Second Falls is a 55-foot tiered waterfall on Yellowstone Prong of the East Fork Pigeon River in Graveyard Fields, Haywood County, North Carolina. A short stairway from the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 418.8 reaches its base.
The falls
Yellowstone Prong rises in Graveyard Fields, a valley about a mile high, and leaves it over Second Falls in three steep, stepped cascades. Lidar data agrees with the long-cited height of 55 feet. The falls are also called Little Yellowstone Falls and Lower Falls, to set them apart from Upper Falls farther up the valley.
Getting there
The Graveyard Fields overlook sits at milepost 418.8 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and there is no Parkway entrance fee. The park puts Second Falls a third of a mile from the trailhead on a moderately steep spur; Pisgah Base Camp describes 0.6 mile round trip with 124 feet of gain on steps, asphalt and boardwalk. The land is part of Pisgah National Forest.
Parking is tight, especially on weekends. Arrive early, park only where roadside signs allow, and if the lot is full, visit another part of the Parkway: cars left in restricted spots have rolled down the steep embankment. The February 2026 trail list shows the Graveyard Fields loop open, with a caution that damage from Hurricane Helene may leave unseen hazards. This stretch of the Parkway can close in winter for ice and snow.
When to go
Graveyard Fields is a very popular area and gets busy by midday in summer and fall, so early starts are quieter. Wild blueberries ripen in the surrounding meadows from late July through August.
On site
Stairs lead to a viewpoint at the base. The pool makes a summer swimming hole with cold water and slippery rocks. Climbing on the rocks near the falls, which are slick with mist and algae, and wading in the stream above any waterfall are both warned against. Leashed dogs are allowed, and the trailhead has toilets. Camping is not permitted anywhere in Graveyard Fields; the nearest Park Service campground is seasonal Mount Pisgah.
History and name
Competing explanations for the name Graveyard Fields exist: a windstorm that uprooted trees, or early 20th-century logging, left mossy stumps that looked like gravestones. Fire later burned the stumps away.
Nearby
Yellowstone Falls is about 0.3 mile away, and Skinny Dip Falls about 0.7 mile, both on Yellowstone Prong. Upper Falls, about 1.1 miles up the valley, is reached by the longer, rockier loop through Graveyard Fields.
Distances are straight-line.