Hooker Falls in DuPont State Forest is named for Edmund Hooker, who operated a mill below the falls in the late 1800s. The mill is long gone. The falls and the swimming hole below them are very much still in operation.
At 14 feet, Hooker Falls isn't tall by waterfall standards. What it is, is wide and forceful, dropping into a deep basin that's one of the most popular swimming destinations near Brevard, North Carolina. The pool is wide enough to accommodate a crowd, and in summer it gets one. The water stays cold year-round at this elevation in the Pisgah.
The hike to the falls from the Hooker Falls parking area is about a quarter mile on a well-maintained trail. Easy enough for children and those who can't do extended hiking. DuPont State Forest's 10,000 surrounding acres have multiple waterfall destinations and a well-developed trail system for longer exploration.
Most people combine Hooker Falls with the Triple Falls and High Falls loop — a three-mile circuit that passes multiple waterfalls on the Little River. Triple Falls was a filming location for The Hunger Games — the scene where Katniss finds a camouflaged Peeta was shot along this stretch of river. Go on a weekday in shoulder season if swimming is the goal. In summer on weekends the parking lot fills early.