I love this place! It is my favorite county park! The trails are well kept, and there are a few…read moreto choose from depending on how ambitious you feel. Or sometimes it's nice to just sit on the giant rock and look at the beautiful waterfall. There is a very nice little playground that my grandkids had a blast playing on. As well as a couple of nice adult swings for the grownups to sit on and watch the kids. There are also places for the kids, and adults too, to get in the water. . As a bonus, the bathrooms are kept very clean and are nicer than any park bathroom I have ever been in. If you haven't been here yet, just do it!

We love this place but after today they will never get another cent from me this place has racist…read moreworker who follow you around like you are stealing then yells at a 15 year old cause she accidentally dropped a candy bar rapper then screamed at my family for parking "illegally "while we were trying to load our cars we told him and he proceeded to tell us to get in our cars and leave the park now and went over and dug in the trash and found an empty alcoholic can and said it was ours and to leave even though there were other people that just left those tables he said we were lying and to get out then proceeded to call in our car tags I spent $50 to rent for my daughters party plus $3.00 only for them to treat me and my guess like crap also got mad cause we used all the bags they gave us and because we didn't put any bags in the empty cans after today hartwell lake will always get my money never again this place by the way the name of the "park ranger "who done this is Patrick if you can't be friendly then don't be a ranger no need to be rude and mean and to follow my group around like we are thieves while at the swimming /bridge area

This is the best waterfall we got to visit in SC this far. After we left Reedy Branch Falls we…read moredrove here. Well, as close as we could get. I didn't realize that we couldn't drive all the way to the trailhead so we had a long hike in store due to me having to carry my toddler most of the time. I should have re-read the previous reviews before coming. My friend did help me carry her as well and for that I was very thankful. So definitely don't recommend this hike with a little one unless strapped in a carrier. Also, I don't recommend it for the elderly either. It's definitely a wilderness hike deal with roots and elevation change. In fact, it's mostly downhill on the way to the falls, but on the way back it's pretty much all uphill, which was not fun with aforementioned young child. It's about a half mile to the actual trailhead and then another 0.7 mile to the falls. That's about 2.4 miles round trip. The reason of course that my boys absolutely became enamored with this place is the large swimming hole. It is wonderful and has plenty of space. The waterfall itself is beautiful and although it's not as tall as others, its width is quite impressive. I was trying to get as close as I could and even noticed a hidden part of the falls inside of the rock structure. That was so cool!! The sand at the base and shore give it a beachy vibe. We definitely packed it in and out making sure not to leave anything behind as to preserve the area as best as possible. Needless to say we were wiped by the time we made it back to our vehicles, but we're still glad we decided to venture here. Coming back with my hubby and boys in the very near future. Happy yelping!

