42 Free Swimming Holes near Pilot Cove Loop Trail
first prev 1 2 3 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of US-276, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768, USA City, Zip, or Address
Big East Fork
Canton, North Carolina
2.3 miles WHeavy 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
Skinny Dip Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
3.8 miles SWA 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
Looking Glass Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
4.0 miles SA 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 0.1 mi
Looking Glass Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
4.0 miles SOne of North Carolina's most popular and accessible waterfalls — the 60-foot Looking Glass Falls drops roadside along the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway in Pisgah National Forest, with easy viewing from the parking area or a short walk.
Swim
Coontree Recreation Area
Brevard, North Carolina
4.5 miles SA 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 0.2-2.8 mi
Graveyard Fields
Brevard, North Carolina
4.5 miles SWTwo 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 0.8 mi
Daniel Ridge Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
4.8 miles SAn 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
Cove Creek Tubs
Brevard, North Carolina
5.1 miles SWThree perfectly rounded pot holes — the Pisgah Forest's finest — stack up to 12 feet deep in sun-drenched pools that are best described as nature's own jacuzzi collection.
Swim
Whaleback Swimming Hole
Asheville, North Carolina
5.4 miles SWA horseshoe of massive bedrock around a deep, green swimming hole where Cove Creek meets the Davidson River — locals' quiet answer to crowded Sliding Rock.
Swim
Davidson River Campground
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
5.9 miles SEA 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 1.8 mi
Flat Laurel Creek
7.6 miles W
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
North Mills River
Mills River, North Carolina
8.3 miles NEA campground in the Cherokee National Forest with creek swimming, fishing for rainbow and brook trout, and kid-favorite tubing — plus 31 picnic tables and educational summer programs nearby.
Swim
Courthouse Falls
8.6 miles SW
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
Sunburst
Canton, North Carolina
9.2 miles WSunburst is a refreshing mountain getaway along the West Fork of the Pigeon River in North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest, tucked into the high, forested country south of Canton and...
Swim
Dupont State Park
Wallace, North Carolina
13.8 miles SESwim near Wallace, North Carolina
Swim
Big Creek Area
Tuckasegee, North Carolina
15.3 miles SWSeveral remote swimming holes near the TN-NC border in the Big Creek Recreation Area of the Great Smoky Mountains — very secluded, and dogs are not allowed on the trail.
Swim
Bear Creek Area
Tuckasegee, North Carolina
15.3 miles SWSeveral remote swimming holes in lakes along Route 281 southeast of Sylva and Cullowhee — bathing suits optional at most spots, given how far off the beaten path they are.
Swim
Big Creek
Waynesville, North Carolina
20.2 miles WBig Creek is a crystalline mountain stream tumbling through the quiet northeastern corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it may be the single best swimming creek in the Smokies. Cold,...
Swim
Midnight Hole
Waynesville, North Carolina
20.2 miles WMidnight Hole is the most beloved swimming hole in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, an emerald-green pool of startling clarity sitting at the base of a six-foot waterfall, ringed by house-sized...
Swim 1.4 mi
Turtleback Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
20.9 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
