Rainbow Falls
North Carolina · 128-foot drop · Nantahala National Forest · Last verified 2026-05-15
Flow at Rainbow Falls is 132 cfs today, around its seasonal average.
Right now
Streamflow
132 cfs
FRENCH BROAD RIVER AT · 1h ago
Overnight
67°F
Mostly Cloudy
Saturday
81°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Today's daylight
Sunrise 6:17 AM · Sunset 8:46 PM · 14h 30m
Snapshot built 5m ago. Sources: USGS · NWS GSP.
No verified photo yet
Rainbow Falls is a waterfall in Transylvania County, North Carolina. It drops roughly 128 feet. Access details and conditions have not yet been verified in person by Fallspots — the data on this page comes from OpenStreetMap and USGS GNIS.
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 03439000 · 8.8 mi away
FRENCH BROAD RIVER AT ROSMAN, NC
View live discharge data →
30-day streamflow
Below 30-day average↻ Same date last year: 224 cfs · 63% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Falls (this page) | — | 128 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Turtleback Falls | 0 mi | 13 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Drift Falls | 0 mi | 33 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Stairway Falls | 1 mi | 39 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Sidepocket Falls | 1 mi | 49 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Little Falls | 1 mi | — | — | Y | Free |
Related waterfalls
Similar height (~128 ft)
- Upper Proxy Falls129 ft
- Wahclella Falls127 ft
- Buzzard Roost Falls130 ft
- Paradise Falls126 ft
- Alkali Falls131 ft
Questions visitors ask about Rainbow 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 Rainbow Falls?
Rainbow Falls is 128 feet (39 m) tall. Height is sourced from OSM.
Is Rainbow Falls in a national or state park?
Yes — Rainbow Falls is inside Nantahala 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 Rainbow Falls?
Yes — dogs are allowed (Nantahala 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 Rainbow Falls?
No entrance fee. Nantahala National Forest is free to access. Some trailheads may charge a parking fee separately.
How far is Rainbow Falls from a major city?
Rainbow Falls is 8 miles from Cashiers (about 11 minutes' drive).
More waterfalls in North Carolina
Where it is
35.0909, -82.9660
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 Rainbow 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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