These falls are beautiful. I highly recommend checking them out. If you want a longer hike start at…read morethe Oconee Station State Historic Site. There are bathrooms there. If you prefer an easier, shorter hike then drive past the historic site and the trailhead, and parking, are on the left. If you start at the historic site, know that you will eventually just be crossing that same street to get to the trailhead.

We started our adventure and family hike #8 (sans toddler - insert sad face) at Oconee Station…read moreState Historic Site. We also combined the Interpretive Nature Trail with the Station Cove Trail, which made for a longer, albeit nice hike around 3.1 miles. There's about a 260 ft. elevation gain, but wooden steps help with this ascent and then descent. Usually such a long walk would make my leg muscles ache the next day, but strangely enough I felt no soreness. I guess that means that I'm finally in shape enough to handle longer hikes. Woohoo! The large pond or small lake, depending on your opinion of what a body of 4 acres should be, was beautiful and shimmering in green and blue hues. Didn't see any fish or other creatures in it, but it is supposed to be full with bluegill and largemouth bass. Maybe we'll return for some fishing. Not long after the nature trail joins the falls trail you'll cross over Oconee Station Rd. There is an area for parking cars and from here the trail to the waterfall is about 0.75 mile, so if you prefer a shorter version this is it. I loved seeing the flowers starting to bloom and caught some good pictures of bloodroots and hepaticas. Down by one of the creeks an open area under a rock revealed animal footprints (maybe a raccoon?), which was cool to spot. There were more than a few trees down (probably from Hurricane Helene), but not completely obstructing the trail. As you approach the waterfall you step over some rocks from Station Creek to the other side. I'm glad that we had a good rainfall the day before, because it made for a great rush of water. Truly beautiful and my favorite falls discovered so far. We did run into a few people so it's definitely not an isolated area by any means (and we went on a Monday morning) although we did not meet another soul on the nature trail. Also, between the 3rd and 4th bridge is the Oconee Connector Trail which leads to Oconee State Park in case you want to add another 5.4 miles (I think) round trip to this one, but beware it apparently has an 800 ft. elevation change. Maybe one day I'll brave it. Overall, this was a great hike and our boys really enjoyed the beauty of the waterfall and easily travailed it. Looking forward to come back one day soon! Happy yelping!

This gem of a waterfall isn't even listed in the brochure of SC waterfalls that I got at Lake…read moreKeowee last year. Good thing I had it bookmarked on here thankx to Richard R. I would have ventured here on my own with my 3 crazy children, but thankfully a friend met us here with her child. Very thankful indeed. The parking area is very small, allowing a few spots for cars. Had no problem finding space on a Tuesday afternoon. The trail to the waterfall is very short, maybe 3-5 minutes. Not difficult at all so that even older folks and toddlers can manage it. The waterfall is gorgeous! There is a small wading area at the base, so we strapped on our water shoes and explored. It's not quite large enough to swim around comfortably, but does become deeper the closer you go to the falls. I did manage to climb up some of the rocks on the left side, but it was quite slippery so I took my time. Apparently, there is access to climb up to the top on the right side as well, but that looked too dangerous for me. We even saw a not-so-small crayfish in the water with its claws. We had this place to ourselves for a good 25 minutes before a young couple showed up. I'm sure it wasn't the romantic moment they were looking for. I really hope the guy wasn't planning a proposal, because when we finally left another family with floats was already heading that way. Haha. Maybe it's not as secluded as I thought. We ended up heading to another waterfall, but on the way there I saw a strange Wild West style town on Hwy. 76. Can anyone tell me what that is all about?? I tried to Google it, but couldn't find it and I need to know that I'm not going crazy and seeing ghost towns. Thank you in advance! Planning on coming back here very soon with my hubby and boys. Happy yelping!

Great spot too spend a couple hours. Beautiful water views great hiking trails Love the fact it's…read moreusually not crowded

Beautiful park with a decent size sliding rock and a small body of water to take a quick dip…read more Please don't jump from the rocks. If you miss the small patch of water that has some dept you will hurt yourself. And if you hurt yourself getting your butt up the hill to the parking lot will be extremely painful as there is no easy way to climb.

This place is an absolute blast! We cliff jumped and slid down a smooth rock waterfall. It gets…read morebusy on the weekends, but not too bad during the week. Be sure to wear a more athletic swimsuit bc I saw some disturbing bikini fails with several lads on their way down the sliding rock.

