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Located just two miles west of downtown Highlands, North Carolina, Bridal Veil Falls is one of the most famous and easily accessible roadside waterfalls in the Great Smoky Mountains region. Cascading 45 to 60 feet over a smooth rock bluff in the Nantahala National Forest, this graceful waterfall gets its name from its delicate, curtain-like flow resembling a bride's veil.
For generations, Bridal Veil Falls held the distinction of being the only waterfall in North Carolina visitors could drive a car underneath. While the short loop of old US-64 behind the falls is now closed to vehicular traffic for safety, it remains an accessible paved walkway for visitors to walk behind the water.
Located directly alongside US Highway 64 (Mountain Waters Scenic Byway), the waterfall can be enjoyed right from your vehicle or from paved roadside pullouts—making it ideal for visitors with mobility concerns, wheelchairs, or strollers.
When water flow is light to moderate, you can safely step underneath the overhanging rock ledge behind the cascading water for photos without getting completely soaked.
Flow volume varies by season; visit after a fresh mountain rain to see the waterfall at its most dramatic volume.
US Highway 64 West, Highlands, NC 28741 (2.3 miles west of downtown Highlands in the Cullasaja River Gorge)
Free to visit with pullout parking along the highway.
Paved, flat, and handicap-accessible.
Located just one mile further west along US-64 from Dry Falls, allowing visitors to easily tour multiple waterfalls in a single short drive through the Cullasaja Gorge.