I just wanted to update my 3/15/20 review below to add I've now done this hike several times, but…read moreTHIS time I had the chance to hike it with a friend who is directly related to the namesake of the waterfall... Riley Moore. Sandie is a church friend of mine and Riley Moore was her Great Great Uncle (I believe that's right). He once upon a time operated a grist mill here at the top of the falls. She's been trying to get here to see the waterfall, but couldn't find it and wanted to join us (along with her family) since I knew the way. Upon further research I discovered there are actually still remnants of the mill including visible drill holes, spikes and bolts. Thought that was pretty cool info to share! [ [ [ PREVIOUS REVIEW ] ] ] Riley Moore Falls is small in height but HUGE in personality. It's located off State Road S37-748, which is a nicely maintained gravel road where cars and trucks alike can comfortably traverse. ~~~ DIRECTIONS From Westminster, SC - DO NOT turn onto Cobb Bridge Road from Long Creek Hwy (Hwy 76) where you will see the brown & white sign pointing you in the direction of Riley Moore Falls. Our GPS had us go this way, then left onto State Road S37-748, but the road was CLOSED during our visit! INSTEAD, turn onto PU-32 also known as Rocky Fork Road. Turn left onto a gravel road near Rocky Fork Baptist Church and follow that until it dead ends @ State Road S37-748 (also known as Spy Rock Road). Turn right and drive approx. 1.4 miles (4 minutes) to 748c (aka Riley Moore Shoals Road). Park at the intersection of State Road S37-748 and 748c. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE 748c in a car or minivan. Low clearance vehicles will find the terrain on this road to be VERY difficult to navigate without bottoming out or getting stuck. I'd also recommend 4x4 capability on wet days! There can be several deep-pocketed muddy areas after heavy rains. ~~~ THE TRAIL Once you reach the intersection of Spy Rock Rd (S37-748) and 748c, park roadside on Spy Rock, secure your vehicle and begin your hike approx. 1/2 mile down the "primitive road." IF you have a high ground clearance SUV or truck, you can drive the primitive road another half mile or so to a second parking area near the trailhead. The primitive road is VERY BUMPY  and can be muddy in spots after heavy rains, so a 4x4 is best. After reaching the second parking area, follow the marked trail on the left!!! The trail is a little over a 1/2 mile to the falls from here. The trail is fairly straightforward and easy to follow. ~~~ THE FALLS Once you reach the Chauga River, you will notice a large sandy area with plenty of room for an entire horde of hikers!!! Riley Moore Falls is not very tall (only about 12 feet), but it is very wide and has a deep base pool. PRO TIP - Bring swimwear, towels and a picnic, but be sure to pack it in and pack it out. ~~~ THINGS TO KNOW Hiking Distance: 2 miles (round trip to falls from S37-748) Difficulty of hiking 748c: All downhill to trailhead (moderate return) Difficulty of hiking trail to falls: EASY Creek Crossings: NO Elevation Gain: 357 feet Waterfall Height: Approx 12 feet Access to top of falls: NO - not without getting wet Access to base of falls: YES Pool of water @ base of Falls: YES Sitting areas @ base: YES + sandy beach RESTROOMS: NO PARKING: YES (along road) + secondary parking area closer to trailhead for trucks and high ground clearance vehicles with room for about 6 cars. ~~~ [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] A lovely waterfall in any season, but also a great spot for a summer swim. While we had the waterfall practically to ourselves during our Mid-March expedition, be advised other trail website reviews say it gets trashy & crowded in summer months. What a shame if that is true because it truly is a treasure. ENJOY! 2022 / 74 #UPDATE 178

Nice little playground for getting our kids' energy out on a long car trip. There's a shaded…read morepavilion in the back of the park, which is a nice respite from the otherwise unshaded playground. Well maintained bathrooms.

Tucked away off the campus of Clemson on a vast plot of land is the South Carolina Botanical…read moreGardens. Like some other college-affiliated gardens, this one is free of charge to all visitors. It's a bit tough to get your bearings at first since the property is really spread out, and requires quite a bit of driving to get from place to place, where first time visitors (like me) are sure to get lost along the way, even with a map of the property. I recommend starting your visit with the visitors center, carriage house, and geology museum, which are adjacent to the desert and Jurassic gardens. I tried to get intel on best places to see blooms at the visitors center, but staff weren't overly helpful in assisting where to explore, so I basically grabbed the map and drove off meandering around the back roads, winding up at the Hanover House (super friendly staff here) and the Caboose and President's gardens (some blooms in this area). Despite feeling a bit lost while exploring and encountering very few blooms, I did overall enjoy my visit to the South Carolina Botanical Gardens. I would rate it as a 3.5 out of 5 experience overall, as much of the land on property seemed not to serve much of a purpose, and you really have to spend time exploring (and getting lost) to find interesting blooms.

I took my 88 yr old neighbor with me. We walked around the circle near the bell. Just so special…read moreand peaceful.

Great park! Tons to do at the playground, plus picnic area and trail nearby. Most of it is made…read moreof wood and seems to fit the mountain motif around here. The tire swing goes nice and high and the slides are slick. I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 because it is a little bit run down. I imagine this park 10 or 20 years ago was fantastic. This is still worth a visit, and the kids are sure to enjoy it!

Very nice park nestled in a lovely neighborhood. We walked on the fairly short trail and enjoyed…read moreit. Some of the trees are massively impressive! There is a structure for the kids to play on that looks really fun, kind of like a fort.

Nice campground! It's not huge, but all sites are out on a peninsula, and all are either directly…read moreon the water OR have wonderful water views. There are two bath houses on the peninsula, and the park does a nice job keeping them clean. Because of the proximity of the water, none of the sites have sewer hook-ups, but there is one on the main road near the park entrance. Some of the sites are nicer than others (large and level vs. small and angled). The site I had originally paid for was not nice, and I would have struggled to get a 20-foot trailer on it. Fortunately, there was another option open, and we got a nice waterfront spot to spend a few days on. Great destination campground! Totally recommend!

