Discovery Falls–Slick Rock Falls, 5 falls is an 8-mile out-and-back near Laurel Falls, NC. The route passes Slick Rock Falls and Upper Rockhouse Creek Falls before reaching Discovery Falls at the turnaround, 4 miles in. It climbs 916 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade, and is mostly gravel. It scores 62/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi2,615 – 3,396 ft · steepest grade: 26%8.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: 475B 35.29328, -82.79796
Nearest town Laurel Falls, NC
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Discovery Falls–Slick Rock Falls, 5 falls
8 mi · ▲ 916 ft · 3 hr 7 min
Elevation 2,615–3,395 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 475B · 35.29328, -82.79796
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 89°F / low 69° · precip 15% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 7:07 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on 475B, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Slick Rock Falls.
- 0.8 miPass Upper Rockhouse Creek Falls.
- 50 ftBear right onto Rockhouse Creek Road, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Headwater Road, heading N.
- 1.4 miTurn left onto Cove Creek Road, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right onto Headwater Road, heading W.
- 0.8 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Bear Pen Branch, heading N.
- 100 ftBear left onto Headwater Road, heading N.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Log Hollow Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miReach Discovery Falls, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Headwater Road, heading E.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Bear Pen Branch, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Headwater Road, heading S.
- 1.1 miBear left onto Cove Creek Road, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Headwater Road, heading SE.
- 1.4 miContinue straight onto Rockhouse Creek Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left onto 475B, heading SE.
- 0.7 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
89% gravel11% dirt
Weather
OvercastTemperature 89°F69°
Precip15%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity70%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
90°65°
Sunrise 7:07 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sun
88°68°
67%
Mon
72°65°
58%
Tue
77°59°
17%
Wed
85°60°
Thu
85°64°
23%
Fri
82°65°
42%
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from 475B Trailhead
- Slick Rock Falls–Upper Rockhouse Creek Falls, 4 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 897 ft
- Slick Rock Falls–Upper Rockhouse Creek Falls, 5 sights 6.8 mi · ▲ 849 ft
- Log Hollow Falls–Slick Rock Falls, 6 sights 8.1 mi · ▲ 726 ft
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Hikes near Laurel Falls, North Carolina