About this spot
High Falls sits on Beech Creek in the Southern Nantahala Wilderness, Clay County, reached by a roughly 2.5-mile hike past neighboring Bull Cove Falls, with about 1,200-1,300 feet of elevation gain and two creek crossings that get tricky in high water. Multiple independent trip reports and trail reviews single it out as one of the best swimming holes in the Nantahala area, with natural pools at the base drawing hikers all summer, especially in August. The approach trail is eroded and rocky in places, and the rock around both waterfalls is notably slippery — the hazard that matters is wet, algae-slick stone at the pool's edge rather than the water itself. This is national forest wilderness with no fees but no cell service, so check creek levels before the crossings and go with a partner.