21 Free Swimming Holes near Burnsville, NC 28714
first prev 1 2 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of Burnsville, NC 28714, USA City, Zip, or Address
Carolina Hemlock
Burnsville, North Carolina
9.5 miles SEA family swimming area on the South Toe River near Mount Mitchell in the Pisgah National Forest campgrounds — note that the site is closed seasonally and fees apply.
Camp, Swim
Rock Creek
Unicoi, Tennessee
15.4 miles NA man-made concrete-bottom stream-fed pool with a sandy beach and short waterfall makes Rock Creek a refreshing — if chilly in June — summer splash near Unicoi.
Swim
Linville Gorge Area
Marion, North Carolina
23.6 miles ELinville Gorge's deep swimming holes reward serious adventurers who navigate rough roads and steep trails — but the gorge is easy to get lost in, so go prepared.
Swim
Horse Creek Campground
Chuckey, Tennessee
23.9 miles NWA Cherokee National Forest campground beside Horse Creek with fifteen sites, picnic tables, fishing for rainbow and brook trout, creek swimming, and 31 day-use picnic tables — $10/night camping fee.
Camp, Swim
Old Forge Campground
Bethany, Tennessee
24.5 miles NWPrimitive walk-in camping on scenic Jennings Creek in the Cherokee National Forest, with small waterfalls, swimming holes, and hiking trails right from camp — bring your own water.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Laurel Fork
Hampton, Tennessee
26.2 miles NSwim near Hampton, Tennessee
Swim
Big Laurel Creek Area
Marshall, North Carolina
26.3 miles WA family-friendly hike along Big Laurel Creek to multiple swimming holes — and a classic Class III–IV whitewater run for paddlers making the transition to creek boating.
Hike, Kayak, Swim, Whitewater
Elk River Falls
Elk Park, North Carolina
26.9 miles NESwim near Elk Park, North Carolina
Swim
Wilson Creek Area
Collettsville, North Carolina
27.0 miles ENumerous waterfalls and swimming holes tucked throughout the Wilson Creek area — most require short or longer hikes to find, but all are gems worth the effort in the Pisgah National Forest.
Swim
Twisted Falls / Compression Falls
Butler, Tennessee
28.3 miles NETwisting Falls (Compression Falls) is a dramatic Elk River gorge waterfall in northeast Tennessee — stunning, but one of the region's deadliest jump spots.
Swim
Hot Springs Resort
Hot Springs, North Carolina
29.5 miles WA privately operated outdoor resort with natural hot mineral water in private hot tubs — popular with visitors who split the cost, with mineral-rich water that relaxes and rejuvenates.
Swim
Sliding Rock
Hot Springs, North Carolina
30.6 miles WA 60-foot natural rock waterslide into an 8-foot-deep, 50-to-60-degree pool — lifeguard on duty Memorial Day to Labor Day, with a $5 entry fee per person.
Swim
Rocky Bluff
Hot Springs, North Carolina
30.8 miles WRocky Bluff is a tranquil mountain getaway in the Pisgah National Forest near Hot Springs, North Carolina, where a wooded campground sits beside the lovely Spring Creek just a few miles south of...
Camp, Hike, Swim 0.8 mi
Hickory Nut Falls
Chimney Rock, North Carolina
33.1 miles SA waterfall inside Chimney Rock State Park operated as a private concession — admission fee applies; see the park website for current pricing and details.
Hike, Swim
Blue Hole Mill Creek
Elizabethton, Tennessee
38.0 miles NSwim near Elizabethton, Tennessee
Swim
North Mills River
Mills River, North Carolina
40.2 miles SWA 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
French Broad
Del Rio, Tennessee
40.3 miles WSwim near Del Rio, Tennessee
Swim
Stone Mountain State Park
Connelly Springs, North Carolina
43.2 miles SESwim near Connelly Springs, North Carolina
Swim
Big East Fork
Canton, North Carolina
48.0 miles SWHeavy 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
Mouse Creek Falls
Waynesville, North Carolina
48.4 miles WMouse Creek Falls is one of the finest waterfall hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a two-tiered 45-foot cascade where Mouse Creek spills down a mossy rock face and empties straight into...
Swim
