About this spot
Upper Kiesee Falls is a small two-tier waterfall (under 20 ft) on Kiesee Creek in Pisgah National Forest near Balsam Grove, NC, reached via FR140 with a steep, often-slippery final scramble. Multiple hiking guides describe it as having a better swimming hole than its downstream neighbor Kiesee Falls, though the pool is small and secluded. A road to the trailhead has been closed since mid-2025, but the trail itself remains open. Hazards include a slick, sloping final approach and low, unmarked flow after dry spells. Satellite imagery could not confirm a visible stream at the plotted pin, and the point sits noticeably farther from documented Kiesee Falls coordinates than the 'couple hundred feet' commonly cited, so treat the exact location as approximate.
