Highlights

•  East Parking Area to the Panthertown Valley via N.C. Hwy-281 & Cold Mountain Road 
•  Short hike to Greenland Creek  
•  Single Hook/Artificial Lures Only 
•  Native Brook Trout Catch & Release Only
•  We suggest that you download and print our Panthertown Valley Map we provide for this area before visiting
•  Schoolhouse Falls nearby offers swimming, fishing and sight seeing; popular falls
•  Greenland Falls & Carlton Falls near headwaters

The Local Scoop

There are multiple ways to access Greenland Creek.  We suggest taking Mac's Gap Trail #482, Greenland Creek Trail #488 or the Panthertown Valley Trail #474 (East), all of these trailheads located within the East parking area for Panthertown Valley (See directions below).
There are some nice runs as well as pools located here for you to try your luck at catching a Native Brook Trout, which is in my opinion the most beautiful sport fish one can catch. Please repsect these waters as "Catch & Release" and by using single-hook artificial lures only. A tip that is extremely beneficial to both the fish and future anglers for Catch & Release waters is to make sure that your hands are dipped into the water and completely wet before you handle the fish to "land" it. This will ensure that your dry hands don't remove the slimy layer of film that coats the trout's skin. This coating helps keep the fish healthy and prevents infection among other things.  It also promotes healthy fish for future anglers to enjoy.
For easier fishing and better creekside trail access versus "bushwacking" up the stream, take either the Greenland Creek Trail or Mac's Gap Trail.  Both of these trails will take you directly to the creek and will provide an "exit route" along the way.  The Panthertown Valley Trail is good access for both the lower end of Greenland Creek as well as Panthertown Creek but there aren't very good exits once you're in the creek.   
NOTE: We recommend researching the Panthertown Valley area before coming and also suggest not coming by yourself or without a map. This area is "wild" and the trail system is unmarked, you can get lost very easily if you don't know where you're going. Our best suggestion is to download and print the map we provide on this site, find the trail(s) you are interested in and plan out your day accordingly. You need to avoid any side trails you come across (and you'll come across a lot of them).

The Local Directions

From Cashiers, NC
From the main intersection of U.S. Hwy-64 and N.C. Hwy-107 in Cashiers, N.C. take Hwy 64 East (towards Brevard) for 12.7 miles to a left onto N.C. Hwy-281 for 3.6 miles.  Here you'll need to take a left onto "Cold Mountain Road" (just past Lake Toxaway Fire Station). Continue on Cold Mountain Road for another 5.6 miles, twisting and turning up the mountainside, passing numerous driveways for lake homes.  At 5.6 miles you'll see private property and a gated drive on the right, avoid this.  To the left and uphill is the gravel access road to the valley, here is where you'll see the sign for Panthertown Valley.  This will be the first sign of any sort you will see for the valley.  After approx. 0.1/0.2 mile up the gravel road, it will fork again.  Take the first right and onto the access road to the East Parking Area.  Note:  This road had a large mud puddle in the middle of it the last time I was there.  I had to park my lowered car to the side and walk the short distance to the main parking area, about 0.1 mile.  No problem.  If you have a 4 x 4 with clearance this should pose no problem.

Back to top

Coordinates

35.165119, -83.005928

Hike Distance

0.55 mile

Access

Difficult via:
US Hwy-64/
NC Hwy-281/
Cold Mountain Road (Paved/Gravel)

Nearest City

Cashiers

County

Jackson County

Distance From

Cashiers, 21.9 miles