North Carolina · 5 mi

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

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

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

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

Is Twisting Falls open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Cherokee National Forest. It doesn't name Twisting Falls, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Cherokee National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Twisting 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

    41° / 24°

    17 wet

  2. Feb

    44° / 27°

    15 wet

  3. Mar

    52° / 33°

    15 wet

  4. Apr

    62° / 42°

    14 wet

  5. May

    70° / 50°

    16 wet

  6. Jun

    75° / 58°

    14 wet

  7. Jul

    79° / 61°

    15 wet

  8. Aug

    78° / 60°

    14 wet

  9. Sep

    73° / 54°

    11 wet

  10. Oct

    64° / 44°

    11 wet

  11. Nov

    53° / 35°

    12 wet

  12. Dec

    46° / 28°

    16 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Flat Springs 1e, NC, 3.8 mi away at 3,330 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.