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Dry Falls Viewing Platform

OpenStreetMap
Looking west from Dry Falls Viewing Platform. Terrain and imagery at true elevation.
Overview · Assembled from verified data

Dry Falls Viewing Platform sits at 3,340 feet along the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway, with the land dropping 86 feet within 600 meters of the overlook. The platform faces 270 degrees, oriented directly toward the sunset. An accessible walkway leads from the parking area to a view overlooking the falls, and a trail continues to a path behind the waterfall itself, a 75-foot drop in the Cullasaja Gorge.

Visitor volume is high at midday and on holidays, and the parking lot fills. Morning or evening visits are recommended, and drivers are asked not to block the road if parking is unavailable. Passes can be purchased through recreation.gov.

Waynesville is 32.2 miles to the north-northeast, Clemson is 35.0 miles to the southeast, and Easley is 40.8 miles east-southeast. Given the westward orientation, evening visits around sunset will show direct light across the gorge; sunset times run from about 17:26 in December to 20:51 in June.

Access
On the byway
Elevation
3,340 ft
View
West · 270°
Light
Best at sunset
Relief
86 ft drop
Photos · Real imagery only
Dry Falls, also known as Upper Cullasaja Falls, is a 65-foot (20.1 m) waterfall located in the Nantahala National Forest, northwest of Highlands, North Carolina. Dry Falls flows on the Cullasaja River through the Nantahala National Forest. It is part of a series of waterfalls on a 8.7-mile (14 km) s
Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Bridal Veil Falls is located along US 64 , west of the Highlands , in the Nantahala National Forest .
Washuotaku · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Depicted place: Bridal Veil Falls
ljb06 · CC BY 3.0 · source
Initially built in 1937-1938, this Organic Modern-style building was designed by Arthur J. Kelsey and Charlotte Peabody Kelsey for a developer, who died in 1938 before the lodge was completed. In 1965, the disused lodge was finally completed, under the direction of Robert Opsahl, who had worked with
w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Initially built in 1937-1938, this Organic Modern-style building was designed by Arthur J. Kelsey and Charlotte Peabody Kelsey for a developer, who died in 1938 before the lodge was completed. In 1965, the disused lodge was finally completed, under the direction of Robert Opsahl, who had worked with
w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Initially built in 1937-1938, this Organic Modern-style building was designed by Arthur J. Kelsey and Charlotte Peabody Kelsey for a developer, who died in 1938 before the lodge was completed. In 1965, the disused lodge was finally completed, under the direction of Robert Opsahl, who had worked with
w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
When to look · Sun at this latitude

Light

This overlook faces sunset — 0° off square to it.

DateSunriseSunsetGolden hour
March equinox07:3819:4519:12
June solstice06:2020:5120:14
September equinox07:2219:3118:58
December solstice07:3817:2616:46

Local time (America/New_York). Computed for this exact position.

Getting there · Position and access

Where it is

  • Waynesville32.2 mi north-northeast
  • Clemson35.0 mi southeast
  • Easley40.8 mi east-southeast
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From the source · Verbatim

Dry Falls · U.S. Forest Service

Dry Falls is located along the Mountain Scenic By-Way (Hwy 64 between Franklin and Highlands) in the Cullasaja Gorge. Dry Falls is a 75-foot waterfall. From the parking area venture out the accessible walkway for a beautiful view of overlooking the falls or follow the trail that leads you right behind the waterfall.

Dry Falls experiences extremely high visitor volume during the middle of the day and on holidays. Please be patient if traffic is being directed. It is recommended that visitors plan their visit for the morning or evening hours and if the parking lot is full, come back later - DO NOT BLOCK THE ROAD!

Passes can be purchased on recreation.gov

Read it at U.S. Forest Service →
Common questions

How high is Dry Falls Viewing Platform?

Dry Falls Viewing Platform sits at about 3,340 feet (1,018 m).

Is Dry Falls Viewing Platform better at sunrise or sunset?

Sunset. The land falls away from Dry Falls Viewing Platform toward the sunset, so at sunrise the light is behind you. Exact times shift through the year; the page shows the current window.

What is the nearest town to Dry Falls Viewing Platform?

Waynesville, 32 miles NNE of Dry Falls Viewing Platform.

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