Best Swimming Holes in the Blue Ridge Mountains
20 natural swimming holes · 2026 guide
Along the Blue Ridge from Virginia's Shenandoah country down to Asheville, swimming means waterfall plunge pools, sliding rocks, and cold mountain creeks in some of the oldest mountains on earth. Transylvania County alone calls itself the land of waterfalls — most of its pools are a short hike from a forest road.
Top swimming holes
- Blue Hole - Dry River
The Dry River's famous Blue Hole is a deep, impossibly blue pool in the national forest above Harrisonburg.
- Bust-Your-Butt Falls
Highlands' adrenaline waterfall, where a big, boulder-strewn cascade feeds a deep jumping pool just off US 64.
- Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area
A classic Forest Service swim spot on the South Toe River, Carolina Hemlocks has been a summer institution for over half a century.
- Carrigan Farms Quarry
A fifth-generation farm's spring-fed quarry with beautiful clear water and an actual lifeguard on duty - a rarity among swimming holes.
- Cascade Falls - Jefferson National Forest
The 66-foot Cascades - Virginia's most photographed waterfall - allows summer swimming at its base.
- Cashiers Sliding Rock
Cashiers' own natural waterslide, where a smooth rock chute drops swimmers into a mountain pool.
- Claytor Lake State Park
Claytor Lake State Park's swim beach sits on 4,500 acres of New River impoundment.
- Compression Falls
At the top of this Boone-area cascade, swimmers climb the right bank to a well-known jumping rock above a deep pool.
- Devil's Bathtub
A 4-mile out-and-back hike with 10+ creek crossings ends at a crystal-clear, bathtub-shaped pool beneath a small waterfall.
- Douthat State Park - Douthat Lake
Douthat State Park's 50-acre lake has a swim beach in one of Virginia's original state parks.
- Elk River Falls
One of the Southern Appalachians' great falls, Elk River drops 50 feet into a big, deep pool that's a classic swimming and sunbathing spot.
- Fairy Stone State Park
Fairy Stone State Park - named for the lucky cross-shaped crystals - has a swim beach on its 168-acre lake.
- Falls Ridge Preserve
The Nature Conservancy's Falls Ridge Preserve centers on an 80-foot travertine waterfall with deep, clear pools.
- Foster Falls - New River
Foster Falls pours into the New River where paddlers, climbers, and swimmers converge.
- French Broad River - Hot Springs
The French Broad through Hot Springs is the Southeast's classic tubing town - rent a tube, float the gentle rapids, and swim in the deep pools between.
- Goshen Pass - Maury River
Goshen Pass is where the Maury River squeezes through a gorge of towering cliffs - and where Rockbridge County swims.
- Graveyard Fields Lower Falls
High on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Graveyard Fields' Lower Falls drops into a postcard plunge pool at the end of an easy boardwalk stroll.
- Graveyard Fields Upper Falls
Above the popular Lower Falls, the Upper Falls trail leads to a wilder, less-crowded cascade with its own swimming pools.
- Green River Cove Tubing and Swimming
The Green River Narrows are famous for extreme kayaking, but the calmer Green River Cove section is a beloved tubing and swimming run.
- Hanging Rock State Park Lake
A 12-acre mountain lake with a sandy swim beach, bathhouse, and lifeguards in Hanging Rock State Park.
Looking for more? Browse swimming holes in all 50 states or explore by travel region.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to swim in the Blue Ridge?
June through September. Mountain water is cold year-round; late summer offers the warmest pools and the lowest, calmest flows.
Do Blue Ridge swimming holes require reservations or permits?
Most national forest spots are free. Shenandoah National Park charges entry, and a few famous spots manage crowds in peak season — check each listing.
Are Blue Ridge swimming holes safe?
Waterfall tops and wet rock are the danger here — people are hurt every year slipping above falls. Swim in pools below falls, never at the lip, and leave during thunderstorms.