Pinky Falls, Highlands, NC: Hidden Family Fun
Western North Carolina is great for family vacations. Don’t miss out on visiting Pinky Falls in Highlands, NC, when you’re in this area!
A hidden gem, this cascading waterfall is perfect for a family day out in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
A short trail leads to a small beach, a swimming hole, and a small sliding rock for added fun.
Here’s everything you need to know before visiting this kid-friendly waterfall near Highlands, NC.
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Visiting Pinky Falls, Highlands, NC: A Complete Guide
Photo bombed by Gibby!
We originally came across Pinky Falls as a destination while browsing family hiking options on a camping trip to Walhalla, South Carolina.
Highlands, NC, is located in Western North Carolina, and its a 45 minute drive from where we were staying at Oconee State Park.
If you’re coming from Asheville, NC, Highlands is about 1.5 hours.
While Highlands has many well-known waterfalls in the vicinity, including Bridal Veil Falls and Dry Falls, I’d never heard of Pinky Falls.
The trail information on AllTrails was sparse, but the reviews mentioned a swimming area, so my family and I went off in search of this little waterfall on a warm day in April.
I hope that this guide will encourage you to visit this tranquil and beautiful spot near Highlands—and that the guide will help you get there without any stress.
How to Get to Pinky Falls
PIN ME!
You have to know where you’re going to get to Pinky Falls as it isn’t signposted at all.
From Main Street in Highlands, NC, take Highway 64 north for about 2 miles.
Turn left onto Flat Mountain Road. You’ll see a big road sign announcing that Skyline Lodge is on this road, too.
There is a (very) small bridge over Randall Lake on Flat Mountain Road.
At this lake, you can choose to veer off to the left and go to Skyline Lodge, or you can curve to the right and stay on Flat Mountain Road.
You’ll want to do the latter and curve to the right.
Slow way down, and immediately begin to look for a gravel area on the right side of the road.
The trailhead isn’t posted, but can be found between a gap between two trees.
Please remember to leave no trace when you visit as it is important to preserve places like Pinky Falls for others.
Pinky Falls is just one of the many suggested stops on our 1 day in Highlands NC itinerary!
Parking at Pinky Falls
As noted above, the parking area is more like a small gravel patch on the right side of Flat Mountain Road.
You won’t find any signs for Pinky Falls or the parking area (which is gracious given the small area on the shoulder of the road).
This gravel patch is the ONLY one on this road after Randall Lake. If you’ve gotten to the houses on Flat Mountain Road after the fork in the road, you've gone too far.
Note that there is a small drop off between the pavement and the gravel shoulder.
We managed it just fine in our Sequoia on a dry day, but I imagine that getting back on the asphalt might be more challenging with a 2-wheel drive after a rain.
Flat Mountain Road is a winding 2-lane road with little shoulder, so don’t attempt to park and walk if the gravel area is already full.
Hiking to Pinky Falls
When you arrive at the trailhead, it’s going to look more like a clump of trees and bushes.
Look for the two moss-covered rocks with trees on either side.
You’ll then begin to make out a small path between those rocks, though there aren’t any trail blazes or other indication that this space is a trail.
The first few feet are quite steep as you’re going to climb down and around those rocks, but the trail quickly evens out.
There’s a slight slope downward the rest of the 0.2 mile to the falls, but overall, this hike was very, very easy for my family.
As you walk through the woods, you’ll notice that there are a few other, less well traveled offshoots on the main trail.
If you follow any of these to your right, you’ll also find yourself at the falls, though you’ll end up at the swimming hole at the bottom of the falls.
If you follow the original trail, you’ll quickly come to the top of the falls.
From there, you can walk to the left to see some of the upper cascades, but note that the trail quickly ends and you’re unable to go up to the upper sections.
If you walk to the right, you can follow the river down several yards until you get to the small beach area.
The beach area does have 1 concrete bench, which my husband and I thought was a perfect place to watch the kids splash around.
Our puppy, Baker, hangs out on the beach while the kids swim.
Swimming at Pinky Falls
Gibby contemplates his approach to the water at Pinky Falls
If your kids are anything like mine, they will waste no time before jumping into the water.
The water below the final cascade is calm and the best place for wading.
For younger kids or kids who are hesitant swimmers, there are plenty of shallow areas next to the small beach area for wading.
The sandbar in the middle of the swimming area extends quite a ways out into the larger pool, which will allow your younger or hesitant child to adventure safely.
There are several deeper areas in this swimming hole as you move away from the beach.
Even in the deepest parts, the current moves slowly, so your kids can have a good, safe time swimming.
For the daredevils in the family, there’s a small sliding rock on the final cascade area.
