42 Free Swimming Holes near Sylva, NC 28779
first prev 1 2 3 next lastShowing Swimming Holes within 50 miles Distance miles of Sylva, NC 28779, USA City, Zip, or Address
Big Creek
Waynesville, North Carolina
9.2 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
9.2 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
Deep Creek Area
Wallace, North Carolina
13.2 miles NWSwim near Wallace, North Carolina
Swim
Bear Creek Area
Tuckasegee, North Carolina
14.9 miles SESeveral 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 Area
Tuckasegee, North Carolina
14.9 miles SESeveral 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
Sunburst
Canton, North Carolina
16.1 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
18.1 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
Fingerlake
Almond, North Carolina
18.7 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
Courthouse Falls
20.0 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
Cashiers Area
Woodleaf, North Carolina
21.7 miles SSwim near Woodleaf, North Carolina
Swim 0.2-2.8 mi
Graveyard Fields
Brevard, North Carolina
21.7 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
Skinny Dip Falls
Brevard, North Carolina
22.4 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
Big East Fork
Canton, North Carolina
23.0 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
Cove Creek Tubs
Brevard, North Carolina
23.8 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 3.8 mi
Ramsey Cascades
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
23.9 miles NRamsey Cascades is the tallest waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — a thundering 100-foot, multi-tiered cascade hidden deep in the old-growth forest of the Greenbrier area near...
Hike, Kayak, Swim, Whitewater
Whaleback Swimming Hole
Asheville, North Carolina
23.9 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 1.4 mi
Turtleback Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
24.4 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 1.0 mi
Hidden Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
24.7 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 1.3 mi
Rainbow Falls
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
24.9 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
Queens Creek Lake
Nantahala, North Carolina
25.0 miles WA secluded reservoir in the Nantahala mountains with mountain reflections on still water, quality trout fishing, swimming on warm days, and a scenic drive up Winding Stairs Road.
Swim
