The twin waterfalls at Soco Falls. Watch a video below.
Soco Falls is a beautiful, double waterfall on the edge of Cherokee Indian Reservation, located between the towns of Maggie Valley (5.5 miles) and Cherokee (10 miles). Enjoy it from a platform with a short walk from US Highway 19, just 1.5 miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway (at Soco Gap at Milepost 455.7). The small roadside parking area is easily missed since there is no sign! You can hear the falls from the roadside parking. There are small blue "Soco Falls" signs about 1/3 mile from the parking area (that say 1/2 mile ahead). The trail starts at the break in the guard rail.
It takes less than five minutes to walk to the platform to view the taller falls, a 120-foot waterfall. In the winter months when there are no leaves on the tree, you can also see the smaller falls on the left. For a closer view, continue down a steep trail from the deck to the base of the waterfalls. Be careful, this section has some ropes to help with balance and can be very slippery.
Soco Falls is also 9.3 miles from Harrahs Casino in Cherokee and 40 miles from downtown Asheville. In Cherokee is Mingo Falls. Plus, see other waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Soco Gap was used by the Cherokee in the 1700's as the main entrance to their land from the North and the East. They used it as an outpost for ambush as well. |
