Bridal Veil Falls

North Carolina · 60-foot drop · Nantahala National Forest · Last verified 2026-05-23

Flow at Bridal Veil Falls is 51 cfs today, around its seasonal average.

Right now

Streamflow

50.8 cfs

CHATTOOGA RIVER AT BURRELLS · 1h ago

Overnight

63°F

Patchy Fog

Tuesday

84°F

Areas Of Fog then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Today's daylight

Sunrise 6:38 AM · Sunset 8:39 PM · 14h 1m

AQI: 67 (Moderate) · PM2.5 17.1 µg/m³

Snapshot built 14m ago. Sources: USGS · NWS GSP.

Bridal Veil Falls is a 60-foot roadside curtain on a Cullasaja River tributary, 2.5 miles west of Highlands on the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway. For generations it was the only North Carolina waterfall you could drive behind — the old road bend tucked under the curtain is still there, but cars were stopped a few years back. You can still walk behind it. Wheelchair-accessible from the pullout. Best after rain; thin in dry stretches.

Bridal Veil Falls is a 45-foot (13.7 m) waterfall located in the Nantahala National Forest, northwest of Highlands, North Carolina. With a short curve of roadway located behind the falls, it had the distinction of being the only waterfall in the state that one could drive a vehicle under, however this has since been closed and is now used for pedestrian access only.
— Wikipedia, “Bridal Veil Falls”

A short history

For decades a section of US-64 looped behind the falls, making this the only North Carolina waterfall you could drive a vehicle under. The road was closed to automobiles in the 2010s for safety reasons but remains open to pedestrians.

The trail

0 miles each way, rated easy. Designated pullout on US-64 (Mountain Waters Scenic Byway), 2.5 mi west of Highlands. Free.

Sources disagree on height

Different sources report different values for this waterfall's drop. We list them all so you can judge. Our headline number is the one we consider best-sourced.

Source	Height	Note
OSM	60 ft · 18.3 m	—
Wikipedia	45 ft · 13.7 m	Wikipedia lists 45 ft; OSM 60 ft. Difference depends on whether you measure the main drop or the full visible cascade.

Is the water flowing right now?

Most waterfall sites don't tell you this. The waterfall itself is almost never gauged, but a USGS streamgage in the same watershed can tell you whether snowmelt has started, peaked, or run dry.

USGS gage 02176930 · 9.3 mi away
CHATTOOGA RIVER AT BURRELLS FORD, NR PINE MTN, GA
View live discharge data →

30-day streamflow

Below 30-day average

2026-06-28 · low 43.1 cfstoday 50.4 cfs · avg 70.9 cfs

↻ Same date last year: 69.5 cfs · 73% of last year — significantly drier

Compare to nearby falls

If this one isn't the right fit, here's how it stacks up against the closest documented falls. Every column is filterable on the site — not buried in 13,000 reviews.

Waterfall	Distance	Height	Trail	Dogs	Fee
Bridal Veil Falls (this page)	—	60 ft	easy	Y	Free
Kalakaleskies Falls	0 mi	—	—	Y	Free
Sequoah Falls	0 mi	—	—	Y	Free
Dry Falls	1 mi	—	—	Y	Free
Laurel Falls	1 mi	—	—	Y	Free
Naiad Falls	1 mi	—	—	Y	Free

Side-by-side comparisons

Bridal Veil Falls compared head-to-head with other documented falls — height, access, fees, dogs, swimmability in one row each.

Related waterfalls

Similar height (~60 ft)

Same best season in North Carolina

Questions visitors ask about Bridal Veil Falls

Answers built from our structured data. If a question isn't here, the fact is unverified — we'd rather omit than guess.

How tall is Bridal Veil Falls?

Bridal Veil Falls is 60 feet (18.3 m) tall. Source heights disagree by source — see the discrepancy box on the page.

Is Bridal Veil Falls in a national or state park?

Yes — Bridal Veil Falls is inside Nantahala National Forest. See the park page for fees, hours, and current conditions.

Can I bring my dog to Bridal Veil Falls?

Yes — dogs are allowed (Nantahala National Forest permits leashed dogs in most areas). Always leash and pack out waste.

Is Bridal Veil Falls wheelchair accessible?

Yes — Bridal Veil Falls has a wheelchair-accessible viewing area with ADA parking. Conditions can change seasonally; verify with the land manager before driving.

Can you swim at Bridal Veil Falls?

No — swimming is not safe or not allowed at Bridal Veil Falls. This is a thin roadside curtain — no pool to swim in. The draw is being able to walk (formerly drive) behind it.

When is the best time to visit Bridal Veil Falls?

Peak flow is typically March, April, May, October, November, December. Season-wise: spring, fall, winter. Snowmelt and recent rain affect day-to-day volume.

Is there a fee to visit Bridal Veil Falls?

No entrance fee. Nantahala National Forest is free to access. Some trailheads may charge a parking fee separately.

How far is Bridal Veil Falls from a major city?

Bridal Veil Falls is 2 miles from Highlands (about 3 minutes' drive).

More waterfalls in North Carolina

Where it is

35.0719, -83.2289

Sources and live status

Where we got the data, and where to check current conditions before you drive.

Last verified by Fallspots: 2026-05-23

Been there?

Marina and Theo verify pages one road trip at a time. If you've been to Bridal Veil Falls recently, your local knowledge improves the page for everyone. Pick the kind of contribution that fits — every email lands in our inbox and gets read (and credited when we publish).

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