Woohoo! One of the lesser known waterfalls around, and in my opinion, one of the coolest! The water here is absolutely breathtakingly crystal clear! There are even a couple small swimming holes if you can brave the cooold water. This is Skinny Dip Falls, and is not in many books surprisingly. I guess most people opt for the falls at Graveyard Fields, just a couple miles up the road (south on the parkway).

Skinny Dip Falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway
View Photo Gallery of Skinny Dip Falls

Length of Trail:

0.1 leads you to the Shining Rock Trail. There's a small camp spot and fire pit on the left, and a set of steps leading up to the left. From here, seems to be roughly 0.5 miles to the falls.

Rating of Difficulty:

Easy / Moderate: Not a tough trail, but some rocks, roots and steps to be aware of. After heavy rains, the trail can get a little muddy.

Scenery:

Awesome. One of my favorite waterfalls in WNC. A visit here is definitely best during the weekdays though, as the weekends you will see quite a number of people swimming & climbing over the rocks. Spring rhododendron blooms are beautiful here!

Directions to Trail head:

From Asheville: Blue Ridge Parkway to mile marker 417. There is an overlook right smack dab on mile 417, and usually several empty cars parked here will let you know you're at the right spot. The trail is across the road and easy to see. This is a fairly easy / moderate short hike.

Special Notes:

Water is cold, and rocks can be slippery! Always use caution around waterfalls!
I have actually seen cute girls skinny dipping at this waterfall!