Windy Falls
North Carolina · 197-foot drop · Nantahala National Forest · Last verified 2026-05-15
Flow at Windy Falls is 70 cfs today, around its seasonal average.
Right now
Streamflow
69.7 cfs
FRENCH BROAD RIVER AT · 35m ago
Overnight
64°F
Mostly Clear
Friday
82°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Today's daylight
Sunrise 6:25 AM · Sunset 8:48 PM · 14h 23m
Snapshot built 4m ago. Sources: USGS · NWS GSP.
Windy Falls is a waterfall in Transylvania County, North Carolina. It drops roughly 197 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.
Windy Falls sits in Transylvania County, North Carolina. The falls are inside Nantahala National Forest. The base sits at roughly 2,053 feet of elevation. Drive time is about 12 minutes from Cashiers. OpenStreetMap shows a trail within 210 meters of the marked location, though the name isn't recorded. No public parking is recorded within 2 km, so a longer approach is likely. It draws modest visitor attention — busier weekends, quiet weekdays. Source records come from OpenStreetMap and USGS GNIS.
Entry is free. Dogs on leash are welcome on the access trail.
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 · 9 mi away
FRENCH BROAD RIVER AT ROSMAN, NC
View live discharge data →
30-day streamflow
Below 30-day average↻ Same date last year: 170 cfs · 45% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windy Falls (this page) | — | 197 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Hen Tail Falls | 0 mi | — | — | Y | Free |
| Rooster Tail Falls | 0 mi | — | — | Y | Free |
| Standing Up Rock Falls | 0 mi | — | — | Y | Free |
| Sidepocket Falls | 0 mi | 49 ft | — | Y | Free |
| Stairway Falls | 1 mi | 39 ft | — | Y | Free |
Related waterfalls
Similar height (~197 ft)
- Big Falls197 ft
- Palouse Falls197 ft
- Tehan Falls197 ft
- Viviane Falls197 ft
- Wildcat Falls197 ft
Questions visitors ask about Windy 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 Windy Falls?
Windy Falls is 197 feet (60 m) tall. Height is sourced from OSM.
Is Windy Falls in a national or state park?
Yes — Windy 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 Windy 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 Windy Falls?
No entrance fee. Nantahala National Forest is free to access. Some trailheads may charge a parking fee separately.
How far is Windy Falls from a major city?
Windy Falls is 8 miles from Cashiers (about 12 minutes' drive).
More waterfalls in North Carolina
Where it is
35.0737, -82.9584
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 Windy 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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