Linville Falls — 90ft Cascade in North Carolina

Linville Falls is a 90-foot cascade waterfall in Burke County, North Carolina, reached by a moderate hike over 1.6 miles.

Linville Falls is the 90-foot multi-tiered cascade in the Linville Gorge — 'the Grand Canyon of the East' — on the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina. The Linville River drops in a series of plunge pools and cascades through one of the deepest gorges east of the Rockies; the Linville Falls Recreation Area visitor center provides access to multiple overlooks via a 1.6-mile loop trail. Erwin's View, Chimney View, and Plunge Basin Overlook each offer different angles of the gorge and falls. It's one of the most-visited Blue Ridge Parkway waterfalls, especially in fall foliage.

What to expect

Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway to milepost 316 (Linville Falls Recreation Area). Park at the visitor center. The 1.6-mile loop trail visits Erwin's View (closest to the falls, mid-gorge view), Chimney View (upper view), and Plunge Basin Overlook (descent into the gorge for a base-of-the-falls view). Mostly moderate hiking with stairs and rock surfaces. The Plunge Basin descent is the most strenuous section. Pair with Wiseman's View overlook, Linville Caverns, or Grandfather Mountain.