Ensure that any kids using the sliding rock stay on the side closest to the beach, as the far right side moves much, much more swiftly and wouldn’t be safe for sliding.
Likewise, the cascade just above the sliding rock isn’t safe for sliding as the currents are moving too quickly.
The sliding rock on the left of the final cascade was perfect for my kids!
The slide ends in a small, calm pool of about 4 feet deep, which means that even younger children can complete the slide and quickly get back to the river banks.
Finally, the former lifeguard in me has to remind you: even when using the recommended sliding and swimming areas here, always watch your children closely.
Swimming accidents happen quickly and often silently, and a few seconds makes all the difference.
What to Bring on This Hike
Whenever we go on a hike—even a short one—I bring my Osprey Skimmer 28 along.
This is a larger than average day pack, and you might think it’s overkill, but I’d struggle with anything much smaller as I’m usually carrying snacks, emergency bivys, my water bladder, and more.
On the short hike to Pinky Falls
For a waterfall like the one at Pinky, that extra space is needed for towels and other swimming necessities.
My Osprey has a big central pocket for my gear, a smaller belt pockets, a place to clip in jackets or wet towels, and a built in water bladder.
Food and water. There aren’t any facilities anywhere along the trail or at the trailhead, so be self-sufficient. Plus, the sandy beach next to the waterfall is perfect for a picnic.
Trash bag. You won’t find any trash cans here, so remember to pack it in and pack it out.
Water shoes. Instead of bringing both hiking shoes AND flip flops for the water, I’d strongly suggest investing in a pair of shoes like my beloved Keens Newports. The kids and I live in these things during half of the year!
Bathing suits or quick dry clothing. We all wore our bathing suits under our hiking shirts and shorts, so we didn’t need to worry about changing at the falls. (There aren’t any truly private areas around there, so plan ahead with your clothing choices.) Once we were done swimming, it was easy to dry off, layer up again, and head back.
Quick dry towels. We have this set of Turkish towels in our camper that are super quick drying. I love being able to use them, hang them up for a few minutes, then stuff them back in my bag when they’re dry.
Bug spray. It’s the South. You’re going to want to do whatever you can to fight the omnipresent gnats and mosquitoes.
Sunscreen. While you’ll be covered during the hike, the falls, beach, and swimming area aren’t well shaded. Lather up as soon as you get down to the waterfall area.
Picnic blanket. While you’ll have the concrete bench at your disposal, you family might want to spread out more, particularly if you’re planning to eat a picnic here. Your picnic and time relaxing by the falls will be much more enjoyable with a designated blanket.
For more suggestions on what to pack, check out my comprehensive kids hiking gear checklist, then grab the corresponding kids hiking gear checklist by joining our weekly newsletter below:
Pinky Falls FAQs
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Pinky Falls does not have any parking fees or associated access fees.
It’s the perfect free family day out near Highlands, NC!
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There’s not much in the immediate vicinity of Pinky Falls, so you’ll want to come prepared with snacks, towels, and drinks. (Don’t forget to pick up after yourselves!)
The trailhead to Pinky Falls is on a residential road, so you’re not too far from several houses, though you can’t see them from the falls area.
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Much like other waterfalls in Western North Carolina, northern Georgia, and Upstate South Carolina, the water never gets really warm, even in July and August.
The brisk water is a perfect way to cool off in the humid summer days!
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Overall, this waterfall is one of the best ones my family has found while exploring!
My elementary-aged children loved splashing in the large swimming and wading area at the base of the falls, and they took turns sliding down the small rock in the fall’s last cascade.
For toddlers and preschoolers, you’ll want to use caution as the wading area does get deep in places.
Regardless of your child’s age, you’ll want to be very careful about the areas they slide down on the actual waterfall.
On the last cascade, there are two areas: one is to the left and is safe for sliding. The other is to the right and is much too turgid to attempt sliding.
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The waterfall is steps away from the road.
The hike is less than 0.2 miles from the trailhead to the falls.
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There are many waterfalls in this area, though none of them are within walking distance.
Bridal Veil Falls is on the shoulder of Highway 64 north from Highlands to Cashiers.
Dry Falls is a couple of hundred yards past Bridal Veil Falls, and is well worth the $3 parking fee. You can walk behind the water at Dry Falls!
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A hot summer day is going to feel the most refreshing, but you’re also more likely to encounter others trying to escape the heat.
Late spring is our best recommendation as you’re almost guaranteed to have the place to yourself, especially if you can go mid-week.
Exploring elsewhere in North Carolina? Check out our Cherokee NC KOA review and our must-do tubing guide in Asheville!
