Looking Glass Falls, located near Brevard NC in Pisgah National Forest is one of the most popular waterfalls in The Blue Ridge Mountains and the most visited waterfall in North Carolina.
Not only is Looking Glass Falls large and beautiful, the falls are literally right next to a main road, making accessibility easy. Looking Glass Falls is visible from the road, and getting an even better view is just a very short walk down some stairs.
Updated: 5/4/2022
Looking Glass Falls Details |
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Location: On Highway 276, outside of Brevard NC in Pisgah National Forest |
Roundtrip Distance: Short walk |
Difficulty: Easy |
Handicap Accessible: Yes, with assistance. |
Dog Friendly: Yes |
Features: Waterfall, swimming |
Directions: Take US 276 North from Brevard for six miles. Or take U.S. 276 South from the Blue Ridge Parkway for about 10 miles. There is a long parking area along US 276 |
Recommended Gear: Digital camera and be sure to bring a bathing suit, towels and water shoes if you think you might want to swim below the falls. |
Looking Glass Falls, Pisgah National Forest NC
Looking Glass Falls is named after Looking Glass Rock, as the creek the Falls is on is also called Looking Glass Creek, which flows past Looking Glass Rock.
Looking Glass Rock is a very large Mountain/Rock, visible from of the Parkway. During the winter, it's rock faces often get covered with ice, giving the appearance of a "looking glass", especially in the early mornings.

Looking Glass Falls is located in the Cradle of Forestry area of Pisgah National Forest, near Brevard NC. This area was previously part of Biltmore Estate, and was sold off to the federal government after George Vanderbilt's passing. Logging Railroads used to come right by the waterfalls.
Looking Glass Falls is nearly roadside. The parking area is alongside Highway 276, and often full during peak season. Be prepared to walk a bit up to the falls.
From the parking lot , you can get a nice view of the falls without having to walk down any stairs, making this handicap accessible. For a better view. walk down the short flight of stairs to the observation deck. Here's the view from the deck:

From the deck, you can climb down onto the rocks, and get to the bottom of the falls, which is a popular place for wading and swimming during the summer.
Going down below the falls is a popular place for photographers, and provides the best view of the falls and of the Looking Glass Creek, as you can see in the photo below.
Mornings are not a good time for photos at Looking Glass, as the sun comes up directly behind the Falls. You'll want to visit during very early morning, late afternoon, or preferably on a cloudy day.
During the summer, the creek area below the falls is often full of families and children, wading, swimming and playing the water. Just be very careful, the rocks can be slick and people have gotten injured here from falling.

Looking Glass Falls is a gorgeous 50 foot waterfall that should definitely be on your list of things to see while visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Looking Glass Falls is open year-round for viewing.
Looking Glass Falls in the Movies!
Some of you may recognize this waterfall from the blockbuster movie Hacksaw Ridge. To our knowledge, this is the only documented appearance of this waterfall in a Hollywood movie, but tell us in the comments if you know of others.
Our Waterfall Guides
See our full guides to more than 40 waterfalls in the Blue Ridge Mountains, on our Waterfalls Page. Information, Directions, Photos, Video, and more!
Nearby Waterfalls:
- Sliding Rock is just a short drive up the road, and visiting both makes for a great day outing.
- Moore Cove Falls - While you need to hike, it's not too long, easy, and the falls are beautiful. You can stand under them.
- Cedar Rock Falls, Upper Cedar Rock Falls, and Grogan Creek Falls - All three falls are along a really nice hiking trail into Pisgah National Forest.