Silver Run Falls is a horsetail waterfall in North Carolina that drops about 50 feet in two steps on Silver Run Creek, in Jackson County's part of Nantahala National Forest south of Cashiers. A short walk from NC 107 ends at a large, sandy-edged pool that draws swimmers in summer.
The falls
A lidar survey puts the fall at about 50 feet in two distinct steps, with the lower tier making up 30 to 35 feet of it. Older surveys listed 25 feet; the county's tourism page puts it at about 40 feet, a free fall combined with a near-vertical slide. At typical summer flows a sandy beach shows at the edge of the pool, which the county calls one of the finest of any waterfall in the state.
Getting there
The falls sit in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest. From US 64 in Cashiers, the route runs south on NC 107 for 5.3 miles to a pullout on the left (the address is 3675 NC 107). A path starts beside an American holly and runs about 500 feet to a footbridge over the Whitewater River, then on to the base. The walk is rated easy at 0.2 mile round trip with 16 feet of gain; a separate measurement counts a mostly flat 0.4-mile out-and-back. Parking holds about 5 or 6 cars, with a little more space across the road, and there are no restrooms. NC 107 is a 55 mph highway here.
When to go
The falls are a year-round destination. Summer low water exposes the beach, and after heavy rain the current in the pool runs stronger. The county's photographer recommends shooting from the side or straight on, and points out that the open sky above the pool suits night photography.
On site
The pool starts shallow and sandy at the near end and deepens toward the falls, good for small children; there are no lifeguards. Leashed dogs are welcome, but the path isn't suitable for strollers or wheelchairs, and the rocks by the water are slippery when wet.
History and name
A big hemlock stood at the base of the falls for decades until floods from the September 2004 hurricanes carried it away, as a local photographer recalls on the county's page.
Nearby
A second fall lies upstream, reached by climbing a rooty granite slope on the left side of the cliff. Upper Silver Run Falls is about 0.1 mile away. Sliding Rock on the Chattooga River is about 2.4 miles off, and Slippery Witch Falls and Johns Jump Falls on Gumbottom Creek are about 3 and 3.3 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.