The views from the top of Bell Mountain are spectacular! The drive up the mountain is not for the…read moreweak either. My husband and I took some great photos, but at the very top deck I could barely stand still due to all of the gnats flying around!! (Nov 1)

Definitely worth checking out! It's a great view, and it's super convenient that you can drive to…read moreit. We had a rental minivan that made it alright (although we stopped in the parking lot right before the really big danger sign and hiked the last little bit). If you had an SUV you could be completely confident driving all the way. The roadway seemed to be well maintained and the signage was clear!

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!

We drove to Fall Creek Falls today and hiked from the nature center through the trailhead all the…read moreway to the actual falls. We saw about 3 scenic spots to take pictures and along the trail they had signs for other trails(which weren't that much of a detour). At the end of the trail to get to the twin falls it was breathing, well worth the hike but it was very strenuous.

You will totally miss this hidden gem if you are not paying close attention…read more The trailhead is located along Fall Creek Falls dirt road, but there are no signs indicating the trailhead nor is there an adequate pull-off for cars. Since we saw no indication for a trail, I just parked in the best spot possible as I listened for the falls with my car windows down. Turns out when I got out of the car and walked over to the edge of the road, there was a STEEP trail barely visible through the vegetation. The trail leads straight down to the creek, where you will encounter the upper part of the falls. Look to your right and continue downhill to the base of the upper falls, which is about 25-30 feet tall. This was as far as I explored and I was bummed to find out after getting home that there were TWO more waterfalls just a short distance below what I thought was the main falls. The second one is 35 feet tall, multilayered and quite spectacular based on the online pictures I found. The third is shorter, but still attractive. So if you come here, please note the distance to the falls is VERY short, but it is also VERY STEEP and semi-difficult, especially on the return. Enjoy! 2019/77

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

Maxie Lee Wright Duke was an avid waterfall hunter and good friend to Sidney Holmes Ballenger, Jr.,…read morea man who loved waterfalls so much that he literally wrote the pioneering book on finding them in Oconee County, South Carolina. When he died @ age 73, Maxie wanted to honor him by petitioning the U. S. Department of the Interior in hopes of naming an UNNAMED local waterfall in his honor. While her 1993 petition was denied, the effort didn't end. In late 2014, Renee Hattenstein reapplied to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to have the falls officially named Sid's Falls and in April of 2016, the name Sid's Falls was accepted by the board. Sadly I found an online obituary stating Maxie Lee Wright Duke passed away in December of 2020. But Oconee County residence wanted to honor her by unofficially naming a waterfall after her in close proximity to Sid's Falls. As a matter of fact, Maxie Duke Falls shares most of the same trail and parking that you would use to visit Sid's Falls. [ THE EXPERIENCE ] I WANT TO GIVE FAIR WARNING right up front that while 95% of this trail is super easy, the final leg of the trail to the base of the falls is NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART or anyone not capable of using BOTH HANDS during the descent. You will absolutely need to posses basic skills in climbing and some upper body and leg strength. The trail to the bottom at minimum fits the CLASS 3 hike rating and the breakoff trail to Maxie Duke is practically CLASS 4 as ropes are available to assist climbers on the steep, steep terrain. PARK at the small area off Damascus Church Road between Damascus Baptist Church and Cool Springs Road (State Route S-37-797). Walk around the gate and enjoy approx. 1.4 miles of easy hiking on a wide old road that passes two open grassy fields along the way. The grade varies, but typically stays within a 5% differential. However, once the trail enters into the woods and narrows, it becomes steeper. You will reach a point where the trail forks right or left. RIGHT is to Sid's Falls and LEFT is to Maxie Duke Falls. Here is where either trail gets noticeable difficult as the grade to Sid's can exceed -34% (according to AllTrails). Maxie Duke's trail is even steeper and may require the assistance of a preinstalled rope for most of the descent. Once you reach the creek you will need to wet cross over to the right side in order to achieve the best view of the falls. I ducked under a large fallen tree and discovered a dry trail leading to the base of the falls. I walked right out onto the stone ledge of the falls through the water and did not find the stones to be particularly slippery. In fact, I had good grip but I still remained very cautious. [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] When returning, you could also continue your adventure and follow the trail right of the split to Sid's Falls. But again, BE FOREWARNED the trail to Sid's is only slightly less steep, and you will absolutely need both hands and a lower center of gravity to remain balanced! Plan on getting your feet wet @ both falls to attain the best vantage for photos. Proceed with caution, respect the power of nature and know your own ability. It took us about 2 hours 20 minutes to hike from parking to both falls and back, which included rests and about 25 minutes of picture taking. ~ Round trip length to both: 3.3 miles ~ Elevation Gain: UNKNOWN (but probably 600+ feet) OVERALL this is a wonderful hike that will fool you into thinking it's easy for its majority... But do not choose to visit this trail casually! You're gonna get dirty, you're gonna be very tired, but the payoff is well worth the effort to see these two 50 foot beauties! NOT RECOMMENDED for young children, dogs, anyone with balance issues or solo hikers because it is not a popular trail (yet) and injuring yourself would make the return ascent very difficult. 2022 / 73

