About this spot
Leatherwood Falls is a well-documented 25 to 30-foot waterfall on Leatherwood Branch in the Fires Creek Recreation Area of Nantahala National Forest, Clay County. From Hayesville, take US 64 toward Murphy, then NC 1302 and NC 1344 to the Fires Creek parking area; a flat, mostly paved 0.7-mile loop and a metal footbridge lead right to the base — no fees, no permit. The plunge pool beneath the falls runs six to seven feet deep near the bridge and is a popular, kid-friendly swimming hole, confirmed by multiple regional swimming-hole guides, trip reports, and the World Waterfall Database. The real hazard: people are tempted to jump from the footbridge or climb the wet rock beside the falls — guides explicitly warn against both, since the ledges are slick and the water stays icy even in summer.