Glen Falls
| Trailhead Coordinates | 35.033293, -83.235888 |
| Waterfall Coordinates | 35.030789, -83.2388414 |
| Waterfall Height | Upper: 70 ft (21.3 m) Middle: 60 ft (18.3 m) Lower: 15 ft (4.6 m) |
| Hike Distance (round trip to middle falls) | 1.5 mi (2.4 km) |
| Elevation Gain | 420 ft (128 m) |
| Rating (out of 10) | 9.5 |
Glen Falls is a triple waterfall near Highlands, NC. It is a little more than 2 miles round trip if you visit all three falls. I did not visit the lower falls and I believe my total round trip was around 1.2 miles. There are observation decks at the upper two falls.
I would consider the hike to be easy to moderate. The hardest part is that since it's entirely downhill to the falls, it is entirely uphill to get back to your car. You gain over 400 feet in the 0.6 mile hike out. Not difficult, but some may need to take their time.
During my visit I only encountered a couple other groups. I suspect it would be a little more busy on a weekend, but I can't imagine it would be overly busy. There are many other waterfalls in the area that are more easily accessible, and I would believe those falls would garner more attention from people simply seeking to view a waterfall or two.
Unfortunately on this trip, I did not get a log of the hike, so the map below is only of the location.
As for my rating of the falls, it was one of my favorites. I suspect it is so because I got one of my best waterfall pictures during my visit. This hike has so much going for it to make it worth your time. It's a short hike, the trailhead is easy to get to and it's close to a cute mountain town, and most importantly, it's a very beautiful waterfall. I would rate it 9.5/10.
Side note: While passing through Highlands, if you are hungry, I very much enjoyed my visit to The Ugly Dog Public House.
