A beautiful waterfall that is an easy walk from the spacious and well maintained parking lot of Graveyard Fields.
Located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, in the Southern Pisgah National Forest, is the popular and beautiful Second Falls. This easily reached 70ft waterfall is an easy 6/10 of a mile hike from the Graveyard Fields overlook at mile post 418 of the Parkway. If you visit Second Falls during the warmer months, consider bringing your swimming gear as the crystal clear pool at the bottom of the falls is perfect for cooling off in the refreshing mountain waters of the Yellowstone prong.
The trailhead to Second Falls is located on the right side of the Graveyard Field overlook located at milepost 418. There are restrooms at the overlook along with informative signage about Graveyard fields and the trails and attractions supported from this overlook. It is approximately 45 minutes from Brevard North Carolina, 1 hour from Asheville North Carolina, or about 1 hour 45 minutes from Greenville South Carolina. There is a moderately sized parking lot at the overlook but it can quickly fill up during the popular months so try to arrive early if possible. If the parking lot is full, there are plenty of other great spots to visit in the immediate area like Skinny Dip Falls or the Devil’s Courthouse.
The trail starts out descending the wooden stairs that are in between the restrooms and the Graveyard Fields information sign. Initially the trail is paved, flat, and takes you through a beautiful field of large rhododendron plants that create tunnels for you to walk through. After a very short walk you will cross the Yellowstone Prong just upstream from Second Falls. There are nice viewing platforms if you want to take a minute to enjoy the beauty of the stream or you can walk down to the stream and explore the many pools of crystal clear water that are present. The Yellowstone Prong is a beautiful stream and it is very compelling to just stay here and enjoy it, but it gets much better at the falls so you need to cross the wooden bridges and continue on the trail staying to the right at the intersections. Fairly quickly you will reach a long series of steps and ramps that take you down to the large viewing area at the base of the falls.
Second Falls may not be the tallest or largest waterfall in the area, but it is an absolute jewel. The long cascade of water that plunges into the clear emerald colored pool is almost unmatched in is its beauty. That combined with the easy hike and accessibility make this a highly recommended spot to visit.
It is an easy hike back to the parking lot when you are done enjoying Second Falls.