About this spot
Laurel Creek Falls, known locally as Trash Can Falls, is a 15-foot drop on Laurel Creek near its confluence with the Watauga River in Sugar Grove. A steep 0.3-mile unmarked path drops from a roadside pull-off on US-321/Laurel Creek Road to a deep swimming hole below the falls, a favorite wading and cooling-off spot documented across multiple hiking blogs and guides. No established cliff-jumping tradition is documented here—sources explicitly warn against swimming or jumping directly under the falls, where recirculating current and aerated water reduce buoyancy and have contributed to drownings. Rocks stay slick year-round from spray. Park fully off the road (a tow-away zone); it sits on National Forest land with no fees or permits.
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.