This Emerald Lagoon In North Carolina Looks Like A Fairy Tale

Searching For Mermaids At Midnight Hole, An Emerald Lagoon in North Carolina

Pack a picnic lunch and head to the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina for a hike to an unforgettable emerald lagoon called Midnight Hole. When spring turns into a hot summer, our natural instinct is to seek ways to cool off. I can honestly say, I can’t think of a more natural way than a dip in this picturesque lagoon. Bring a hammock, and just forget about the troubles from the week!

Tips for Getting to Midnight Hole

You’ll want to allow approximately two hours of travel time, depending on where in the Upstate you leave from. Enter “Big Creek Trail” into your GPS for directions. Here are GPS coordinates for Midnight Hole.

A tip I learned on this trip: Screenshot your directions, in case you lose your cellular signal. This is always a good idea when heading into the mountains because if you lose your signal, you might lose your way!

Once you arrive, the road in most places will be narrow and only allow one car to pass at a time. Please be aware of this before you head in. A short distance into the park, you’ll see a parking lot on the right. Continue past this and head over the bridge. The parking lot for the Big Creek trailhead dead ends, so just keep driving until you reach it. This hidden swimming hole is a favorite for locals, so try to arrive early to avoid lots of people making the same trek.

Parking at The Big Creek Trail Head

If you get there later in the morning, be prepared to park creatively because the parking area is limited. If you park on the side of the road, just make sure cars can pass by.

The parking lot has a restroom, which I highly recommend visiting before you hit the trail. This will be the last source of modern plumbing you’ll see for a while.

Midnight Hole Is a 3-mile round-trip hike

The trailhead is marked with a sign, and Midnight Hole is just 1.5 miles up the trail over flat terrain. The trail is rocky and doubles as a horse trail, so please watch where you step. Dogs aren’t allowed, though we spotted a few anyway.

Only you know your children well enough to know if they should make this hike. The Big Creek side of the trail has steep inclines with dramatic drop-offs, and one misstep could be dangerous if a child (or anyone for that matter) isn’t paying attention.

Just 1/2 a mile past Midnight Hole is Mouse Creek Falls, a less crowded and beautiful spot worth the hike.

There will be no path marker indicating you are at Midnight Hole. If you make this trip in the cooler months, I suggest using a pedometer to measure the distance.

Once you’ve arrived at the lagoon, you’ll have to climb down some rocks to the water. There are plenty of places to stow your stuff. There are even places you can hang a hammock and enjoy the ultimate relaxation experience.

We decided to cross the creek and sit on the large boulders adjacent to the trail. I highly suggest some sort of hiking/water type shoe. The terrain is rocky and slippery, and when the water is rushing over your feet, it’s comforting to know that you’re not sticking your bare feet in between rocks as you walk across.

Swimming at Midnight Hole

Once you’ve found a spot and settled in, it’s time to relax. You can sunbathe, swim, people watch, or if you’re very brave, jump off the rocks into the gorgeous emerald lagoon. I heard someone near me say, “The scariest part of jumping off is how far you go down once you hit the water. You just keep going!”

Note: Natural swimming holes can present unique dangers. Please use caution, especially with children, and review safety rules for swimming in natural environments.

The water is pretty cold, so jumping in is the best way to get over that. Once you get in, it feels very refreshing.

Hiking Trails to Explore: Mouse Creek Trail

If you continue just a ½ mile more past Midnight Hole, you’ll be able to access Mouse Creek. This waterfall spills into a pool that continues into Big Creek. Hiking past this ¼ mile more will bring you to a bridge that will allow you to access the pool.

Something I noticed and appreciated was the respect visitors had for this beautiful spot. I didn’t see any trash or litter left lying around. Everyone adheres to the pack it in, pack it out rule. It would be a shame to see this beautiful spot ruined.

I hope you decide to make the trip up to North Carolina to visit this emerald-colored lagoon. The hike is well worth the reward, even for someone not accustomed to hiking. There are plenty of spots to sit down and take a break along the way, or even set up a small picnic before or after your hike.

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