Slick Rock Falls is a 40-foot plunge waterfall on Slick Rock Creek in Pisgah National Forest, Transylvania County, North Carolina, north of Brevard. The creek pours over an overhanging bluff a short walk from a gravel forest road, on the approach trail climbers use to reach Looking Glass Rock.
The falls
Slick Rock Creek drops in a single vertical curtain off the lip of an overhang. The World Waterfall Database measured the drop at about 40 feet from lidar and notes that sliding cascades above may add more height if confirmed. Older surveys give 30 feet, the figure the Forest Service still uses.
Getting there
From US 276 about 5.2 miles north of Brevard, turn onto Forest Road 475 for about 1.5 miles, then north on gravel Forest Road 475B for 1.1 miles to a small pull-off. The walk is easy, about 200 feet: steps lead to a viewpoint, and a short side path reaches the falls. In June 2026 the Pisgah Conservancy and the Carolina Climbers Coalition held a volunteer workday to improve the tread of the Slick Rock Falls Trail.
When to go
With a small watershed, the falls can shrink to a near-trickle in dry spells.
On site
The rocks at the top and bottom of the falls are slick, as the name says. Swimming and dog rules aren't documented.
History and name
The name comes from those slippery rocks. Before the land became part of Pisgah National Forest, a cattle trail crossed the creek near the top of the falls, and stray cattle sometimes went over the edge.
Nearby
Rockhouse Creek Falls is about 0.5 mile away, with no maintained trail. Cedar Rock Falls is about 1 mile away, Sliding Rock about 1.4 miles, and Looking Glass Falls about 1.6 miles.
Distances are straight-line.