Fallspots

Catawba Falls

North Carolina · height not recorded · Pisgah National Forest · Last verified 2026-05-15

Right now

Tonight

64°F

Mostly Clear

Monday

87°F

Sunny

Today's daylight

Sunrise 6:22 AM · Sunset 8:28 PM · 14h 5m

AQI: 83 (Moderate) · PM2.5 5.7 µg/m³

Snapshot built 2d ago. Sources: NWS GSP.

Catawba Falls, a waterfall in North Carolina
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (see image page for full attribution)

Catawba Falls is a waterfall in North Carolina. Height has not been officially recorded. Access details and conditions have not yet been verified in person by Fallspots — the data on this page comes from OpenStreetMap and USGS GNIS.

Catawba Falls is a series of waterfalls on the headwaters of the Catawba River, in McDowell County, near Old Fort, North Carolina.

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.

WaterfallDistanceHeightTrailDogsFee
Catawba Falls (this page)YFree
Lower Catawaba Falls0 miYFree
Upper Catawba Falls0 miYFree
Davids Falls1 miYFree
Graybeard Falls5 mi
Slick Falls6 mi

Questions visitors ask about Catawba Falls

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

Is Catawba Falls in a national or state park?

Yes — Catawba Falls is inside Pisgah National Forest. We inferred this from OpenStreetMap protected-area polygons; if you find we got the boundary wrong, please report it. See the park page for fees, hours, and current conditions.

Can I bring my dog to Catawba Falls?

Yes — dogs are allowed (Pisgah National Forest permits leashed dogs in most areas). Inferred from park type; check the official site for trail-specific restrictions. Always leash and pack out waste.

Is there a fee to visit Catawba Falls?

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

How far is Catawba Falls from a major city?

Catawba Falls is 4 miles from Old Fort (about 6 minutes' drive).

More waterfalls in North Carolina

Where it is

35.6040, -82.2452

Sources and live status

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

Last verified by Fallspots: 2026-05-15

Been there?

Marina and Theo verify pages one road trip at a time. If you've been to Catawba 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).

We don't collect your email. Replies go directly to hello@fallspots.com.