32 Hiking Trails near Whaleback Swimming Hole
first prev 1 2 next lastShowing Hiking Trails within 50 miles Distance miles of National Forest 475 Rd, Brevard, NC, USA City, Zip, or Address
Farlow Gap
Canton, North Carolina
0.7 miles WOne of Pisgah's most technical downhills — a minefield of boulders dropping 2,000 feet in 3 miles, best ridden as part of the Fish Hatchery loop.
Hike, Mountain Bike 7.1 mi
Daniel Ridge Loop
Canton, North Carolina
0.7 miles WA classic short Pisgah loop with moderate technical riding, a rocky downhill roller coaster, two waterfalls, and multiple route options to tailor the adventure.
Hike, Mountain Bike 0.8 mi
Daniel Ridge Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
1.4 miles EAn easy half-mile hike in Pisgah National Forest near Brevard to a 150-foot waterfall known by three names — most impressive after rain, modest in dry spells, with an optional 4-mile loop to the top.
Hike, Mountain Bike, Swim
Butter Gap / Trail #123
Brevard, North Carolina
1.4 miles EButter Gap Trail in Pisgah Forest climbs about 1,000 feet and connects to FS 471D — the western fork is open to mountain bikes, with seasonal bike access on part of the route.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Looking Glass Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
2.9 miles EA cascading 60-foot waterfall over mossy stone with a wading pool below — just a short, beautiful walk from Pisgah Highway in Brevard, stunning in any season.
Hike, Swim
Coontree Recreation Area
Brevard, North Carolina
2.9 miles EA scenic picnic area on the Davidson River with direct access to calm, deep water for swimming and fishing — plus the 3.7-mile Coontree Loop Trail through Pisgah National Forest.
Hike, Mountain Bike, Swim
Skinny Dip Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
3.0 miles NA cascading waterfall with multiple clear pools for wading and swimming, a 6-foot jumping spot, and an easy 3/4-mile forested walk from the Blue Ridge Parkway — swimmers should mind fast water and slippery rocks.
Hike, Swim 0.2-2.8 mi
Graveyard Fields
Brevard, North Carolina
3.2 miles NWTwo cascading waterfalls — a swimmable Lower Falls just 1/3 mile from the road, and a more challenging Upper Falls on a 3.5-mile wildflower loop — make this a must-see hike.
Hike, Swim
Courthouse Falls
4.4 miles W
A gorgeous 45-foot waterfall streams into a stunning blue-green pool in a greenery-covered cliff cove — just a 3/4-mile easy hike from the parking lot, open year-round.
Hike, Swim
Avery Creek / 327
Brevard, North Carolina
5.1 miles EClassic Pisgah-style singletrack: 3.2 miles of rutted, technical descent from a four-way junction with stream crossings, muck, and hidden flowy sections under a massive tree canopy.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Thrift Cove
Brevard, North Carolina
5.2 miles EAbout 750 feet of elevation, red-blazed trail through Thrift Cove, and five back-to-back jump whoops that are among the best you'll find anywhere — worth lapping repeatedly.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Davidson River Campground
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
5.3 miles EA year-round campground in Pisgah National Forest just four miles from Brevard and less than an hour from Asheville, with shaded loops, hiking trails, waterfalls, and fishing spots nearby.
Camp, Hike, Swim
North Slope
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
5.3 miles EA seasonal mountain bike trail near Pisgah Forest open only October 15 to April 15, with impossible climbs, river sections, great mountain views, and tricky roots and bridges on the descent.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Pilot Cove Loop Trail
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
5.4 miles NEA short 1.8-mile singletrack loop in Pisgah Forest with steep, tight turns and one of the best ridge views in Pisgah National Forest.
Hike, Mountain Bike
Big East Fork
Canton, North Carolina
5.7 miles NHeavy forest, multiple waterfalls, and a river that shifts from white rapids to calm swimming holes along Big East Fork in Pisgah National Forest — great for kayaking, camping, and swimming year-round.
Backpack, Hike, Kayak, Swim 1.8 mi
Flat Laurel Creek
6.1 miles NW
A 3.18-mile multi-use trail following Flat Laurel Creek through colorful rock formations and forest, with distant views of Sam Knob and a small waterfall — open year round.
Hike, Horseback, Mountain Bike, Swim
Bennett Gap / 138
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
6.3 miles EA 3-mile gnarly Pisgah trail with incredible Looking Glass Mountain views, a meadow section thick with thorns, and Satan's Staircase hike-a-bike — legally open to bikes in fall and winter only.
Hike, Mountain Bike
South Mills River Trail
Canton, North Carolina
8.0 miles NEAn easy out-and-back following the South Fork Mills River with several swinging bridge crossings leading to the historic Cantrell Lodge site — with a steep, technical river-access option.
Hike, Mountain Bike 1.4 mi
Turtleback Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
15.6 miles SWTurtleback Falls' dome-shaped slide drops riders 10 feet into the Chug Hole pool, but wait for calm currents — strong flows have swept swimmers downriver over 125-foot Rainbow Falls.
Backpack, Hike, Swim 1.3 mi
Rainbow Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
15.6 miles SWA 150-foot spectacular cascade on the Horsepasture River can be admired from front, side, bottom, and top — one showstopper in a 2-mile series of incredible falls.
Hike, Swim