We camp here almost yearly. Wait until April to come. One of the biggest issues about this park…read moreis the lack of respect for Veterans, Military, and First Responders. Their rule is that you have to live in the county. As Veterans, and Military, we didn't limit our protection to only those in specific geographical areas. There is also a Gold Star family here visiting from FL. The lack of consideration for a small discount is simply disgraceful. Seriously considering taking this place off our list.

The tunnel is cool, but very short. The trails make up for it and the waterfalls are a great sight…read more No wait time, no reservations recommended, price to entry $1-5. But make sure you have a flashlight with you to go into the tunnels and the waterfalls is so pretty. I recommend this to anyone who want to adventure.

Short experience but worth going to. The entrance is $5 a car. You can walk the short tunnel, just…read morebe careful it gets dark and there's puddles. The waterfall is beautiful and it can be viewed from the top and from the side on the observatory deck.

Great overnight camping! Fire rings, picnic tables, and roomy, flat campsites for both trailer, RV,…read moreand tent camping. The bath houses are always clean, they have 2 different camp hosts, who are both very helpful and keep the campsites at a clean, topnotch level. There is a boat launch, 2 different playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, pickle ball, horseshoes, volleyball sand area, and kayak rentals with various sizes of life jackets available. They also have a sandy beach area and are dog friendly! There is a camp store and Snack Shack(but they haven't been open since we've been here, April/May). But we played giant checkers on the store porch. It has a wonderful view of the lake with nice rocking chairs to relax in. There are also picnic areas for day use for a small entry fee. Overall, it was a great place to stay with family and friends.

My husband and I went camping in our RV here years ago. We came back for several nights, as we…read morelove the area. Unfortunately, and to no one's fault it rained the whole time we were there. We did take a local jaunt out on a drier afternoon, but the next day we were leaving. This is a beautiful park with many spacious sites. We did enjoy our stay here, but wished we had better weather. A picnic table and fire pit were available for our use. I forgot if it had a BBQ grill, but we had our own. We had electric and water hook up. We'll be back again.

My boys and I had a wonderful 2 night, 3 day stay in Cabin 4…read more Check in was smooth! The cabin had two bedrooms, a living room area with a table/seating, one bathroom with shower and a kitchen. The kitchen has a microwave, large fridge, keurig with pod dispenser or brewed coffee. There are four plates, four bowls and silverware for four people. We opted to bring plasticware for ease and use paper plates. We also brought a pizza cutter, which I'm glad we did. We were supplied with two rolls of TP and a towel/washcloth for up to four people. There are cooking utensils in drawers and a holder by stove. However the utensils in the holder by the stove had sugar ants. I didn't encounter any other big issues in the cabin, but you're in the woods...I was surprised we didn't see more. Cabin 4 has a beautiful sitting area with Adirondack chairs and a fire pit which made for relaxing evenings. The cabin is located right on the lake and we were able to set up for fishing and hang a hammock easily. My only complaint is that the cabin is supposed to come with a kayak, at no charge. We were told the kayaks had not arrived. In this situation it would have been nice to be given the option to use one at the store for no charge. This was not offered not did they allow. If we are not receiving all the items as listed then a discount or alternative option should be provided to guests. The pedal boats are $10/hr. On the site it said must be 16 to ride solo, however when renting we were told anyone in the boat had to be 16+. Another bit of information that should be corrected on their site. Luckily we made it work and they were accommodating. The store has ice cream, snacks, drinks and Knick knacks. Even firewood if you forget yours. All in all, it was a beautiful time and we made great memories!

My wife booked a cabin on the lake for our anniversary at Oconee State Park. We were quite…read moresurprised at how nice the cabin was considering it's a state park. It was well maintained and had newish appliances and plenty of cookware, cutlery and other essentials but we had brought our own anyway. Cabin #4, built in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, has a back patio area with two Adirondack chairs, fire pit, and a charcoal grill. The grill is sufficient but next time I'd bring a kettle grill. The park has several hiking trails which seemed to be fairly easy. Unfortunately, we didn't go hiking because my wife broke her arm prior to us getting there. They also offer kayak, canoe, and pedal boat rentals. Overall we had a good time.

