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Written by Alec Swayngham
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Friday, 25 September 2009 20:40 |
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Description: An easy, 30-minute hike through a gorgeous Appalachian cove forest takes you to Station Cove Falls, a stepped 60-foot waterfall that forms from headwaters atop Station Mountain. In the spring and summer, countless wildflowers bloom along the trail. You may see trillium, mayapple, pink lady’s slipper orchids, bloodroot, and redbud.
Height of falls: 60 feet
Length of hike: 0.5 mile
Time to hike: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Creek or river: Station Creek
USGS Quadrangle: Walhalla
Directions to falls:
1. From the intersection of SC 28 and SC 11 at Walhalla, drive north on SC 11 for 6.3 miles and turn left (northwest) onto Oconee Station Road (Oconee County S-37-95).
2. Drive 2.4 miles (approximately 0.3 mile past Oconee Station State Historic Site) to the trailhead on the left (parking is limited to four cars). Additional parking is available at Oconee Station State Historic Site picnic area.
3. The 0.5-mile hike begins behind the bulletin board.
Information: Sumter National Forest, Andrew Pickens Ranger District, 112 Andrew Pickens Circle, Mountain Rest, SC, 29664. Telephone: 864-638-9568
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Last Updated on Saturday, 26 September 2009 01:46 |
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Written by Alec Swayngham
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Friday, 25 September 2009 20:38 |
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Description: Set back into a hillside and surrounded by an explosion of shrubbery, Spoonauger Falls runs down a stepped rock face in a broad sheet. The 50-foot high waterfall is among the more popular in this area of the Chattooga River watershed, no small part due to the easy, 20-minute hike. And like its cousin, King Creek Falls, this waterfall is camera-friendly, especially in the summer when plants snake all about and afternoon light highlights the innumerable horizontal slashes of the rock.
Height: 50 feet
Length of hike: 0.5 mile
Time to hike: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Creek or river: Spoonauger Creek
USGS Quadrangle: Tamassee
Directions to falls:
1. From Walhalla, drive north on SC 28 for 8 miles to the junction of SC 28 and SC 107, and bear right (north) onto SC 107.
2. Drive 10.4 miles and turn left onto Burrell's Ford Road (FS 708, paved for first 0.3 mile).
3. Drive approximately 2.0 miles to the Chattooga Trail parking area on the left (look for the Forest Service Bulletin Board).
NOTE: There may not be a sign for the Chattooga Trail.
4. Hike north on the Chattooga Trail, which roughly parallels the Chattooga River for 0.25 mile, then cross Spoonauger Creek.
5. Immediately on the right will be a side trail. A sign provides directions to follow Spoonauger Creek upstream for 200 yards to reach the falls.
Information: Sumter National Forest, Andrew Pickens Ranger District, 112 Andrew Pickens Circle, Mountain Rest, SC, 29664. Telephone: 864-638-9568
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Last Updated on Saturday, 26 September 2009 01:45 |
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Written by Alec Swayngham
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Friday, 25 September 2009 20:35 |
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Description: This is one of two falls you can reach by hiking the Winding Stairs Trail, the other being Miuka Falls. After a downhill hike of approximately 1.8 miles through a mostly hardwood forest, part of it a short distance off the Winding Stairs Trail, you will reach Secret Falls. The falls ripples down a steep hillside then along a slab of granite, at times being pinched down to several feet. While at the falls you may see or hear a number of birds, such as turkeys, ravens, warblers, indigo buntings, vireos, or thrushes. You may also encounter deer and possibly a shy feral hog.
Height: 60 feet
Length of hike: 1.8 miles
Time to hike: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Creek or river: Crane Creek
USGS Quadrangle: Tamassee
Directions to falls:
1. From Walhalla, drive northwest on SC 28 for 8.4 miles and bear right (north) onto SC 107.
2. Drive another 8.7 miles and park on the right just before the sign for the Cherry Hill Recreation Area.
3. Start your hike on the Winding Stairs Trail, which starts at the right (south) of two yellow posts. Do not pass between the posts or cross SC107.
4. At 0.2 mile the trail bears right, and a path from the Cherry Hill Recreation Area enters from the left.
5. From this junction hike south for 0.9 mile and bear left onto a spur trail to see Miuka Falls.
6. From the spur trail continue for .5 mile and begin the switchbacks Winding Stairs is named for. When you reach the third turn, the trail turns sharply to the left.
7. Leave the trail and hike cross-country. There are no trail markings, but there will be an obvious ravine on your left. Secret Falls is approximately 300 yards south of where you left the Winding Stairs Trail.
Information: Sumter National Forest, Andrew Pickens Ranger District, 112 Andrew Pickens Circle, Mountain Rest, SC, 29664. Telephone: 864-638-9568
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Last Updated on Saturday, 26 September 2009 01:45 |
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Written by Alec Swayngham
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Friday, 25 September 2009 20:32 |
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Description: This stubby, 12-foot high waterfall on the Chauga River is among the shortest listed here. In fact, on some rivers, this broad, 100-foot-wide cascade would probably pose just a brief obstacle to whitewater paddlers. But don’t let the relative height to sway you; this is one of those cases where the moderate 45-minute hike along a recently constructed trail is alone worth your hiking time.
Height: 12 feet
Length of hike: 1 mile
Time to hike: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
Creek or river: Chauga River
USGS Quadrangle: Holly Springs
Directions to the falls:
1. From Westminster, drive west on US 76 for 7.5 miles to the 2nd right onto Cobbs Bridge Road.
2. Drive 1.6 miles and turn left onto Spy Rock Road (FS 748, which is gravel).
3. Drive 1.8 miles to FS 748-C (on the right) and park by the side of the road.
4. Hike (east) on FS 748-C for 0.3 miles to the trail and hike 0.7 mile to the falls.
Information: Sumter National Forest, Andrew Pickens Ranger District, 112 Andrew Pickens Circle, Mountain Rest, SC, 29664. Telephone: 864-638-9568
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Last Updated on Saturday, 26 September 2009 01:44 |
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Hiking Trails / Waterfalls 
