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Graveyard Fields Loop Trail in Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway, NC · VA

Graveyard Fields Loop Trail

Two waterfalls and open meadows on a high-elevation loop

Photo: National Park Service
Length
3.2mi
Time
2.5hr
Elev. change
430ft
Difficulty
Moderate
  • Loop
  • Dogs allowed
  • High point 5,433 ft
  • #21 of 112 in Blue Ridge Parkway
DirectionsMap

Hear the audio tour

Graveyard Fields: Waterfalls and Wild Blueberries

Overview

About Graveyard Fields Loop Trail

Why go

  • Two distinct waterfalls in one outing, with Second (Lower) Falls reached by a short spur.
  • Open high-elevation meadows, rhododendron, wildflowers, and blueberries.

Heads up

  • Waterfall spurs are steep and slippery, and muddy ruts and stairs are common.
  • The overlook parking lot is popular and can fill early during summer and fall.
  • Social trails near the waterfall junctions can make navigation confusing.
Graveyard Fields is a high-elevation valley with open meadows, rhododendron, blueberries, and two waterfalls on the Yellowstone Prong. The route is popular and scenic, but the waterfall spurs and muddy, eroded sections make the full 3.2-mile outing more demanding than the easy main loop alone.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy go

Map & elevation

The route

Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full map
Elevation5,003–5,433 ft
TrailheadGraveyard Fields Overlook (Blue Ridge Parkway MP 418.8)35.32040, -82.84694
Keep this map with you offline in the Parkwolf app

Plan your hike

Before you go

Parking

Park at Graveyard Fields Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway at MP 418.8. The trail begins at the steps near the vault toilets and the right/near end of the parking-lot sidewalk. The lot is popular and can fill early; do not park in restricted roadside areas.

Best time to go

Rocks around both waterfalls are slippery. Never climb above a waterfall or onto wet slabs. Expect mud after rain, and use extra care on stairs and rough sections. Winter ice and snow can affect the Parkway and trail; check official Parkway and Forest Service conditions before traveling.

Safety

Rocks around both waterfalls are extremely slippery. Never climb above a waterfall or onto wet slabs. Expect muddy, eroded sections, roots, rocks, boardwalks, and stairs. Cell service may be limited, so carry an offline map and stay on established trails. Winter ice and snow can affect the Parkway and trail; check official conditions before traveling. No drinking water is provided at the trailhead.

2 active Blue Ridge Parkway alerts

  • ClosureNorth Carolina Helene-related closuresAvoid the closed Parkway section from MP 344.2–355.3; recreation of any kind is prohibited there.Official details
  • ClosureVirginia Parkway closures and detourFollow the signed detour around the closed James River Bridge and avoid the closed Roanoke Mountain Loop. - James River Bridge (MP 63.5–63.Official details
Blue Ridge Parkway alerts
A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide

Your drive to Graveyard Fields Loop Trail, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Blue Ridge Parkway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

See the Blue Ridge Parkway audio tour

Recorded for this trailhead

Graveyard Fields: Waterfalls and Wild Blueberries
Listen
“You're about to reach Graveyard Fields, one of the most popular stops on the entire Parkway.”

Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.

More stories near here in the app

  • East Fork Overlook and the Ghost Trees
  • Looking Glass Rock Overlook and Its Mirror-Like Face
  • The Parkway’s Bloom Calendar: Chasing Spring up the Mountains
  • Devil's Courthouse: A Steep Climb to a Four-State View
  • 277 audio storiesacross Blue Ridge Parkway’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
  • Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Elk, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
  • Works offlinemaps, 112 trails, 232 places, and audio download before you lose signal
  • CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
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Trail guide

Hiking Graveyard Fields Loop Trail

The route, in shortStart at the steps beside the vault toilets at Graveyard Fields Overlook (Blue Ridge Parkway MP…

Start at the steps beside the vault toilets at Graveyard Fields Overlook (Blue Ridge Parkway MP 418.8). Follow the paved access down to the bridge over the Yellowstone Prong and continue on the signed loop. A short, steep spur reaches Second (Lower) Falls; return to the main route, then continue around the meadow loop. At the junction near the western side of the loop, follow the spur to Upper Falls and retrace it, then finish the loop back at the overlook-side parking access. The visitor distance is about 3.2 miles round trip; the mapped OSM route including both waterfall spurs is about 3.21 miles.

