41 Free Swimming Holes near WCU Trails
first prev 1 2 3 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of 4121 Little Savannah Rd, Cullowhee, NC 28723, USA City, Zip, or Address
Big Creek
Waynesville, North Carolina
5.2 miles SEBig 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
5.2 miles SEMidnight 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
Big Creek Area
Tuckasegee, North Carolina
11.4 miles ESeveral 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
11.4 miles ESeveral 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
Sunburst
Canton, North Carolina
15.5 miles ESunburst 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 1.8 mi
Flat Laurel Creek
16.7 miles E
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
Cashiers Area
Woodleaf, North Carolina
16.7 miles SSwim near Woodleaf, North Carolina
Swim
Deep Creek Area
Wallace, North Carolina
17.0 miles NWSwim near Wallace, North Carolina
Swim
Courthouse Falls
17.6 miles E
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 1.4 mi
Turtleback Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
19.9 miles SETurtleback 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 0.2-2.8 mi
Graveyard Fields
Brevard, North Carolina
20.1 miles ETwo 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 1.0 mi
Hidden Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
20.2 miles SEJust a few steps off the Horsepasture River trail, Hidden Falls drops less than ten feet into an idyllic boulder-rimmed pool — a serene and easy family swimming hole.
Hike, Swim
Fingerlake
Almond, North Carolina
20.4 miles WAn offshoot of Fontana Lake open April through October, Fingerlake offers gravel-edged swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing surrounded by lush forest — with restrooms and picnic tables on site.
Canoe, Kayak, Swim 1.3 mi
Rainbow Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
20.5 miles SEA 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
Skinny Dip Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
20.9 miles EA 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
Cove Creek Tubs
Brevard, North Carolina
21.8 miles EThree 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
21.9 miles EA 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
Big East Fork
Canton, North Carolina
22.2 miles EHeavy 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 0.8 mi
Daniel Ridge Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
23.2 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
Looking Glass Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
24.5 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