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.

Overall great hike. A few steep sections but nothing too crazy. Beautiful scenery the whole way…read more Would recommend for anyone looking for a solid outdoor experience.

My partner and I recently visited Clarksville for a spontaneous hiking trip. Panther Creek Trail…read morewas at the very top of our list and we were not disappointed. At first we were worried that the trail would be closed due to the storm damage that occurred during the prior year but we drove by and there were multiple parties going in and out of the trail so we figured we would go for it! This trail is long and arduous, so be prepared! Us Floridians definitely overestimated our hiking abilities but we still got it done (thankfully). Bring around 2L per person or more if it's a hot day. We started on a Friday around 2pm and finished by 6:30pm and clocked in a total of 8 miles round trip. If you can go earlier, I highly recommend doing so to have plenty of light. There's two main parts of the trail where the bridges were damaged and removed. In one section, there's several logs that lay across the stream. Find a big stick, and scramble across. In the second section, the water is shallow enough to walk across without the possibility of getting your legs wet. But even if you get wet, both sections are not deeper than your ankle. I don't know if I'd recommend this for children as there are multiple sudden drop offs but more power to you if your family can do this! If you are a hiker, this does not disappoint!

I came here on a very hot summer day with the plans to see some waterfalls. We got here around…read more8:30am which I believe is when the park opens. We took the South Rim (At least I think it was the South Rim) and went to all 5 viewing points which is a flat walk and a round trip of about 1.5 miles. Then we went down into the Gorge which includes 1,099 steps (actual staircase) to the bottom and of course that many steps back up. You can't go all the way to the Gorge floor without a permit but that just means you can only walk down 1,089 steps to a platform. There are plenty of places to stop including a very cool suspension bridge that overlooks Hurricane Falls. This was pretty tough for a 50-year-old fat boy like me but it's doable if you can simply climb stairs. The views are amazing and worth the quads burning for the next 3 days. The visitor's center is really nice. There is of course a gift shop. a huge display of taxidermy of all the local wildlife and a very nice museum that goes through the history of the region. The most important part is they have air conditioning. Suck it up, take the stairs and buy the t-shirt saying you did it when you are done.

The visitor center is phenomenal! Movie was down for some reason. The gift shop has loads to choose…read morefrom and the rest rooms were clean and there were many stalls available. There is almost a museum quality to the taxidermy animal scene they have in the middle of the room and along the walls. Truly a special visit! The hike to see the inspirational point and the swinging bridge wasn't too strenuous for my 4 or 5 year old for people's reference when considering it. We are an active family who hikes etc. There were a lot of warnings but we found it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

This was well-worth the drive from Columbia, SC. The hike wasn't that long. There were some stairs…read morethat were pretty steep but hand rails were available. Absolutely Stunning views.

