Waterfalls & Hiking at Lake Glenville, NC

Let’s face it, 2020 has been a stressful year. Some friends and I decided we needed a break, so we rented a house on Lake Glenville for a long weekend. Lake Glenville is in Western North Carolina near Highlands and Cashiers. As with many mountain houses, the cell coverage and internet at our place was spotty, but that was exactly what we needed. It helped us put down our phones and enjoy the beautiful world right outside our door.
 

To be completely honest, I would have been perfectly content to sit on the back deck all weekend enjoying the food and the view. However, the house came with kayaks and they eventually tempted us to get out on the lake. Had it been up to Marco, we would have spent the whole weekend on the kayaks fishing . However, we finally motivated to adventure out from the lake to do a few hikes and check out some of the area’s waterfalls. The highlights are below – I highly recommend that you check them out!

Regardless of which outdoor activities you decide to fill your day with, you absolutely MUST end the day making s’mores by the fire. Did I mention we ate well on our trip? I highly recommend traveling with friends who like to cook…

Hikes and Waterfalls

Bridal Veil Falls. The easiest waterfall to see is Bridal Veil Falls. It is right on Hwy 64 just outside of Highlands. There is a small parking area where you can stop for a photo op or to walk under the falls (or both).

Dry Falls. A little further down Hwy 64 from Bridal Veil Falls is Dry Falls. From the parking area you can take a short walk down the stairs to the falls. The path takes you behind the falls which is fun. If stairs aren’t for you – don’t fear. There is an observation deck right off the parking lot that has a great view of the falls, too.

High Falls. My favorite hike was High Falls trail near the north end of Lake Glenville. It is just under 4 miles round trip and you are treated to 2 different water falls along the trail. The smaller of the falls is about two-thirds of the way in. It is lovely, but the grand finale is at the end of the trail – breath taking falls, rocks to scramble over, and pools filled with salamanders to watch.

Waterfalls on Lake Glenville. While exploring on the kayaks we found one of the waterfalls on Lake Glenville right around the corner from our cove. There are 4 falls on the lake and they are best viewed by boat. If you don’t have a boat, there you can book a waterfall tour to take you to them.

Whiteside Mountain Loop Trail. On the way out of town we decided we wanted to squeeze in the Whiteside Mountain Loop Trail. There were no waterfalls on this hike, but it has amazing view as you walk along the crest of the mountain. It was a great way to finish out our weekend. Along the cliff tops there are several spots where you could sit down for a picnic with a view, so bring Foodyour lunch!

Highlights from our meals