Pearsons Falls is a 100-foot tiered cascade on Colt Creek in Polk County, North Carolina, the centerpiece of a 268-acre botanical preserve owned by the Tryon Garden Club off Highway 176 between Tryon and Saluda. The glen reopened on July 24, 2026, after nearly 20 months of restoration following Hurricane Helene, and visits are by reservation only.
The falls
Colt Creek slides down a series of steep tiered cascades through a mature cove forest. The World Waterfall Database puts the cumulative drop at about 100 feet based on lidar data. Earlier surveys listed 75 feet.
Getting there
The entrance is at 2748 Pearson Falls Road, Saluda. Tickets are sold only through the Pearson's Falls & Glen website, and every visit needs an advance reservation, including for members. Admission is $10 per person, and children 12 and under are free. The gate opens 10 minutes before the booked time and closes 30 minutes after it, and everyone must leave by 5 p.m., when the gates lock. Road construction may require detours.
From the entrance, a trail of about a quarter mile each way leads to the falls. It is easy to moderate, with inclines, steps and bridges.
When to go
The preserve is open only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so plan around those days. Reservations can be changed up to two hours before arrival; no-shows are not refunded. Before the storm the preserve drew more than 17,000 visitors a year.
On site
The trail is not wheelchair accessible. Pets are not allowed; service animals are the exception. The glen is pack-in, pack-out, with no trash cans, coolers or cooking. Each adult may bring up to three children aged 12 and under. The preserve holds more than 200 species of wildflowers and plants, along with mosses, lichens, shrubs and trees. It is a North Carolina Natural Heritage Site and a stop on the North Carolina Birding Trail.
History and name
The falls are named for Charles William Pearson, an engineer who scouted mountain routes for the Southern Railroad and acquired the glen as part of a larger family land purchase. The Tryon Garden Club bought the property in 1931 to preserve it and has managed it since.
Nearby
Pacolet Falls and Leland Falls are each about 1.2 miles away, and Little Bradley Falls on Cove Creek is about 3.6 miles. The town of Tryon lies about 5.5 miles to the east.
Distances are straight-line.