ALMOND FINGER LAKE
Easy Access NANTAHALA GORGE Area
35.3661°N, 83.5553°W
INTO THE WILD · SWIMMING HOLES
Swimming Holes in North Carolina
76 Sites Found Public & Accessible Land
North Carolina's best swimming is in the national forests of the southern Blue Ridge. Sliding Rock in Pisgah National Forest is the most famous: a 60-foot natural waterslide on the Davidson River, staffed by a lifeguard June through Labor Day, $5 parking. Graveyard Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 5,100 feet has cold waterfall pools that hold temperature into August. DuPont State Recreational Forest has multiple swimming access points near Triple Falls and Hooker Falls along the Little River. The Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River in Avery County has serious gorge swimming in one of the most rugged drainages in the southern Appalachians — most of it accessed by unmaintained roads.
Always check current conditions before visiting — water levels, algae advisories, and access roads change seasonally. Never swim alone in remote sites. Tell someone your plans. Explore all swimming holes on the Trek4Free map →
Hike In
BEAR CREEK LAKE
Moderate Hike BEAR CREEK Area
35.2436°N, 83.0642°W
BIG CREEK
Easy Access
35.7501°N, 83.1103°W
BIG EAST FORK
Moderate Hike SLIDING ROCK Area
35.3613°N, 82.8144°W
BIG LAUREL CREEK AREA
Moderate Hike
35.9011°N, 82.7703°W
BIG LAUREL FALLS
Moderate Hike
35.0273°N, 83.4920°W
BOBBITT HOLE
Moderate Hike
36.0500°N, 78.9876°W
BULLHOLE
Easy Access
35.8073°N, 80.5634°W
CAROLINA HEMLOCK
Easy Access MOUNT MITCHELL Area
35.8045°N, 82.2044°W
CASHIERS SLIDING ROCK
Easy Access CASwimming HoleIERS Area
35.0754°N, 83.1088°W
COONTREE RECREATION AREA
Easy Access
35.2894°N, 82.7654°W
COURTHOUSE FALLS
Moderate Hike LOOKING GLASS ROCK Area
35.2714°N, 82.8942°W
COVE CREEK TUBS
Moderate Hike SLIDING ROCK Area
35.2858°N, 82.8172°W
DANIEL RIDGE
Moderate Hike
35.2859°N, 82.8288°W
DAVIDSON RIVER CAMPGROUND
Easy Access SLIDING ROCK Area
35.2868°N, 82.7342°W
DEEP BOTTOM
Moderate Hike
34.7842°N, 77.8380°W
DEEP CREEK
Moderate Hike DEEP CREEK Area
35.4691°N, 83.4294°W
ELK RIVER FALLS
Easy Access
36.1990°N, 81.9693°W
ELK SHOALS
Easy Access
36.3665°N, 81.4319°W
ELLICOTT ROCK
Moderate Hike CASwimming HoleIERS Area
35.0023°N, 83.1091°W
ENO QUARRY
Moderate Hike
36.0428°N, 78.9998°W
FALLS LAKE S. R. A.
Easy Access
36.0117°N, 78.6880°W
FIRES CREEK
Moderate Hike FIRES CREEK Area
35.0756°N, 83.8640°W
FLAT LAUREL CREEK
Moderate Hike LOOKING GLASS ROCK Area
35.3225°N, 82.8919°W
GOOSE CREEK S. P.
