Hundreds of hiking trails lace the mountains slopes and valleys of the Blue Ridge Parkway. From easy strolls to strenuous climbs, they offer travelers the chance to get up close to the Appalachia's natural beauty.

A favorite hiking destination is Linville Falls. Flowing from its headwaters on Grandfather Mountain, the Linville River descends some 2,000 feet through a rugged gorge framed by lush forests. Along the way, it forms two crystalline cascades.

Hikers can choose either a moderate or strenuous route. Each starts at the Linville Falls Visitor Center and wind through a beautiful forest of virgin hemlocks mixed with birch, hickory, oak and white pine trees.

Moderate Hike at Linville Falls
Erwins View Trail (1.6 miles roundtrip) winds along the river, past the upper falls and then to views of both the upper and lower falls. This is the route we chose to hike. At Chimney View Overlook, rock outcroppings shaped like chimneys beautify the right edge of the lower falls, which inspired the overlook's name.

From the Gorge View Overlook, we watched the Linville River slicing its way through the Linville Gorge. The grand finale, Erwins View Overlook, reveals a panorama of Linville Gorge, with the upper and lower cascades shimmering in the distance. We could see other hikers standing on the river bank far below. They are the intrepid ones who took the strenuous option and trekked down the cliff to Plunge Basin.

Strenuous Hike at Linville Falls

Hikers who are intent on a more challenging trek can take Linville Gorge trail, which explores the other side of the river. One fork of the trail (1.4 miles roundtrip) goes to Plunge Basin Overlook. Here hikers enjoy a view of the lower falls and the chimney-shaped rocks.

The other fork (1 mile roundtrip) winds down rock cliffs to Plunge Basin, the large pool of water created by the lower cascade. Although swimming is not permitted, hikers can reward themselves by dipping their feet into the refreshing water.

If you go:
Access to Linville Falls is located at Milepost 316 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Linville, North Carolina.

For more information: Visit Linville Falls hiking details.

Location on Blue Ridge Parkway Map

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