Waterfall swimming holes abound in the mountains of western North Carolina. It’s one of the things that make hiking in the Tar Heel State during the warm summer months even more satisfying. Stripping down to your swimwear and hopping into a cold mountain stream is refreshing and fun. And after the 1.4-mile hike to the three-tier waterfall at Hunt Fish Falls, it’s also especially rewarding.

Found deep in the Pisgah National Forest near Linville, Hunt Fish Falls feels worlds away from civilization.
Google Images/Kendra Reese
The hike into the falls is more accurately a hike "down" to the falls. It's all downhill on the way into this remote swimming hole. And, conversely, all uphill on the way back to your car.
alltrails/Nicole Moore
It's advisable to bring walking sticks to assist with the more than 400-foot elevation change that sounds worse than it is. After all, that drop (or gain, on the way out) in elevation takes place over nearly a mile and a half.
From the parking area, you'll follow a well-marked trail down into the Lost Cove Wilderness until you reach Hunt Fish Falls on Lost Cove Creek.
Google Images/Pablo Gonzalez

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Kids, of course, have no issues with the trail and will love this out-of-the-way excursion for a day's adventure picnicking, swimming, and playing in the waterfall swimming holes on the many tiers here.
Google Images/Pablo Gonzalez
A total of three tiers drive through Lost Cove, one after the other, making many places to set up a day camp for an extended day of fun in the water.
Google Images/Bryan Payne
The water depth is, naturally, affected by recent rainfall but visitors find areas shallow enough for wading and...
Google Images/Ron Ratliff
Deep enough for truly cooling off!
Google Images/Bryan Payne

What a wonderful place for a picnic and a swim! Just remember to leave this magical spot in the forest better than you found it. Remember to bring along a garbage bag and to take it out with you when you leave.

For more information on the trail to Hunt Fish Falls, consult our friends at AllTrails. And keep reading for more can’t-miss swimming holes in North Carolina!

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Huntfish Falls Trailhead, 2568-2578 Pineola Rd, Linville, NC 28646, USA