Rainbow Falls is a tiered waterfall in Rutherford County, North Carolina, dropping about 235 feet down the wall of Hickory Nut Gorge opposite Hickory Nut Falls near Chimney Rock. There is no public trail to it; the falls are seen from across the gorge in Chimney Rock State Park.
The falls
A lidar-based estimate gives a cumulative drop of at least 235 feet in three steps, the largest about 145 feet, falling as a series of horsetails. The entry is still listed as unconfirmed since its attributes haven't been checked on the ground. Earlier surveys listed 160 feet with a tallest drop of 80 feet.
Getting there
Access to the falls is prohibited, and there is no official trail. The Nature Conservancy bought the falls from private owners in 2003, and plans to open it to the public remain uncertain.
Viewpoints are in Chimney Rock State Park, where the Hickory Nut Falls Trail runs 0.7 mile each way and is rated moderate by NC State Parks. The park closed after Hurricane Helene in September 2024 and reopened on June 27, 2025. It is now open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with hiking allowed until 7 p.m.; admission is $17 for adults, $8 for ages 5 to 15, and free for children 4 and under, with reservations recommended on busy weekends.
When to go
Views are best in winter and spring, when the trees are bare. In summer and fall the foliage hides most of the falls.
On site
At least one opening on the Hickory Nut Falls Trail gives a bird's-eye view across the gorge, and the falls are also visible in the distance from the top of Chimney Rock. Binoculars help. Hikers who have bushwhacked to the falls describe an old mudslide with soft ground and loose rock.
Nearby
Hickorynut Falls is about 1.1 miles away. The Cascades are about 1.4 miles away, and Bottomless Pools about 2 miles.
Distances are straight-line.