With hundreds of overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway, there’s one… yes one that really stands out. Will you get to see long-range views of those beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains? Well, there are plenty of other overlooks where you can truly gawk at the mountains, but what you will see here is extraordinary. Go check out the best park in North Carolina and take a short hike into the woods to find yourself standing in a stone box overlook only a few feet from a 200-foot waterfall.
First, the park itself. It’s found on the Parkway at mile marker 272.5 near Purlear.
Google Maps For reference, if you’re not sure where Purlear is, the park is about 15 miles to the east of Boone.
Ok. We may have implied you wouldn’t get a long-range view but that wasn’t entirely true. There’s a picnic table and a small opening in the tree line where you’ll see those beautiful layers of mountains.
Google/John Gautsche Gawk for a while and then turn to your left and walk to the end of the parking area to look for the start of the trail.
The Cascades Trail is only four-tenths of a mile long. So, it’s only 0.8-miles round trip.
AllTrails/Andi Sparks Prepare to do some heavy work on your way back. There are a lot stairs on the trail but they’re worth every stop. The one-way elevation change is about 50 feet, so about 100 feet round trip. If you have knee issues, bring the hiking sticks if you have ’em.
The hike is short and oh-so very sweet. And in no time at all…
AllTrails/Kirk Larrabee
You’ll be standing (or sitting) in one of the Parkway’s signature stone box overlooks gazing at this 200-foot waterfall that’s only a few feet away.
Google/Rick Nobers
It’s truly a sight to behold!
AllTrails/Vasiliy Biletskyy
Cascade Falls is one of the best waterfalls on the Parkway because the hike is so so short — and because most people stop here and go take a peep through the trees from the picnic table mentioned above and think that’s all there is to see.
Cindy Robinson / Moment Collection via Getty Images They couldn’t be more wrong! Look to the left for the trail to the waterfall. And if you look right, there’s another longer (and much easier) trail that leads to an old homestead.
This little overlook also sports a restroom. But shhh… that’s our little secret!
Google/Rick Nobers
Have you discovered the Cascade Falls Trail in what could be called best park in North Carolina? Fire up some feedback. The best time to see it might be in the fall or winter when the vegetation surrounding the falls isn’t quite so full. Learn more about the trail from our friends over at AllTrails.com.
Google Maps
For reference, if you’re not sure where Purlear is, the park is about 15 miles to the east of Boone.
Google/John Gautsche
Gawk for a while and then turn to your left and walk to the end of the parking area to look for the start of the trail.
AllTrails/Andi Sparks
Prepare to do some heavy work on your way back. There are a lot stairs on the trail but they’re worth every stop. The one-way elevation change is about 50 feet, so about 100 feet round trip. If you have knee issues, bring the hiking sticks if you have ’em.
AllTrails/Kirk Larrabee
Google/Rick Nobers
AllTrails/Vasiliy Biletskyy
Cindy Robinson / Moment Collection via Getty Images
They couldn’t be more wrong! Look to the left for the trail to the waterfall. And if you look right, there’s another longer (and much easier) trail that leads to an old homestead.
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Address: E.B. Jeffress Park-The Cascades Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 272.5, Purlear, NC 28665, USA
