Hiking throughout the Tar Heel State leaves nothing to be desired. From our beaches to our mountains, there are trails to open the mind and the soul as you wander along the paths. Some of our favorite trails lead to waterfalls deep within the woods; places beyond your wildest imagination. Over near Cherokee, there’s a double waterfall not far from the highway and although the trail is short, it’s still an adventure worth having.
Head to Soco Falls on US-19 near Cherokee to wander the 0.2-mile trail that leads to this convergence of two waterways in the woods at precisely the point where rock ledges are present.
The main waterfall is found along Soco Creek at the point where the creek makes an almost 90-degree turn at the rock ledge. You can't tell from this photo, but this main waterfall is a spectacular 120 feet tall.
And directly beside it, yet originating from the opposite direction, is a waterfall from a tributary to Soco Creek. This shorter waterfall pours approximately 60 feet over a cascade as the two waterways merge in the rock field of the creek bed below the falls.
Getting here (and then back to your car) is actually no easy feat for most people. You may feel the burn in your thighs with all of the climbing you'll do on this short trail. But again: worth it!
Is another story altogether. You'll traverse some very steep terrain getting to the base of the falls and possibly need to use a rope that may be in place to assist.
You’ll find a Soco Falls sign marking the trail on the side of the road on US-19 just 10.6 miles east of Cherokee, North Carolina. Learn more about the trail from our friends at AllTrails.com.