Came on a weekday morning, not many cars parked, only went to Rainbow Falls. Pretty short hike to…read moreit, although downhill there so uphill on the way back, not too steep. Slightly slippery from rain, lots of dead trees and leaves on the ground. Not a bad hike, would recommend if you're in the area!

What a fun hike! You hike down to the falls and the hike back up to your car. The falls are…read moreamazing. And there are many spots to get off the trail and climb around on the boulders.

JOHN'S JUMP & DEW FALLS are both located on the same river that crosses under NC-281, but on…read moreopposite sides of the road. ALLTRAILS labels it Mill Creek while another website called it Gumbottom Creek. Map coordinates are 35.067993, -83.007686 [ HIKING ] JOHN'S JUMP is a 35 foot waterfall on the eastern side of the road and is accessed via a very short yet steep trail to the base of the falls. The trail begins at the northern end of a grassy pullover. Look for an orange ribbon tied to a tree about 25 feet to the right of the beginning of a guard railing marking the trailhead. If the orange ribbon is not visible, the narrow trail leading into the woods should be fairly obvious. You will encounter a side view of the falls within a minute of being on the trail. John's Jump Falls are surprisingly large and the crest is within view from the roadside. Very pleasant waterfall that is fairly easy to access. To reach D.E.W. FALLS, walk safely along NC-281 near the guard railing. Once on the other side of the creek, cross over the road and you will see a small dirt pull-off large enough for two cars. Walk past the gate along an old road. In about 300 feet you will encounter a small elevation gain of about 15 feet. Take the dirt trail to the left of the main trail at the top of the small hill, which will lead you to D.E.W. Falls, named so after a student @ a South Carolina school by the name of Dorothy Ehlrich Walker, whom died in a car accident the summer before her senior year began. Reportedly the students helped build the trail and were given the honor of naming the waterfall by the Forest Services. NOTES: Our hike was within a few day of recent rains. [ THINGS TO KNOW ] Total Hiking Distance: .6 miles Difficulty: Easy and family/pet friendly Creek Crossings: YES (1 bridge) Elevation Gain: 135 feet Waterfall Height: 35 feet (John's Jump) Waterfall Height: 12 feet (D.E.W.) WATERFALL ATTRACTIVENESS * DEW Falls - 3 out of 10 * John's Jump - 6 out of 10 Access to top of falls: NO Access to base of falls: YES Pool of water @ base of Falls: YES Sitting areas @ base: YES RESTROOMS: NO PARKING: YES (limited) [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] The hike to both falls is about half a mile combined. DEW falls is less impressive, but still a worthy road trip pit stop if you are planning to visit other waterfalls in the area such as the magnificent triple waterfall combo trail @ nearby Gorges State Park which features 125' Rainbow Falls, Turtleback Falls and Drift Falls as well as an overlook to the 270' Bearwallow Falls. If you are feeling adventurous, there is a THIRD waterfall upstream of DEW Falls that is much taller and practically roadside. Topography maps indicate the waterfalls is approx. 70' tall, but it is unclear on how to reach the base from Upper Whitewater Road (1152). 2021 / 50

Wow! Breathtaking!!! The weather was a little chilly but I can imagine sitting out here reading a…read morebook or just star gazing in 70 degree weather. No graffiti allowed but clearly people didnt follow that rule. Lol It was still pretty cool to see it on the rocks minus the expletives The view is to die for. No, literally and physically speaking. Lol If you walk down far enough and you're clumsy like me, prepare yourself for a continuous roll.

Beautiful as always and much cleaner due to the new hike in to see it. My only suggestion is the…read moresignage needs improvement. 290 Persimmon Road ..the gravel road could be marked better. And the trail markings definitely could be better. There are small hidden tripping stumps along the way which could easily be cut out. We enjoyed the stroll through the woods to Bald Rock. Didn't see the glass as we had in the past.. no evidence of fires as in the past. Seemed nicer.