What you’ll seeSecond (Lower) Falls is the quick-access waterfall with a swimming hole; Upper Falls is farther…
  • Second (Lower) Falls is the quick-access waterfall with a swimming hole; Upper Falls is farther along a rougher spur.
  • Open high-elevation meadows, rhododendron, ferns, wildflowers, and blueberry bushes surround the Yellowstone Prong.
  • The area’s unusual open appearance reflects historic windthrow, logging, and fire; the valley is also habitat for varied bird and wildlife species.
Difficulty and footingThe main loop is easy to moderate, but the full waterfall route is moderate because of stairs,…

The main loop is easy to moderate, but the full waterfall route is moderate because of stairs, roots, rocks, boardwalks, muddy ruts, and steep waterfall spurs. Foot traffic only; stay on the established trail and do not use social trails.

PracticalitiesPark at Graveyard Fields Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway at MP 418.8.
  • Park at Graveyard Fields Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway at MP 418.8. The trail begins at the steps near the vault toilets and the right/near end of the parking-lot sidewalk. The lot is popular and can fill early.
  • Cell service may be limited; download an offline map and use the trail map at the overlook. Do not confuse the loop with Graveyard Ridge or Mountains-to-Sea Trail connections.
  • Swimming is possible at Second Falls, but enter carefully. Camping is not allowed in the Graveyard Fields area.
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Wildlife

Wildlife in Blue Ridge Parkway

All Blue Ridge Parkway wildlife maps
Black Bear1,208 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapElk1,020 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapWhite-tailed Deer2,257 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapCoyote200 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapWild Turkey1,126 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapRed-tailed Hawk255 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Keep exploring

Near Graveyard Fields Loop Trail

See it all on the map

Trails that start nearby

EasySecond Falls Trail0.7 mi · 45 min · At the trailheadShort, stair-stepped walk to a photogenic waterfall and poolModerateUpper Falls Trail3.2 mi · 2.5 hr · At the trailheadShort, berry-lined stroll to a photogenic two-tiered waterfall.ModerateTennent Mountain Loop5 mi · 2.5 hr · 1.7 mi awayTwo open balds, big views, and a rocky five-mile loopModerateBlack Balsam Knob via Art Loeb1.6 mi · 1 hr · 1.7 mi awayShort out-and-back climb to a 6,214-foot bald with sweeping 360-degree viewsModerateSam Knob Trail2.5 mi · 1.3 hr · 2 mi awayA short climb to a high bald with wide Blue Ridge views.ModerateDevil's Courthouse Trail1 mi · 1 hr · 3.2 mi awayA steep, mostly paved climb from the Parkway to a four-state panorama.ModerateFlat Laurel Creek Trail3.7 mi · 3.5 hr · 3.6 mi awayA creekside route from NC 215 to Black Balsam’s high countryChallengingLooking Glass Rock Trail6.4 mi · 3.5 hr · 4.5 mi awaySteady switchbacks to a broad granite perch with big Blue Ridge views

Places near the trailhead

Trailhead · At the trailheadGraveyard FieldsOpen high-elevation valley with waterfalls and August blueberriesScenic pullout · 0.4 mi awayEast Fork OverlookClose-up mountain layers with haunting American chestnut snagsScenic pullout · 1.1 mi awayLooking Glass Rock OverlookClassic view of Looking Glass Rock’s shimmering granite domeSight · 3 mi awayDevil's CourthouseShort, steep climb to a cliff-top panorama across four statesScenic pullout · 4 mi awayPounding Mill Overlook (MP 413.2)Big sunrise views with Looking Glass Rock front and centerScenic pullout · 5.1 mi awayWolf Mountain Overlook (MP 424.8)Overlook with layered ridges and a rare roadside hanging gardenScenic pullout · 5.5 mi awayRough Butt Bald Overlook (MP 425.4)High-elevation pullout with ridgeline views and a two-hump namesakeScenic pullout · 5.6 mi awayThe Cradle of Forestry Overlook (MP 411.0)Wide Pisgah vistas with a nod to America’s forestry roots

Parkwolf’s Blue Ridge Parkway ranking

Top-rated trails in Blue Ridge Parkway

All 112 trails
  1. 1Art Loeb TrailChallenging · 30.1 mi
  2. 2Rough Ridge TrailModerate · 1.2 mi
  3. 3Sharp Top TrailChallenging · 3 mi
  4. 4Tennent Mountain LoopModerate · 5 mi
  5. 5Daniel Boone Scout TrailChallenging · 7.2 mi
  6. 6Deep Gap Trail (Mount Mitchell)Challenging · 7.2 mi

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