Moore Cove Falls

Worth a detour

Is it plungeworthy?

50feet tall

A plunge on Moore Cove.

Scale41/60

Documentation10/20

Character14/20

The details

Type: Plunge
Watercourse: Moore Cove
Coordinates: 35.31271, -82.77871

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About Moore Cove Falls

Moore Cove Falls is a 50-foot plunge in North Carolina, on Moore Cove.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Moore Cove Falls 6.5/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

A 50-foot ribbon pouring over a rock shelter you can walk behind and stay dry — Pisgah's best family waterfall, at the end of a boardwalk-and-bridge trail built for small legs.

Getting there

Trailhead: Moore Cove trailhead, US-276, Pisgah National Forest north of Sliding Rock
Parking: Roadside lot at the stone bridge
Road: Paved
Hike: 1.4 mi round trip (easy)
Heads up: Observation deck at the falls; the cave-like shelter behind the curtain is the kids' favorite part.

When to go

After rain — the ribbon thins fast in dry weeks; winter freezes it into a hanging icicle chandelier.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: None — free
Dogs: Leashed
Hours: Day use
Warnings: The rock behind the falls is polished and slick; no climbing above the shelter.

Researched from USFS — Moore Cove Trail · USFS — Pisgah Ranger District. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Moore Cove 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.