How to Reach Wintergreen Falls in DuPont State Forest NC

Published by Christina. Last Updated on August 9, 2024.

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Wintergreen Falls Trail is an easy, kid-friendly waterfall hike (dog-friendly!) inside DuPont State Recreational Forest in Western North Carolina. After visiting this beautiful 20-foot waterfall at the end of this hike, we came away appreciating this quieter side of DuPont State Forest.

We created this guide to help you reach it, too. Keep reading and we’ll take you downhill along Grassy Creek to this lovely NC waterfall.

Where is Wintergreen Falls NC?
Driving Directions
Leave No Trace Reminder
Safety Reminder
Hiking to Wintergreen Falls
More DuPont State Forest Hikes and Waterfalls
More Things to Do Near Wintergreen Falls (Travel Guides)

You can skip ahead to any section or keep reading about how to find the Wintergreen Falls Trail.

Where is Wintergreen Falls NC?

Address: 3045 Sky Valley Rd, Hendersonville, NC
Official Trail Map

Wintergreen Falls is located near the Guion Farm Parking Area inside DuPont State Forest, which resides in both Henderson and Transylvania counties. The trail and park are also near many of our favorite mountain towns, including:

Brevard (20 minutes away)
Hendersonville (30 minutes away)
Asheville (50 minutes away)

Driving Directions to Wintergreen Falls Trail

From Asheville, take I-240 to I-26 East.
Stay on I-26 East until Exit 40.
Turn right after Exit 40 to NC 280 South.
Then follow NC 280 South 16 miles to US 64.
Turn left onto US 64 and drive 3.7 miles to the stop light that intersects with Crab Creek Rd.
Turn right onto Crab Creek Rd and drive 4.3 miles to DuPont Rd.
Turn right and drive 0.7 miles on DuPont Rd to Sky Valley Rd on the left.
Follow Sky Valley Road to the Guion Farm Access Area 1.6 miles on the right.

Leave No Trace at Wintergreen Falls

Wintergreen Falls DuPont State Park waterfall

While hiking the Wintergreen Falls Trail, please leave no trace, especially if you’ve brought a pet. Pack in, pack out, and please do not ever litter in this public space or any of our beloved public spaces.

If you’d like to lend a helping hand, bring a grocery bag of your own and pick up any trash that you see!

Safety Reminder

Even though this is an easier path than others, safety is still your responsibility when hiking the Wintergreen Falls Trail.

Staying on the trail is something we’ll always stress, but please don’t think you know better than the official signage inside DuPont State Forest. Failing to stay on the path so can result in serious injury, especially around waterfalls.

Hiking to Wintergreen Falls

The hike to Wintergreen Falls is 1.5 miles one way and takes about 30 minutes to reach. Leashed dogs are allowed on this hike, so bring your best friend along for the fun!

We’d rank the Wintergreen Falls Trail as “Moderate,” with a slight descent toward the waterfall and a slight incline on the way back.

To reach Wintergreen Falls, you will start at the Guion Farm Access Area (3045 Sky Valley Rd, Hendersonville, NC). Note that this is not the same access point as Triple, High, and Hooker Falls.

Wintergreen Falls DuPont State Park shaded trail

Once you arrive at the parking area, walk south through a small grassy field until it reaches the former Tarklin Branch Road.
The trail will cross Tarklin Creek and continue downhill.

Wintergreen Falls DuPont State Park trail sign

After a mile, you reach a sign indicating Wintergreen Falls to the left.
Take this trail for half a mile to the base of Wintergreen Falls.
Your return trip will follow the same path, this time a slight uphill climb back to the Guion Farm Parking Area.

Ready to Visit Wintergreen Falls?

The Wintergreen Falls Trail is certainly one of our favorite hikes near Asheville. You can enjoy this trail throughout the year, but we highly recommend Fall.

Just keep in mind that this is a beautiful and busy time to visit DuPont State Forest, especially if you pair it with some nearby apple picking.

Both activities are very popular, so we suggest planning your visit in advance and arriving as early as possible to avoid crowds.

As mentioned, you can visit during summer and spring (even winter). No matter when you plan to see this lovely waterfall, we hope you enjoy your time there.

Have you ever visited Wintergreen Falls in DuPont State Forest? We’d love to know what you thought of it.

Let us know in the comments or by email! Don’t forget to share your Western NC adventures in our North Carolina Travel Facebook Group.

More DuPont State Forest Hikes and Waterfalls

We love exploring DuPont State Recreational Forest and these nearby hikes and waterfalls.

Hooker Falls

Hooker Falls is one of our favorite waterfalls near Asheville. The trail is kid-friendly, with a wide path and a gentle slope. The end result is a 12-foot fall that spans the entire distance of the river. It is a popular spot in the summer for swimming too!

Triple Falls

Triple Falls is another magnificent beauty you’ll reach inside DuPont State Forest. From the same parking lot as Hooker Falls, you can hike uphill for a half-mile for an incredible overlook of the falls.

The 120-foot cascade streams over three drops and is excellent to view all year long. There is a trail that goes down to the base of the falls. We want to stress that you stay within the boundaries marked by the park for your own safety here.

High Falls

If you continue uphill past Triple Falls, you’ll reach High Falls, the largest waterfall in the park. Often crashing forcefully, High Falls is a 150-foot waterfall that will take your breath away.

Unlike Hooker Falls, the spur trail to the base of High Falls is not as kid-friendly. We recommend this only for sure-footed hikers who are confident with some rock scrambling.

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls was featured in The Last of the Mohicans and is a stunning 120-foot waterfall. The hike to Bridal Veil is a moderate 4.4 miles from the Visitor Center lot.

We actually highly recommend biking to this North Carolina waterfall. The road is gravelly and wide, with only a couple of tough hills to climb.