Wanna know a secret???…read more There are waterfalls all over this region of the South just waiting to be discovered. Many are known and many more are unknown. While I've been hiking this area for nearly a decade, I only recently heard about this waterfall for the first time last year (2019). A well kept local secret indeed... but y'all dun let the wrong yelper discover this waterfall and the secret is about to be let out! [ THE DRIVE ] There are a shocking amount of natural waterfalls located on private property throughout this area. Thankfully this is not one of them and it can be enjoyed by all. The gravel road to the trailhead is known as Big Creek Road. Since we were coming from the King Creek Waterfall area near Tamassee SC, GPS lead us to the eastern end of Horse Cove Road, which is also known as Bull Pen Road closer to the Chattooga River (where you pass over a cool old iron bridge). I tell you these details because if you happen to follow our driving route on a week after heavy rainfalls, you are likely to see a great number of unnamed waterfalls off in the woods. We counted 5, and only one of them was a named waterfall on Google maps (Scotsman Falls). [ THE EXPERIENCE ] We traveled along Walking Stick Road until it took a sharp right turn towards Big Creek Road. On the day we visited, there was a locked gate blocking the drive onto Big Creek Road, so we parked in a small little niche near the gate and walked about 200 yards to the Secret Falls trailhead (which is marked with a narrow sign). The trail was very muddy, but the descent was slow and steady for the majority of the half mile hike. However, it gets considerably steeper as you approach the portion of the trail leading to the base of the falls. Here you will see poorly maintained wooden timbers actings as steps.They were so poor in fact, that we opted not to use them and walked alongside them. The waterfall was raging from all the recent rain, which limited some of our photo opportunities. It is a gorgeous waterfall with picturesque cascades both above and below it. The cascades below comes as the river takes a sharp left turn just past the pool of water at the base of the falls. Accessing the upper waterfall area is easily done by using a small obvious trail off to the left just before the wooden steps. A downed tree forces you to scramble over it and around large rhododendrons that are bent over from the weight of the fallen tree. Once through the brush, you will be directly on top of the falls, so be careful and exercise good judgement. [ THINGS TO KNOW ] Hiking Distance: 1.3 miles Difficulty: Easy and family friendly (but can be muddy) Creek Crossings: YES (3) Elevation Gain: 255 feet Waterfall Height: Approx 45 feet Access to top of falls: YES Access to base of falls: YES Pool of water @ base of Falls: YES Sitting areas @ base: YES RESTROOMS: NO PARKING: YES if gate is open. [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] THE SECRET IS OUT!!! This is a great waterfall for an easy family adventure. We came in the winter, but seems this would be a great picnic spot where kids could play in the water for hours in the summer. The drive to nearby Highlands, NC is only about 6.5 miles away for plenty of food options and even more waterfall adventures. Near Highlands are a number of GREAT waterfalls with very short hiking distances including Ranger Falls, Bust Yer Butt Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Cullasaja River Falls and our personal favorites: Glen Falls, Dry Falls, Mud Falls and Estatoah Falls (which is hidden just next to the Sky Valley Scenic Overlook). ENJOY!!! 2020 / 4

I was somewhat surprised that there are not more reviews of this trail/waterfall. I believe that…read morethe real name of this falls is Big Shoals Falls. In his book on NC waterfalls, Kevin Adams referred to it as Secret Falls and the name seems to have stuck. For years, there was no official trail to this waterfall and the one unofficial trail which existed traversed private property. I've been visiting the area for thirty years and this (October 2021) was my first visit to this waterfall. Bottom line: It is awesome. Truly one of the more beautiful waterfalls that I've been to. I have to disagree with the previous reviewer: IMO, this trail is in horrible shape. Granted, reviews like these are entirely subjective. But I would definitely not bring young children or dogs here. When I visited, the trail was really in bad shape. The first part of the hike was fairly easy. But the farther you go, the worse the trail becomes. Erosion had taken a terrible toll. There are many rutted and washed-out areas. Some were so bad that hikers have bypassed the trail completely. The final descent to the base of the falls was the worst. Wooden steps had been constructed. But the erosion was so bad that much of the soil behind the steps had washed out making the steps all but unusable. There are two water crossings on the trail. One was a couple of planks stretched across a small branch. The other was on a split log over a somewhat larger stream. Neither was too difficult. Then again, the faint-of-heart would probably not care for either one. Trekking poles helped me on both. I was not able to find a path to the brink of the falls. I tried one crude path which seemed to be incredibly choked with rhododenron. So I gave up on getting to the top of the falls. There is a much smaller cascade downstream of the main falls. As with the brink, I could not figure out how to get to it. I visited early in the morning and had the place all to myself. The lighting wasn't terrific. I'm not sure what time or sky conditions are ideal for photography. I drove in on Rich Gap and Big Creek Roads off of Hwy 28 south of Highlands. It wasn't too bad of a drive in my 2WD F-150. But I believe that the drive out on Walking Stick Rd to Horse Cove Rd east of town was easier. If you love waterfalls, definitely put this one on your must-see list. But be aware of the fact that the hike is a challenge. Not so much due to elevation change (which is moderate) but, rather, due to the overall condition of the trail.