Easy Access
35.4819°N, 76.9014°W
GRAGG PRONG FALLS
Moderate Hike WILSON CREEK Area
36.0170°N, 81.7917°W
GRAVEYARD FIELDS
Easy Access LOOKING GLASS ROCK Area
35.3220°N, 82.8280°W
GREEN SPRINGS WATER PARK
Easy Access
35.0844°N, 77.0279°W
GUION FARM ACCESS
Moderate Hike
35.2148°N, 82.5877°W
HARPERS CREEK FALLS
Moderate Hike WILSON CREEK Area
35.9830°N, 81.7800°W
HAW RIVER
Easy Access
35.7738°N, 79.1470°W
HEBRON COLONY FALLS (BOONE FORK TRAIL)
Moderate Hike
36.1544°N, 81.7343°W
HEBRON ROCK
Moderate Hike BOONE Area
36.1398°N, 81.7357°W
HICKORY NUT FALLS
Moderate Hike
35.4401°N, 82.2595°W
HOLLOW FALLS
Moderate Hike
35.0889°N, 82.9621°W
HOOKER FALLS ACCESS
Moderate Hike
35.2024°N, 82.6189°W
HOT SPRINGS RESORT
Easy Access
35.8931°N, 82.8278°W
HUNT FISH FALLS
Moderate Hike WILSON CREEK Area
36.0149°N, 81.8019°W
INDIAN CREEK FALLS
Moderate Hike DEEP CREEK Area
35.4722°N, 83.4258°W
LEATHERWOOD FALLS
Moderate Hike FIRES CREEK Area
35.0964°N, 83.8594°W
LINVILLE GORGE AREA
Moderate Hike
35.8497°N, 81.9189°W
LITTLE UWAHARRIE RIVER
Easy Access
35.7640°N, 80.0030°W
LOOKING GLASS FALLS
Easy Access SLIDING ROCK Area
35.2964°N, 82.7681°W
LOWER FALLS
Moderate Hike
36.3794°N, 81.0404°W
MCGALLIARD FALLS PARK
Easy Access LAKE JAMES Area
35.7660°N, 81.5682°W
MIDDLE FALLS
Moderate Hike
36.3816°N, 81.0395°W
MIDNIGHT HOLE
Moderate Hike BIG CREEK Area
35.7370°N, 83.1290°W
MOUSE CREEK FALLS
Moderate Hike BIG CREEK Area
35.7342°N, 83.1339°W
NEUSE RIVER
Easy Access
34.9843°N, 76.9488°W
NEW HOLE
Easy Access BOONE Area
36.2709°N, 81.5916°W
NEW HOPE CREEK
Moderate Hike
35.9894°N, 79.0168°W
NORTH MILLS RIVER
Easy Access
35.4086°N, 82.6486°W
POOL ON BIG CREEK
Moderate Hike BIG CREEK Area
35.7377°N, 83.1430°W
QUEENS LAKE
Easy Access NANTAHALA GORGE Area
35.2775°N, 83.6566°W
RAINBOW FALLS
Moderate Hike
35.0906°N, 82.9661°W
ROCKY BLUFF
Easy Access
35.8614°N, 82.8436°W
SCHOOLHOUSE FALLS
Moderate Hike CASwimming HoleIERS Area
35.1631°N, 83.0067°W
SENNET HOLE
Moderate Hike
36.0701°N, 78.9185°W
SILVER RUN FALLS
Easy Access CASwimming HoleIERS Area
35.0661°N, 83.0656°W
SKINNY DIP FALLS
Moderate Hike LOOKING GLASS ROCK Area
35.3225°N, 82.8336°W
SLIDING ROCK
Easy Access SLIDING ROCK Area
35.2904°N, 82.7643°W
SNAKE PIT
Easy Access BOONE Area
36.2533°N, 81.8362°W
SOUTH MOUNTAINS S. P.
Moderate Hike
35.5944°N, 81.6424°W
STEELE CREEK FALLS
Moderate Hike WILSON CREEK Area
35.9125°N, 81.8389°W
SUNBURST
Easy Access
35.3700°N, 82.9403°W
TRASH CAN FALLS
Easy Access BOONE Area
36.2522°N, 81.8342°W
TURTLEBACK FALLS
Moderate Hike
35.0925°N, 82.9664°W
UNNAMED HOLE
Moderate Hike BIG CREEK Area
35.7368°N, 83.1289°W
UPPER CREEK FALLS
Moderate Hike WILSON CREEK Area
35.9470°N, 81.8190°W
UPPER CULLASAJA FALLS
Easy Access CASwimming HoleIERS Area
35.1168°N, 83.2707°W
WHALEBACK
Easy Access SLIDING ROCK Area
35.2819°N, 82.8167°W
WHITE LAKE
Easy Access
34.6408°N, 78.4986°W
WIDOWS CREEK FALLS
Moderate Hike
36.3994°N, 81.0711°W
WILSON CREEK GORGE
Easy Access WILSON CREEK Area
35.9130°N, 81.7279°W
WINKLERS CREEK
Easy Access BOONE Area
36.1959°N, 81.6773°W
WOLF CREEK LAKE
Easy Access BEAR CREEK Area
35.2273°N, 82.9983°W