Parking
Park at the White Rock Gap parking area on the Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 18.5. The trail begins across the Parkway from the lot; use the kiosk and cross carefully.
Overview
About White Rock Gap Trail
Why go
- Waterfall destination with several cascade viewpoints
- Straightforward access from White Rock Gap with a trail kiosk
Heads up
- Requires crossing Blue Ridge Parkway traffic at the trailhead
- Rocky footing, a creek crossing, and slick surfaces after rain
Start at the White Rock Gap parking area near Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 18.5, cross the Parkway, and follow the yellow-blazed White Rock Falls Trail through a shady, rocky ravine to a series of cascades and White Rock Falls. The route combines a quiet forest walk with a photogenic waterfall destination.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy goMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation2,277–2,605 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide
Your drive to White Rock Gap 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 tourRecorded for this trailhead
White Rock Gap: A Ravine and Waterfall TrailheadListen
“You're pulling up to the White Rock Gap parking area. This is one of the main starting points for the hike down to White Rock Falls. The trail from here immediately drops into a scenic, rocky ravine.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- 20 Minute Cliff Overlook and Its Natural Clock
- White Rock Falls: A Hike to a Shady Wading Pool
- The Priest Overlook and Its Backcountry View
- The 'Mine Banks' of the Blue Ridge
- 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
“…We knew we wanted to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. The narration was impeccably timed. The facts and info provided were meaningful. Without it, the trip would not have been near as awesome.”
Trail guide
Hiking White Rock Gap Trail
Route and distanceThis record represents the White Rock Gap out-and-back to the falls.
This record represents the White Rock Gap out-and-back to the falls. The visitor distance is roughly 3.4 miles total, while the stored line follows the physical corridor once for about 1.6 miles each way; it does not duplicate the return leg. The trail drops and climbs through the ravine, includes a creek crossing, and ends at the waterfall spur.
What to expectExpect natural singletrack with roots, rocks, uneven grades, and a stream crossing.
Expect natural singletrack with roots, rocks, uneven grades, and a stream crossing. The falls and nearby cascades sit among boulders, and the short approach near the water can be slick or awkward after rain. Route markers and the parking-area kiosk help identify the crossing from the Parkway, but the trailhead itself is across the road from the lot.
TipsUse the White Rock Gap lot and cross the Parkway carefully to reach the trail.
Use the White Rock Gap lot and cross the Parkway carefully to reach the trail. Wear shoes with reliable traction, especially after rain, and keep children and pets close near the road and creek. The waterfall is most photogenic after wet weather, but wet rocks require extra care.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Blue Ridge Parkway
1,208 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
1,020 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
2,257 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
200 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
1,126 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
255 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
