Hooker Falls
North Carolina · 12-foot drop · DuPont State Recreational Forest · Last verified 2026-06-26
Hooker Falls is running at 353 cfs — well above seasonal normal.
Right now
Streamflow
353 cfs
FRENCH BROAD RIVER AT · 1h ago
Overnight
64°F
Mostly Cloudy
Tuesday
88°F
Chance Rain Showers
Today's daylight
Sunrise 6:36 AM · Sunset 8:37 PM · 14h 1m
Snapshot built 10m ago. Sources: USGS · NWS GSP.
Hooker Falls is a 12-foot wide block waterfall on the Little River in DuPont State Recreational Forest, just outside Brevard, North Carolina. The short 0.4-mile (each way) wide gravel trail makes it one of the most accessible waterfall hikes in western NC — wheelchair accessible to the observation deck, family-friendly for the rest. The swimming hole below is a summer favorite. Often combined with Triple Falls (0.4 mi away) and High Falls (0.7 mi) for a three-waterfall loop.
The trail
0.8 miles each way, rated easy with 50 feet of elevation gain. Hooker Falls Access Area parking lot off Staton Road. Free. Two designated accessible spaces. Overflow lot available.
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 03443000 · 6.7 mi away
FRENCH BROAD RIVER AT BLANTYRE, NC
View live discharge data →
30-day streamflow
Above 30-day average↻ Same date last year: 446 cfs · 94% of last year — similar
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hooker Falls (this page) | — | 12 ft | easy · 0.8 mi | Y | Free |
| Triple Falls | 0 mi | — | — | — | — |
| High Falls | 1 mi | — | — | — | — |
| Grassy Creek Falls | 1 mi | — | — | — | — |
| Christmas Falls | 1 mi | — | — | — | — |
| Merry Falls | 1 mi | — | — | — | — |
Related waterfalls
Similar height (~12 ft)
- Falls Creek Falls12 ft
- Hamilton Falls12 ft
- Katy Falls12 ft
- Kelly Falls12 ft
- Lower Punch Bowl Falls12 ft
Questions visitors ask about Hooker 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 Hooker Falls?
Hooker Falls is 12 feet (3.7 m) tall. Height is sourced from NC Waterfalls.
Is Hooker Falls in a national or state park?
Yes — Hooker Falls is inside DuPont State Recreational Forest. See the park page for fees, hours, and current conditions.
Can I bring my dog to Hooker Falls?
Yes — dogs are allowed (DuPont State Recreational Forest permits leashed dogs in most areas). Always leash and pack out waste.
Is Hooker Falls wheelchair accessible?
Yes — Hooker 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 Hooker Falls?
Hooker Falls has a swimmable area. The wide pool below the falls is one of DuPont State Forest's most popular swimming holes in summer. Calm shallow areas for kids and deeper spots downstream of the falls.
When is the best time to visit Hooker Falls?
Peak flow is typically May, June, July, August, September, October. Season-wise: spring, summer, fall. Snowmelt and recent rain affect day-to-day volume.
Is there a fee to visit Hooker Falls?
No entrance fee. DuPont State Recreational Forest is free to access. Some trailheads may charge a parking fee separately.
How far is Hooker Falls from a major city?
Hooker Falls is 7 miles from Brevard (about 12 minutes' drive).
More waterfalls in North Carolina
Where it is
35.2018, -82.6234
Sources and live status
Where we got the data, and where to check current conditions before you drive.
Official land manager
https://www.dupontforest.com/explore/hooker-falls/
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooker_Falls
Last verified by Fallspots: 2026-06-26
Been there?
Marina and Theo verify pages one road trip at a time. If you've been to Hooker 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).
Add a tip
Something we should know — best time, parking trick, that hidden viewpoint.
Share a photo
Have a CC-licensed image on Wikimedia or Flickr? Send the link.
Report a fix
Wrong height, closed trail, broken link — tell us what we got wrong.
We don't collect your email. Replies go directly to hello@fallspots.com.