National Forests in North Carolina · North Carolina, Tennessee
Catawba Falls Loop
3.4 mi of trail, end to end · Catawba Falls: 4 mi round trip in the Service's write-up · crushed aggregate or gravel surface · trail No. TR225 · trail class 3 · typical grade 5-8% · tread 48-60 inches wide · hiking, bike
Begins at the forest's mile 0, 35.6133, -82.2309 - no trailhead mapped Drive to where the trail begins
Catawba Falls 4 mi round trip · the Forest Service's write-up
Follow this trail along the scenic headwaters of the Catawba River for a 4 mile round trip hike to the beautiful 100ft cascading waterfall. Historic buildings are scattered along the trail, remnants of the 1920's hydropower dam that provided power for the town of Old Fort. This hike does require several stream crossings. Be sure to wear solid boots to prevent from slipping and getting wet!
The trailhead can be accessed from Catawba River Road in Old Fort. For more information contact the Grandfather Ranger District at (828) 652-2144.
This hike on fs.usda.gov
Every trail in National Forests in North Carolina
About this trail's facts
The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.
