Toxaway Falls is a 275-foot tiered cascade on the Toxaway River in Transylvania County, North Carolina, where US 64 crosses the river right at the top of the falls. Its bare rock face is a scar from 1916, when the dam upstream failed and Lake Toxaway emptied down the gorge.
The falls
Also known as High Falls, the river forms a long series of sliding cascades stretching about 1,350 feet below the bridge. The largest drop, about 115 feet, comes near the top; below it the river runs through four tiers separated by small pools, and the lower ones merge into continuous cascades. Earlier surveys listed 246 feet, while other regional guidebooks give measurements of 301 feet and 150 feet.
Getting there
The falls are on the US 64 and NC 281 bridge, 0.4 mile west of where NC 281 turns off to the north and about 16 miles west of downtown Brevard. There is a gravel pullout by the bridge but no marked parking spaces, and from the parking side visitors cross US 64 on foot to reach the walkways along both sides of the bridge.
The river marks the property line: Gorges State Park owns one bank, while the other is private land. There is no official trail to the lower tiers.
When to go
It is recommended as a winter stop, and normal seasonal flow is noticeably lower than after heavy rain.
On site
The main view is from the bridge walkways, looking down the falls and across the multicolored rock slope into Gorges State Park. A short scramble path on river left reaches the base of the small first drop. Reaching the base of the main drop requires a difficult bushwhack, and the easiest way down to the lower tiers, over exposed rock on river right, means crossing the river. Wet rock along the descent is extremely slippery.
History and name
On August 13, 1916, after about 24 inches of rain, the earthen dam at Lake Toxaway failed. Most of the lake poured down the gorge, stripping the vegetation and leaving the bedrock that forms the falls today. The state geological account reports no known deaths. The dam was not rebuilt until 1960.
Nearby
Twin Falls, also on the Toxaway River, is about 0.4 mile away, and The Narrows about 0.8 mile. Old Mill Falls on Indian Creek is about 1.1 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.