Looking Glass Falls is a 60-foot block waterfall in Pisgah National Forest. It can be accessed along U.S. 276, Forest Heritage Scenic Byway, near Brevard, North Carolina. The waterfall is right off the road. There is no parking lot but a long pull-off area is available before the falls.
Multiple waterfalls are located on the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway but Looking Glass is one of the most well known.
Its name comes from Looking Glass Rock. Water freezes on the rock in winter which shines like a mirror in sunlight.
Looking Glass Falls
Three overlooks are available to view the waterfall. All are an easy walk. The first overlook is at street level, making it accessible for those with mobility challenges. You can see practically the entire waterfall from this spot. A metal fence surrounds it for safe viewing.
Second Overlook
The second overlook is 62 steps from the street. Here you can see the falls at eye-level.
Third Overlook
A third and last overlook is 32 steps from the second overlook. Its platform is at ground level with the rocks at the base of the falls.
Due to freezing temperatures overnight, the steps were slick the morning I visited. The midlevel platform was the most slick.
In warmer months, many visitors will swim or wade in the pool below the falls when water isn’t flowing too quickly.
Looking Glass is a very popular waterfall. When I first visited in July, I was able to snag the very last spot in the pull-off. My second visit was on a cold Thursday in December and I was the only car there for about 20 minutes. During peak times, there are other pull-offs down the road for parking.
For other waterfalls in the area, check out my list of Brevard waterfalls.
Looking Glass Rock
From the Blue Ridge Parkway, you can get a bird’s-eye view of Looking Glass Rock. There is an overlook for the exposed mountaintop near Graveyard Fields. The domed outcrops reflect light, giving the rock its name.
To get the reverse view from the top of the rock, there is a hiking trail on the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway. The Looking Glass Rock Trail starts off Forest Road 475. There is a small parking area at the trailhead, and I have also seen cars parked along the road.
The Trail
The path is 6 miles roundtrip and climbs approximately 1,650 feet. It is a moderate hike, but on the rougher side. A majority of the trail is switchbacks up the mountain. Yellow blazes mark the route.
About 2 miles into the hike, the ground levels out and visitors can see a helicopter pad used by rescuers for injured rock climbers. The trail reaches the mountain’s summit after 2.5 miles. From here, the path takes a short descent. Then the forest breaks at the sloping rockface of upper Looking Glass cliffs.
The views of Pisgah National Forest and the surrounding area are spectacular! I was able to see the last of fall color on my trip in mid-November.
Don’t get too close to the edge – you could easily slip and fall.
The hike back to the trailhead is much easier as is it almost all downhill after the initial climb back to the mountain summit.