Driver rescued after Jeep plunges down embankment beneath North Carolina waterfall

HIGHLANDS, N.C. (WBTV/Gray News) - A driver was injured over the weekend after their Jeep went over an embankment and crashed at the base of a North Carolina waterfall, authorities said.

The wreck happened Saturday, Sept. 19, at Bridal Veil Falls in Macon County, a historic North Carolina landmark known for decades as the only waterfall in the state visitors could drive behind. Located roughly 2.5 miles west of downtown Highlands, the site sits on a winding, mountainous stretch of U.S. Route 64.

Highlands fire and rescue crews said the vehicle veered off the road and plunged down a steep embankment, landing in a rocky pit directly below the waterfall.

Officials said one person was trapped inside the SUV. Rescuers extricated the driver and provided emergency treatment before paramedics transported them to a local hospital.

As of Monday, the person’s condition remains unknown.