Crabtree Falls

Crabtree Falls

Alex Armstrong photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Between Parkway Mileposts 339-341 in North Carolina

Significance:

Parkway planners called for acquiring 1,000 acres at “Crabtree Creek” from the U.S. Forest Service in the 1936 Parkway master plan, describing the area as “an attractive grassy meadow with a good water supply available, located in the midst of very rugged country.”

Amenities

6 listed

Parking - Auto, Picnic Table, Restroom - Seasonal, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Trailhead, Water - Drinking/Potable

Crabtree Falls Recreation Area is a 253-acre site located on the Blue Ridge Parkway about 15 miles north of Mount Mitchell State Park. Crabtree Falls Recreation Area was previously named Crabtree Meadows because of the crabapple trees and the open areas that were evident on the site. Few of the crabapple trees remain, and in 2010 the recreation area was renamed Crabtree Falls to emphasize the spectacular waterfall. Crabtree Falls is the tallest single waterfall along the Blue Ridge Parkway and is a scenic feature that interests hikers during every season.

In 1863, small-scale logging began in the North Carolina mountains, followed by larger logging operations and the construction of a logging railroad. Some of the loggers brought their families and built cabins in the vicinity, and a small community coalesced around the area near Crabtree Falls. Soon a grist mill, woodworking shop, blacksmith shop, store, Baptist church/schoolhouse, and commissary were built. Logging continued at Crabtree Falls until the 1930s, when much of the land was acquired by the U.S. Forest Service.

Crabtree Falls was one of the areas identified early on as a desirable place for a recreation area by Stanley Abbott, landscape architect of the Blue Ridge Parkway. In 1936, Abbott noted that Crabtree Falls was “an oasis of restful quiet and charm in the midst of some of the most dramatic scenery in North Carolina.” In 1941, the U.S. Forest Service agreed to transfer 160 acres to the National Park Service, with more land acquired later. When the first picnic area and trail system were completed, the Parkway opened the area for public use in 1948. The campground opened in 1954 and proved so popular that a two-week limit on camping had to be imposed. A new 82-site picnic area on the east side of the parkway opened in 1960.

Check the conditions of the area before you visit.