4 Best Waterfalls in Marion, NC

July 13th, 2023 by

There is beauty all around us in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Here, in Marion, we have the advantage of being just a short drive from some of the most stunning waterfalls the area has to offer. Read on to learn about some of our favorite waterfalls to visit. You might enjoy the ride even more in a brand-new vehicle from our inventory.

Linville Falls

Linville Falls is perhaps the most famous waterfall along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s located just 23 miles from Marion and feeds into Linville Gorge, which is known as “The Grand Canyon of the Southern Appalachians.” The gorge and falls are accessed via the Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic road that winds through the Appalachian Mountains for miles and offers plenty of beautiful views of its own.

The entrance road to the  Linville Visitor Center is located at milepost 316.4. It’s open seasonally from May through October, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. There you can learn about the history of the area, locate one of 70 camping spots, or find a picnic site for day use.  The rangers can help you decide which of the hikes might suit you best:

Erwins View Trail

This 1.6-mile round-trip trail is a moderate hike offering walkers four views of the falls. The first overlook is a half-mile from the visitor center and has a view of the Linville River cascading over the upper falls. The next overlook is Chimney Rock, 0.7 miles from the Visitors Center, and is the first view of the upper and lower falls. It’s a great spot for photos and is named for the chimney-like rock formations on the right of the waterfall. This is the most strenuous part of the hike, with a significant elevation change.

At Gorge View Overlook, hikers can see the Linville River. The trail ends at Erwin View Overlook, 0.8 miles from the Visitor Center, and offers a distant view of the falls and a panoramic view of the gorge.

Linville Gorge Trail

This strenuous trail offers two destinations: the Linville Gorge (1.4-mile round trip) and Plunge Basin (1-mile round trip). The trail begins 0.2 miles from the Visitor Center; the right fork goes to Plunge Basin Overlook, where you can view the lower falls and the chimneys, and the left fork follows rock cliffs to the large pool at the bottom of the falls. Swimming and climbing on the rocks is prohibited.

Tom’s Creek Falls Trail

The trailhead to Tom’s Creek Falls is just 7 miles from downtown Marion and located inside the Pisgah National Forest, one of four national forests in North Carolina. Tom’s Creek Falls is an 60-foot cascading feature with multiple levels and pools on the way down. It flows into a typically shallow rock basin pool of clear water where adults and children can cool off on a hot day.

You can access the 1-mile round-trip, moderate trail via a small parking lot off Huskins Branch Road. The hike is popular, so the parking can fill up quickly. It’s relatively flat with a crushed gravel surface about 5 feet wide until almost the end, where it follows switchbacks with a slight incline. Views of the creek all along the trail sparkle with mica, a natural resource.

Camping is allowed at primitive sites along the trail, with a maximum stay of 14 days. There are no trash receptacles, no bathrooms, and no freshwater access, so plan accordingly and leave no trace of trash behind.

Crabtree Falls

Crabtree Falls is located about 22 miles from Marion in the Black Mountains. You access the parking lot at the trailhead via the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 339.5, a few miles past the town of Little Switzerland. The trail is a 2.5-mile loop rated moderate to strenuous, with rocky terrain and a steep incline. The shorter (0.9 miles) section of the loop is not as steep as the longer section (1.6 miles).

It begins by descending through a forest of oaks and hickory and passes through a thicket of rhododendrons and mountain laurel, spectacular in bloom in the summer. The waterfall is at the bottom of the trail, with stairs, rocks, and some muddy sections. A 60-foot stream of water cascades over the rocks into the creek below. You can return on the same trail, or you can complete the loop with a moderately steep climb to the ridge and a more level walk along Crabtree Creek back to the campground. From there, follow the signs to where you started.

There are portable toilets in the parking lot and a restroom open seasonally at the picnic area at Milepost 340.2. Camping is allowed at the Crabtree Falls Campground, which has 84 sites and can accommodate tents, RVs, and trailers, with a tent pad, picnic table, grill, fire ring, and lantern post. There are three bathrooms with toilets and sinks, but no showers or hot water.

Roaring Fork Falls

Located about 19 miles from Marion on Busick Work Center Road in Burnsville, the Roaring Fork Falls Trail takes you to the beautiful and scenic waterfall in the Pisgah National Forest. The 100-foot falls follow a gentler slope than the crashing water of Linville, with turns, slides, and cascades that feed a clear pool at the base. It’s accessed via an easy 1.4-mile out-and-back hike with only 90 feet of elevation change.

Wildflowers, moss, old-growth forest, and World War II-era concrete structures line the trail. There are no bathrooms available, and dogs are allowed on leashes.

Ready To See Some Waterfalls?

There you have four recommendations of waterfalls within a short drive of Marion. Are there any that we missed? We’d love for you to contact us and share where you love to see waterfalls in our area. If your car is running a bit too ragged to make the climb on the Blue Ridge Parkway, feel free to schedule an appointment for service with us, and we’ll get you ready to hit the trails.

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