The fourth falls Hike is extremely diffacult but worth it. loved by me and other teen campersread more

It is important to note FOURTH FALLS is located on the grounds of THE WILDS Christian Camp, which…read moreis private property. You can be granted one day permission to hike the falls via the front office. However, if camp or any special events are in session, permission WILL NOT BE GRANTED, so call prior to making plans to visit: (828) 884-7811 Once you receive acceptable hiking dates, you will go to the walk-up window @ the office next to the General Store. Here they will register you, give clearance and a map of where to go to find the trailhead and falls. There are a total of four falls, but this review will specifically concentrate on the last of the four, aptly named FOURTH FALL. [ THE EXPERIENCE ] The waterfall trailhead is located near the basketball courts. Park and head towards the 2nd bridge just beyond the Giant Swing. There will be a set of water cannon on the bridge railing as a reference. BE SURE TO GET A MAP from the office! But even with it, the trail can be difficult to follow because the map was hard to read. There are also signs directing you to the falls at certain intersections, but we found some intersections were not clearly marked. Best to stay left at many of them. We decided to start at Fourth Falls because we were told the connector trail between 4th and 3rd falls was easier to travel up than down. MORE ON THAT LATER!!! I had my sister who is 58 and not a hiker (except when she comes to visit me from Florida) and her husband with me. Typically I don't take her on hikes I have not been on myself, but it just so happened I had already planned this hike when she asked if it was okay to come for a visit the same week. After successfully navigating to the falls and barely avoiding a copperhead snake along the trail, we hung out on the huge boulder taking pics and enjoying its beauty. Fourth Falls is picture perfect. Even in cold months the beautiful green moss remains draped on its stone ledges. We were told the shortcut route to 3rd falls was steep, but not too bad as long as you are fit. Well, that is a gross understatement, because not only should you be fit, but have good upper body strength AND no fear of heights. SERIOUSLY, this trail is not for the faint of heart! I've hiked to over 100 waterfalls, some on really sketchy trails and I have never been in such fear as I was on this trail. Not so much for myself, but for my sister. We started up the shortcut trail and it really didn't seem too bad. This would easily rate as a Class 3 trail because you have to use both hands and feet. The ease of the first part of it was misleading, because it gets harder & steeper, and then outright Class 4 difficult. [ NO TURNING BACK ] At the point we thought the trail ahead was just too difficult, we realized going back the way we came was probably just as hazardous. So we pressed forward hoping the top of the trail would come into view soon. IT DID NOT!!! My sister was beginning to have a panic attack so I talked her through every step, reassured her I was right behind her if she were to lose her footing. Her breathing got more labored so we stopped whenever it was safe to give her a break and blanket her in constant reassurance, while at the same time pointing out the next safe place to stop uphill. I was feeling very confident I could navigate us through safely until we reached a point where the climb became so steep that two very thick ropes had been tethered to a tree far above and out of view. It was here, at this very spot I began to pray for safety & strength to guide my oldest sister out of this predicament. I was terrified because it was THAT STEEP, but I couldn't let her know I was worried! I then instructed her to NOT lean back while using the ropes and be sure her foot was secure each time before taking another step. I matched her step for step, always remaining within full body contact lest she slip & always wrapping the ropes around my arms in case I had to act as a net if her strength failed. I sent her husband ahead to scout the distance to the top and to see if the trail got any more difficult. We didn't see him for almost 8 minutes. When we did make it to the top and back on level ground, she began to cry. We rested for a while and let her gain her composure before beginning the hike back. I did get a chance to see the other three falls via the wooden staircases at each of them, but she'd had enough adventure for one day and opted to stay on the trail until I returned. [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] Kids do these trails weekly, so you would think hazards would be minimal and without my sister, I probably would not have thought it was as bad. But it truly is THEE ONLY HIKE I've ever regretted not fully researching. Then again, I couldn't because it is on private property and there are very few reviews. Still, Fourth Falls is truly beautiful and can be safely reached on the longer route for the less adventurous! Know your capabilities & ENJOY! 2022 / 30