Skip to content
Byway
Waterfall · North Carolina

Rufus Morgan Waterfall

Rufus Morgan Waterfall, seen from above at true elevation

Rufus Morgan Waterfall is a waterfall in North Carolina, at a modelled elevation of 1,106 m. Wine Spring Bald stands 1,661 m to the northwest, 2.8 miles off. The nearest named place is Sheep Knob, a peak 0.7 miles away. Mountain Waters Scenic Byway passes 1.2 miles off.

The record

What the record says

Height
18.3 m
Getting there

How to reach it

Driving directionsPlan a drive around it
Coordinates35.14252, -83.54838

Overlooks nearby

Around it

Named places within 25 miles

Peaks
  • Sheep Knob: 0.7 mi
  • Panther Knob: 1.1 mi
  • Siler Bald: 1.7 mi
  • Thorn Mountain: 1.7 mi
  • Rattlesnake Knob: 2.0 mi
Waterfalls
  • Camp Branch Falls: 1.8 mi
  • Upper Camp Branch Falls: 1.8 mi
  • Shot Pouch Falls: 1.9 mi
  • Crawford Cove Falls: 2.1 mi
  • Factory Branch Falls: 4.0 mi
Parks
  • Parker Meadows Park: 5.2 mi
  • Franklin RV Park: 8.8 mi
  • Macon County Veterns Memorial Park: 9.0 mi
  • Nantahala Game Lands: 9.4 mi
  • Franklin Memorial Park: 9.4 mi
Cliffs: 16
Attractions: 12
  • Wasilik Poplar: 3.8 mi
  • Turbine: 15.9 mi
  • Cherokee Homestead Exhibit: 16.8 mi
  • 12 Spies Vineyards: 16.9 mi
  • Fishing Hole Rock: 17.4 mi
Museums: 11
Historic sites: 10
Artworks: 10
Nature reserves: 7
Gardens: 5
Ghost towns: 3
Springs: 2
  • Wine Spring: 2.9 mi
  • Big Spring: 7.0 mi
Picnic sites: 2
  • Deep Creek Picnic Pavilion: 22.8 mi
  • Deep Creek Picnic Area: 22.9 mi
Rest areas: 1
On the horizon

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 7.2 miles of Rufus Morgan Waterfall. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Wine Spring BaldNW 319°1,661 m2.8 mi
Wayah BaldNNW 345°1,626 m2.7 mi
Rocky BaldNW 319°1,623 m4.2 mi
Copper Ridge BaldN 354°1,601 m6.5 mi
Siler BaldW 262°1,589 m1.7 mi
Tellico BaldN 355°1,562 m7.0 mi
Burningtown BaldN 353°1,553 m6.0 mi
Pinnacle MountainSE 145°1,525 m7.0 mi
Conditions

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:3919:1319:46
June solstice06:2120:1520:52
September equinox07:2318:5919:33
December solstice07:3916:4717:27

Local time (America/New_York).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: Apr–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F394249576470737367574841
Precip in7.16.56.76.15.35.95.15.35.75.16.17.3

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Coweeta EXP STN, 9 mi away.

Streamflow

Months at or above the year’s average flow: Dec–May — fullest in Feb, leanest in Sep.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean cfs285321309277223172141125118122157235

USGS monthly mean discharge at gauge Nantahala River Near Rainbow Springs, NC, 4 mi away — the nearest gauge, which can sit on a different stream.

Sources

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap element node/3886519020

More waterfalls in North Carolina

Drive to it

Byway plans a real route around stops like this one.

Plan a driveMore waterfalls
Private beta · Free to join

Take the scenic way to Rufus Morgan Waterfall.

Byway plans around your taste, verified places, real weather and opening hours — then opens every leg in Google Maps with one tap.

Private beta · Free to join · No card · Invite when a spot opens