Soco Falls

Height: 50 feet
Trail Type: Dirt
Hike Distance: 100 yards
Difficulty: 9
Beauty: 8

Overview:

Soco Falls is actually at the point of two different creeks coming together, both dropping 50 feet and continuing on their way. For years, it was a dangerous scramble just to get to a decent overlook since the falls are really close to the highway. However, in recent years, the Department of Transportation has done a lot of work in the area to make it safer.

Directions:

From the intersection of US 19 and US 441 in Cherokee, drive north on US 19 for 10.6 miles to the obvious pullout on the right. If you’re coming from Maggie Valley or the Blue Ridge Parkway, the pullout is on the left 1.5 miles after the intersection with the Parkway.

Hike Description:

The trail begins on the other side of the guardrail and descends on a moderate slope to a nice wooden deck for a solid view of the falls. If this was the only way to see the falls, both the hike difficulty and beauty rating would be lower. However, enough people have visited these falls that their collective efforts have blazed a scramble path down to the base. Someone was even nice enough to tie some rope between the trees to give you something to hold onto as you crawl down.