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Say Hello to Greenville, SC... yeah, THAT Greenville.
Waterfalls in Upstate South Carolina
The Upstate of South Carolina offers a tremendous variety of waterfalls in the three county area of Pickens, Oconee and Greenville counties. Several of the prime waterfalls are just a short walk from the trailhead. From the splendor of Lower Whitewater Falls to the quiet beauty of Spoonauger Falls, you won't be disappointed. Come along with SC Outdoor Insider Marie McAden as she explores some of South Carolina's Upstate waterfalls. Read more about Marie and her waterfall adventure at: DiscoverSouthCarolina.com.
The South Carolina Upstate
South Carolina is made for fun in the Upstate. Challenging golf courses, unique downtowns, outdoor recreation and great food makes the Upstate a great place for family time or any time.
Fall in Upcountry SC
Visit the foothills of South Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains in late October and early November and you'll enjoy views like this! Visit UpcountrySC.com for more information.
Oconee County Ecotourism
Oconee, meaning land beside water, lives up to its name with three man-made lakes. Fishing, boating and skiing are just a few of the activities that take place on the lakes and rivers year-round. Video provided by GBA Productions.
Rock Bottom Falls and Gorge - Pickens County, South Carolina
Rocky Bottom Creek flows into Eastatoe Creek near the small community of Rocky Bottom in Pickens, South Carolina. The section of creek in this video lies within the Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve, but very few people know this waterfall and gorge exist since there's no official trail to either one.
Cherokee Heritage in South Carolina
Native Americans have lived in Upstate South Carolina for thousands of years and the history of the Cherokee people is a fascinating account of how they lived and adapted to a changing world.
Whitewater Falls near Lake Jocassee
Here is one of my favorite waterfalls near Lake Jocassee. I've been going here since the mid-80s and hasn't changed a bit. Whitewater Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies. The falls plunge an amazing 411 feet! South Carolina's Lower Whitewater Falls drops another 400 feet. Because of the escarpment's difficult access and rugged terrain, much of the area receives few visitors and has remained wild and undeveloped over the years. In the cool, moist shade of steep slopes and rock cliffs, you will see rare wildflowers and salamanders along the banks. This wild land is also a perfect haven for a rich array of ferns, mosses, and fungi. Enjoy the beauty of berries and blooms throughout the seasons.
Featured in the foreground is Jocassee Valley, The award-winning book on the history and genealogy of now Lake Jocassee written by my good friend Claudia Whitmire Hembree. Claudia compiled over 40 years of interviews, Photos, and research to make the book. Jocassee Valley is The holy grail of books on Jocassee. You can order your own copy at.....
jocasseevalley.com
If you're a Jocassee fanatic like me, you will have endless hours of pleasure reading.
Hours: Dawn until dusk, year-round. Picnic tables and CLEAN Restrooms. Fee: $2 for vehicles with seven passengers or less; $1 per person for more than seven people traveling together in a vehicle. Paying for the daily pass is on the honor system . You will deposit the money at the entrance of the trail. Make sure you pay or have a pass otherwise it will be a minimum $50 fine. Annual pass available for $15; One-day or season permits are also valid at Whiteside Mountain and at Dry Falls.
Where to find the best views: For an excellent view of Whitewater Falls, follow the paved walkway to the upper overlook. The walkway begins at the end of the parking lot and is accessible to wheelchairs. A lower overlook is located at the bottom of 154 wooden steps. More energetic hikers can continue down the half-mile spur trail that drops 600 feet in elevation to the Whitewater River and Foothills Trail. With the exception of the two overlooks near the top, no other views of the falls are offered.The best views of the falls are from the two overlooks. However, some people venture off the trail to try for better views. Tragically, several of these people fell to their deaths or suffered serious injuries at Whitewater Falls. Please stay on the trails.
The Foothills Trail stretches along the Blue Ridge Escarpment in North Carolina and South Carolina for 85 miles. After descending the spur trail, hikers may head east on the Foothills Trail to South Carolina, the Lower Whitewater Falls, and other eastward points. The majority of trail maintenance is provided by volunteers with the Foothills Trail Conference, whose board includes representatives of managing agencies and landowners. The Highlands Ranger district of the Nantahala National Forest manages a 4.5-mile segment of the Foothills Trail from the NC-SC State line east of Whitewater Falls to the NC-SC State line, west of the falls.
How to Get There
From Cashiers: Drive south on NC 107 for 9.3 miles. Shortly after crossing the State line, turn left at the sign for Whitewater Falls. Continue 2.3 miles to the intersection with SC 130, which becomes NC 281 at the North Carolina State line. Just beyond this point is a sign for the entrance to Whitewater Falls.
From Brevard: Drive west on U.S. 64. At Sapphire, turn left on NC 281 and go south to the Whitewater Falls entrance.
From South Carolina: Drive north on SC 130, which becomes NC 281. The Whitewater Falls entrance is on the right after driving into North Carolina.
From Walhalla, SC: Use SC 107 and cross over to SC 130 and NC 281.
From Asheville: Take 240-West to I26-West. Go to the Asheville Airport/Brevard Exit (exit 9) and take a right onto U.S. 64. Drive to Brevard and follow above directions.
If you have any other questions on Jocassee, feel free to comment below and ask questions and I will promptly reply.
Bruntons Bridge Walhalla
One place to see if you get the chance while visiting Gippsland is the old railway bridge near Walhalla, Victoria, called Bruntons Bridge. This bridge was constructed for the train to head into the hills to collect wood for the Long Tunnel Mine in Walhalla. The hills were completely stripped, so the railway had to travel further to collect wood. Although the bridge cannot be seen in this video the country in the background can give a definite idea of how harsh the conditions are in this area.
My little sister is driving my ute across the Thomson river where this bridge is located.
Issaqueena falls, hike, South Carolina
A short easy walking trail leads from Stumphouse Mountain Park to Issaqueena Falls, a beautiful 200-ft. cascade. Legend has it that the Indian maiden, Issaqueena, rode to the nearby fort to warn of a pending Indian attack and then escaped pursuing Indians by pretending to leap over the falls, but actually hiding beneath them. This easy hike will take you to the top of the falls, but a short path to the right will give you a grand view of the entire scene.
Height: 100 feet
Length of hike: 0.2 mile
Time to hike: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Very easy
Creek or river: Cane Creek
USGS Quadrangle: Walhalla
Directions to the falls:
1. From Walhalla drive west on SC 28 for 6.9 miles and turn right into Stumphouse Tunnel Park.
2. Pass through the gate and follow the road to the parking lot and picnic area on the right.
3. Park and walk across the footbridge on the west side of the parking lot.
4. From here a path curving to the right side of the falls is apparent. This trail gives a fine view of the falls and its boulder-strewn creek course through the deeply incised valley below.
Information: City Hall, 101 East Main Street, Walhalla, SC, 29691. Telephone: 864-638-4343
Music by Native American Indian Spiritual Music Ceremony to Mother Earth. I do Not owe the right of this song.