North Carolina’s most cinematic forest is free, has six waterfalls, and filmed a Hollywood movie

It’s an hour south of Asheville

You can drive less than an hour south of Asheville and walk into a 12,400-acre forest with no entrance fee and no parking charge.

DuPont State Recreational Forest sits in the mountains of western North Carolina, between Brevard and Hendersonville, and the North Carolina Forest Service runs the whole thing. About 80 to 86 miles of trails cut through it.

Waterfalls, granite domes, mountain lakes, and one very famous movie location all wait inside. The best part is how little effort it takes to reach the big stuff.

Public pressure saved these falls from a gated community

The DuPont Corporation once owned this land. When the company let it go, a developer had plans for a gated housing community wrapped around the waterfalls. That did not sit well with the people who already hiked here.

Public pressure pushed back hard, and in the 1990s, North Carolina bought much of the property to keep it open. Today, every waterfall, every trail, and every overlook belongs to the public.

The forest ranks as one of the most loved outdoor spots in the state, and nobody has to buy a membership to get in.

Three waterfalls on one easy loop trail

The most popular route in the forest links three falls along the Little River, and you can knock out the whole loop in a few miles. You hit Hooker Falls, Triple Falls, and High Falls all on the same hike.

The path is gravel, rated easy to moderate, and works for families and walkers of most ages. Summer and fall weekends bring big crowds, so plan around that.

On a weekday morning, you might get the trail nearly to yourself.

High Falls drops 150 feet down bare rock

High Falls is the tallest waterfall in the forest.

Water slides about 150 feet down a wide slope of exposed rock, and an overlook gives you a full view of the whole cascade. A short spur trail leads down closer to the base if you want the roar and the mist.

Come in winter when the leaves drop off the trees, and you get the clearest look at the falls from top to bottom.

Triple Falls starred in The Hunger Games

Water tumbles down three separate rock steps here, dropping about 120 feet total. You have probably seen this spot before without knowing it.

Triple Falls served as a filming location for The Hunger Games, and it remains one of the most photographed waterfalls in North Carolina.

A nearby shelter makes a solid picnic stop where you can sit, eat, and watch other hikers try to get the same camera angle from the movie.

Hooker Falls has the best swimming hole around

Hooker Falls is wide, gentle, and easy to reach. A short, flat walk from the parking area brings you right to it.

The water drops into a deep pool below, and in summer, that pool turns into the go-to swimming hole for the Brevard area.

You will see towels spread across the rocks, kids splashing in the shallows, and adults floating in the deeper water near the base. It feels more like a neighborhood pool than a backcountry waterfall.

Bridal Veil Falls rewards the extra walk

Bridal Veil Falls sits away from the busiest trails, and that distance keeps the crowds thin. The water slopes down a long rock face, and flat rock areas nearby give you a natural spot to spread out lunch.

A viewing platform along the trail lets you take in the falls without scrambling over anything. You can reach it on foot or by bike, and a gravel road leads close, so the approach never gets too rough.

A covered bridge crosses the river near High Falls

A wooden covered bridge spans the Little River not far from the High Falls access area, about a half mile on foot. The bridge is a leftover from that housing development that never happened.

Now it sits in the middle of the forest and draws photographers year-round.

You walk to it on foot since motor vehicles are not allowed on the forest roads, though visitors with limited mobility can apply for a permit to drive closer.

Bare granite domes open up the whole skyline

Cedar Rock and Big Rock are bare granite domes that rise above the tree canopy, and trails lead right to the open summits. From the top, views stretch across the forest and out to the nearby mountain ranges.

On a clear day, you can spot the Pisgah range in the distance. Stone Mountain marks the highest point in the forest.

Standing on exposed rock with nothing above you but the sky feels a lot different than walking through the woods below.

Mountain lakes sit on the quiet side of the forest

The forest holds several calm mountain lakes, and most visitors skip right past them on their way to the waterfalls. Lake Julia is the largest at about 100 acres.

Fawn Lake sits nearby on the quieter west side, where foot traffic drops off.

The rolling hills reflect in the still water, and you can sit on the bank for an hour without seeing another person. If the waterfall trails feel too packed, head here instead.

Bikers and horseback riders share the trails too

Waterfalls get all the attention, but DuPont is also one of the top mountain biking spots in the region. Many trails allow horseback riders as well.

Dogs can come along if you keep them on a leash. Quieter falls like Grassy Creek and Wintergreen reward the people willing to wander past the popular routes.

Trails range from short, flat family walks to long, steep climbs that will test your legs and your lungs.

Get here early or you will circle the parking lot

Parking lots fill fast, often by mid-morning during peak season. Your best move is to arrive early or wait until later in the day when spots open back up.

Cookouts and fires are not allowed anywhere in the forest. Pack out every piece of trash you bring in, because wildlife gets into garbage cans quickly.

Never climb on the waterfalls, jump from the rocks, or swim within 300 feet upstream of any falls. Check current trail and road conditions before you head out.

Explore DuPont State Recreational Forest in North Carolina

You can find DuPont State Recreational Forest between Brevard and Hendersonville in western North Carolina, with the visitor center at the High Falls access area on Staton Road.

The forest is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and you will not pay a dime to get in. Parking and admission are both free.

Stop at the visitor center first to grab a trail map and check which routes match your group’s pace. No reservations needed.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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