Yellow Branch Falls was the last waterfall we went to on the last Hiking Yelp Event hosted by…read moreRichard and Jamarcus which was also my first one. Not only my first Hiking Event but also my first time hiking. This time these guys took us to chase waterfalls to Walhalla, South Carolina. Definitely a great choice with beautiful views (which is why I live for, great views). The itinerary consisted on the following waterfalls: Station Cove Falls King Creek Falls Spoonauger Falls Issaqueena Falls *Yellow Branch Falls Yellow Branch was one of my favorites too. I was told the hike was about 1.5 round trip but it happened to be 3 miles total! I was exhausted but I have to say it was worth it. The trail is super easy, very spacious too so I felt free LOL. Yellow Branch was great and definitely one of my favorites places we visited on the trip. I think it's great for everyone including children. I didn't realize how easy hiking can be. There are indications and marks all over the place to help people follow the right way. My group was super experimented but I feel it would be totally fine for beginners too. No worries. I had so much fun on this event and I discovered what can be my new passion. Shoutout to Richard and his wife Dani for being so helpful and awesome. Every single person at the group was super nice too and willing to wait for me when i was getting too slow. LOL. Thanks y'all. Can't wait for the nexts events coming up. Thanks Richard for the great pictures you took of me!! :D ESPAÑOL Yellow Branch Falls fue la última cascada a la que asistimos en el último Evento de Yelp de Senderismo organizado por Richard y Jamarcus, que también fue el primero. No solo mi primer evento de senderismo, sino también mi primera vez. Esta vez, estos muchachos nos llevaron a cazar cascadas a Walhalla, Carolina del Sur. Definitivamente una gran elección con hermosas vistas (por lo que vivo por, excelentes vistas). El itinerario consistió en las siguientes cataratas: Estación Cove Falls King Creek Falls Spoonauger Falls Issaqueena Falls * Yellow Branch Falls Yellow Branch fue uno de mis favoritos también. Me dijeron que la caminata era de alrededor de 1.5 ida y vuelta, ¡pero resultó ser 3 millas en total! Estaba agotada pero tengo que decir que valió la pena. El sendero es muy fácil, muy espacioso también, así que me sentí libre LOL. Yellow Branch fue genial y, sin duda, uno de mis lugares favoritos que visitamos en el viaje. Creo que es genial para todos, incluidos los niños. No me di cuenta de lo fácil que puede ser el senderismo. Hay indicaciones y marcas por todo el lugar para ayudar a las personas a seguir el camino correcto. Mi grupo fue súper experimentado, pero creo que también estaría bien para los principiantes. Sin preocupaciones. Me divertí mucho en este evento y descubrí cuál puede ser mi nueva pasión. Grita a Richard y su esposa Dani por ser tan serviciales e increíbles. Cada persona del grupo también era súper agradable y estaba dispuesta a esperarme cuando me estaba volviendo demasiado lento. Jajaja Gracias a todos. No puedo esperar a los próximos eventos.

Today I spent the entire day with my wife (of 21 years this month) hiking 5 waterfalls, a 1850's…read moreincomplete railroad tunnel, and a historic park. We logged approximately 8 miles and our award for favorite destination of the day goes to Yellow Branch Falls. Here's what we loved: + It is a popular waterfall for both people and pets! Plenty of cute doggies to play with along the trail. + Because it's popular, it didn't feel remote and dangerous, making my non-hiker wife feel more comfortable. + Parking was plentiful + Restroom facility + Wide & spacious trail for the most part and easy to follow + Woods were not dense with foliage and lines of sight were sometimes well over 100 yards. + Creek crossings were easy as the trail made use of bridges, stepping stones and even downed trees. ++ And the biggest reason of all, A STUNNING WATERFALL as a reward for your 1.5 mile efforts. YELLOW BRANCH FALLS is only 50 feet tall, but feels so much larger because its multi-tiered face is about 80 feet wide! It is a magnificent specimen of a waterfall due to the fact that you can not only see ALL of it head on, but it also has an easy to photograph side profile. The reward of a gorgeous waterfall coupled with a pleasant trail that feel like Red Riding Hood's walk to grandma's house makes this our top hike of the day! Our other hikes today included nearby: - Lick Log Falls - Pigpen Falls - Issaqueena Falls - Station Cove Falls (2nd favorite of the day) - Oconee Station Historic Site - Stumphouse Tunnel Be sure to stop by King Taco in Walhalla as a reward for all the calories you will burn on these hikes. Great tacos and burritos! 2019/22