About this spot
Glen Falls is a series of connected cascades (roughly 600 ft of total drop across three view sections) on Overflow Creek near Highlands, NC, reached via the well-traveled 2-2.5 mile Glen Falls Trail in Nantahala National Forest. The middle section has long been cited as a popular summer swimming hole, but a dedicated waterfall guide (ncwaterfalls.com) notes fencing installed at two overlooks specifically to keep hikers from wading into the creek, calls entering the water 'not recommended,' and flags the lowest viewpoint as a dangerous unofficial cliff-edge scramble. Treat any pool here as look-first, and expect currently discouraged wading rather than an open jump spot.
Safety first. Cliff jumping is inherently dangerous and can cause serious injury or death. Conditions — water depth, submerged hazards, and access — change constantly. CliffScout is community-sourced reference information, not a guarantee a spot is safe. Always assess the conditions yourself before jumping, and never jump where you're unsure. You assume all risk.