Linville Falls Full Tour

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Geological Significance · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers

From the top of Erwins View Trail to the bottom of the falls at Plunge Basin Trail you go from big views to a fish-eye view of the falls.

Good flat trail with lots of stairs in between

Starting from the upper parking lot you take Erwins View Connector and then continue straight to the Upper Falls. Explore a while then turn back. Head up and left to Erwins View Trail. There are three well-constructed viewpoints with wide views of the gorge and the waterfalls.

When you come back down, continue straight towards the visitor center. Once you pass the visitor center look for a trail heading out of the parking lot to the right. Here you connect with the Plunge Basin Trail.

Take this a third of a mile in and you'll find where the trail loops back in on itself. Heading either direction you'll come to a steep stairway down to the water. Enjoy the water and the falls and then head back up the other side. Either way you go, make sure to turn around and enjoy the views.

Reverse course back past the visitor center and you'll soon take a right back up the Erwins View Connector and to the parking lot.

Lots of Mountain Laurel, Rhododendrons, some surviving Hemlock and lots mushrooms.

Native Americans used the falls for the execution of prisoners. Yikes.