Beautiful waterfalls for just a short hike** from the parking lot. Has 3 sections,…read moreCascades/Veil/Sluice, the Cascades is the first one to get to and the easiest. The Veil section is probably my favorite part, it's a picture I see when someone mentions "waterfalls". I didn't hike down to the Sluice section as it didn't seem worth the effort after seeing the Cascades and Veil sections. ** excerpt from Richard R's amazingly detailed review and great tips "The hike is short to the first section of the falls known as "The Cascades." This is a highly appropriate name since this section really is more of a series of cascades than a waterfall. On the day of my visit, there had been several days of rain making the trail extremely muddy, but also making the falls extremely full! The flow was so strong that it was hard to see where the Cascades separated from the second section known as The Veil. You reach 'The Cascades' by following the trail on the right after the information board. You will go uphill slightly before making your descent down to the cascades. You will hear the falls long before you reach them. The downhill trail to the cascades is relatively easy, but it gets far more difficult when you continue downhill to see the two lower sections. NOTES: This is a class three hike, meaning you will need both hands to navigate the steepness of the trail. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND good hiking boots and a backpack for any camera, phone or other items you might carry in your hand. You will definitely need both hands to hold on to branches, tree roots or whatever you can find. * SCOUTING TIP - It is better to take the higher routes as you navigate your way to the lower falls. * SCOUTING TIP 2 - This trail IS NOT suitable for young children or anyone who doesn't have sure balance. Your legs, knees and upper body will be heavily used! * SCOUTING TIP 3 - DO NOT bring a walking stick. Again, you will need both hands to navigate this trail safely. I personally did not see the advantage to hiking down to the base of the second section known as 'The Veil'. However, if you are feeling adventurous, you can actually walk behind this section of the falls on low flow days. The trickiest part of the trail is finding your way to the base of 'The Sluice' section. At first I considered forgoing the hike since it was rather steep, but another hiker on his way up showed me pics on his camera that convinced me to continue. There is also a downed log you can use as a bridge to balance across to the other side for an even closer view of this third section of the falls, which looks a lot like a powerful water slide." https://www.yelp.com/biz/brasstown-falls-long-creek?hrid=Weq_6ZUYbqLd0Ao6QafbDg&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)

Great State Park campground! Georgia has yet to disappoint on the state campground front. Enjoyed…read morethe camp site we selected, great view of the river and South Carolina shoreline. The main hiking trail, Sassafras Loop, is a good hike. The trail is well marked and has some nice variations in elevation. The park staff was super friendly and very knowledgeable.

Tugaloo State Park-Georgia…read more A large state park near Lavonia and Toccoa, Georgia off of I-85. Pronounced "Two-ga-low" according to locals we asked. Located on Lake Hartwell, this state park features 105 campsites and 4 bath houses. Cottages and yurts are also available to rent. All rv sites are well shaded and many have nice lake views. Each site has water, electric and cable tv hookups(although our cable hookup did not work). No sewer hookups but there is a double lane dump station near the campground entrance. The park staff we met were friendly and helpful. The park has a rec area with a swimming beach, a mini-golf course, tennis courts and several picnic shelters. There are two boat ramps in the park but we saw many people just beaching their canoes and kayaks on the shore behind their campsites. We also saw people fishing from the shore and from boats. We were in site 7, a lakeside pull through. The gravel drive was sloped some but relatively level midway in where we set up. The pad area with the fire pit and grill and large table was somewhat smaller than we have found in other Georgia state parks, but it was just a few steps down an incline from our back door to the lakeshore. This was a pretty quiet park but the low rumble from I-85 could be heard from across the lake from where we were. There were a few hiking trails but bikes were not permitted on the ones we saw. However, the paved roads inside the park made for nice e-biking. Toccoa is about a 20 minute drive. It is a nice small town and has just about anything you might need(groceries, pharmacies, restaurants, a WalMart, etc.). Lavonia is a bit smaller town but its also a bit nearer to the park. went into Toccoa and toured the Currahee WWII Museum downtown. Toccoa and nearby Mount Currahee were the home of the 101st Airborne Division's training operations during WWII. There are also some waterfalls in that area but we did not get to visit those. Should you go into Toccoa, if you enjoy country cooking, don't miss the M&J Home Cooking Country Buffet for tasty lunch or dinner. The weather was great when we were there in mid-October and the public areas in the park were not crowded at all.