Photo: 5minutes at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 2.5High Shoals Falls
Worth the drive
Is it plungeworthy?
A 2-tier tiered on Jacob Fork South Fork Catawba River.
The details
- Tiers
- 2 drops
- Type
- Tiered
- Watercourse
- Jacob Fork South Fork Catawba River
- Coordinates
- 35.59421, -81.6355
About High Shoals Falls
High Shoals Falls is a 50-foot tiered in North Carolina, on Jacob Fork South Fork Catawba River. The water falls in 2 distinct tiers.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates High Shoals Falls 8.1/10 — worth the drive. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
An 80-foot crash over bare granite in South Mountains State Park — normally reached by a stair-and-boardwalk loop along the Jacob Fork, and currently reached by no one. Hurricane Helene took an estimated five thousand trees and the falls' viewing structures; the entire High Shoals Falls loop and all waterfall viewing areas remain closed with no reopening date. Debris clearing finished in spring 2026 and the rebuild is in design. The rest of the park is largely open — the waterfall isn't.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Jacob Fork parking area, South Mountains State Park, Connelly Springs — falls loop CLOSED
- Parking
- Park lots open; the falls trail is barricaded
- Road
- Paved to the park
- Heads up
- Headquarters, Shinny, and Possum trails at Jacob Fork are also closed. Most other park trails are open — ask at the visitor center.
When to go
When it reopens: spring flow and fall color made this Burke County's favorite half-day. Watch ncparks.gov for the reopening.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- None — state park
- Dogs
- Leashed (6-foot max), when open
- Hours
- Park 7am–9pm summer, shorter off-season
- Camping
- Family and backpack camping at Jacob Fork (some sites rerouted)
- Warnings
- Closed area — the viewing-structure zone is a hazard site, not a shortcut. Swimming at the falls was banned long before Helene; deaths happened here in normal years.
Researched from NC State Parks — South Mountains reopening status · NC State Parks — South Mountains State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to High Shoals Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Before you go
The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.
Common questions
How tall is High Shoals Falls?
High Shoals Falls drops about 50 feet across 2 tiers, in North Carolina.
Where is High Shoals Falls?
High Shoals Falls is a waterfall in North Carolina, at 35.59421, -81.6355.
Is High Shoals Falls worth visiting?
Worth the drive — Plungeworthy rates it 8.1/10.
Gear for the trip
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