IF you want a challenging hike and are looking to score a bunch of amazing waterfalls on the SAME…read moreTRAIL, the Thompson River Waterfalls trail is your Huckleberry!!! Google maps has labeled the trailhead HIGH FALLS TRAIL HEAD just off Whitewater Road. As you turn onto Brewer Road, you will see a wide trail entrance on the corner. We parked along the side of the road near the entrance. There are multiple waterfalls along the trail as Thompson River makes its run down the mountain, dropping approx. 1,900 feet over 5 miles as it makes is way to beautiful Lake Jocassee. There are seven names waterfalls along the trail and 3 that absolutely should not be missed: HIGH FALLS, RICH FALLS & BIG FALLS aka THOMPSON FALLS. THE TRAIL The trail initially ascends about 60 feet but remains at a fairly consistent decline of about 500 feet along the entirety of the main trail. First up was REID FALLS at around .9 miles, but we decided to skip it. A split in the trail at around 1.1 miles leads to HIGH FALLS, a gorgeous 50 foot sliding ribbon waterfall. There really is no way to get an excellent picture of the falls without getting wet. The best vantage of the falls is across the river and a scramble over some large boulders to a beach like area. The pool in front of the falls is better than 6 feet deep, but most of the shallow areas were only ankle or calf deep. Back along the main trail we continued our descent down the mountain and next came to SIMON FALLS, which we also opted to skip. All of the falls (except High Falls) require a scramble downhill to view. Reid and Simon Falls have the least steep scrambles, but we wanted to conserve our legs for Big Falls, the steepest of the scrambles. We also bypassed Rich Falls around the 3.8 mile mark as we decided it would be best to see how we feel after tackling Big Falls. BIG FALLS Listen, however easy the trail seemed up until this point was about to SEVERELY change! The descent to the falls is about 535 feet in less that a quarter of a mile. IT IS VERY STEEP and some areas require sitting on your butt and sliding, other require holding on to low branches or roots and one area in particular requires mild vertical rock climbing. NOT KIDDING! But all of it is doable if you take your time and don't have any serious physical or health challenges. All of the MAIN trail is very easy to follow, but I would highly recommend downloading the ALLTRAILS map because it shows the exact entry points for the side trails to each of the falls. The side trail to Big Falls is easy to follow, but can be very faint in some areas. Once you make it down to the river, look for a side trail just before the final descent to the riverbank. It will lead you through a thicket of vegetation that leads to a boulder entrance to the falls. Navigate them as best you can to get to a great vantage point to view the falls. If you are not skilled at boulder hopping, this area will be very intimidating! But you MUST do it in order to view the Big Falls, which is not visible otherwise. NOTES / TIPS ~ Download ALLTRAILS MAP prior to your drive to the trailhead ~ There are 3 river crossings and yes you will get wet ~ Most of the falls require getting wet for best view ~ No restroom facilities at the trailhead ~ BRING PLENTY OF WATER & SNACKS FINAL THOUGHTS On our return, we were just too exhausted to attempt to see Rich Falls, so instead we used every ounce of energy we had remaining to make it back to the car. I was thoroughly exhausted. The 3.5 miles back seemed more like 10 and we'd run out of drinking water during our time at Big Falls. I recommend a minimum of five 16oz bottles to do this hike and more if you bring salty snacks. I'd also recommend you chug one bottle at the parking area before you begin. All in all this is an amazing trail full of gorgeous waterfalls. Big Falls easily has become one of my top 5 favorite southern waterfalls... but it is a beast of a hike! ALLTRAILS LINK: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/north-carolina/thompson-river-waterfalls?mobileMap=false&ref=sidebar-static-map 2023 / 12

A series of gorgeous waterfalls along beautiful Thompson River as it makes its way from the higher…read moremountain elevations down to the Jocassee River. The trail offers a great experience for anyone at any hiking level. If you are like me and prefer more leisurely hikes, The first three waterfalls (Reid Branch, High Falls & Simon Falls) are fairly easy to reach. High Falls in particular is great for families with small children and has a wading pool of water at its base of different depths. There is even a small beach like area to relax and have a picnic. Just know you must get wet in order to reach the beach area, which also has the best view of the falls since High Falls kind of sits recessed into a little nook making it difficult to see in its entirety. But for those who are more like my husband and don't mind a more difficult hike, Rich Falls and Big Falls further downstream will give you plenty of challenge. Although I must say, my husband was sore several days after his hike and while he thought Big Falls was stunning, he was miserable on the return. He said the side trail to Big Falls was extremely steep and challenging, both on the way down and especially on the climb back out. It drained him completely at age 54 and he still had to endure a 3.5 mile hike back to the car running on empty. Knowing him he'll do it again! MEN... LOL Also near the parking area is a trail leading to White Owl Falls. A very short hike to a beautiful 20 foot waterfall. Walk west on Whitewater Road from the parking area and look for an opening with a pink ribbon tied to a tree branch about 900 feet from the trailhead.

There are a variety of places to hike around the area. This would be the short hike with bang for…read moreyour buck. I made a loop in 45 minutes or so from the parking area with what is apparently an established food stand. There isn't a lot of space between the parking area and the side of the highway, so be ready. The scenery revolves around several waterfalls, the highest of which surprised me with its size. There is an excellent variety of terrain for a short scamper, and while it is an incline, people with milder mobility limitations could still reasonably expect to get to the falls in time. There is no charge to enter, and plenty of reason to make the falls part of your day.

Family hike #9; yay! Hubby and the boys hiked this trail back in October 2024 while we were…read morecamping, but I decided not to join, because my then nearly 2-year-old toddler was a sprinter (still is) and I didn't trust to take her on this journey. Didn't take her with us this time either; haha. Anyway, they were nice enough to agree to return to Wildcat Wayside with me. 3 waterfalls for the price of 1, except there is no price, because it's free! The hike was lush with foliage and a lot of the rhododendron blossoms had already fallen on the trail; I never knew they were so pretty. Saw lots of snails on leaves, millipedes, mushrooms; it was fantastic finding living treasures! Upper Wildcat Branch Falls was a slight disappointment to me as I expected more of a rush of water since it rained quite a bit the couple of days before, but it's height is still impressive. My boys also found salamanders and even a tiny baby axolotl in the water! I was blown away. To me the hiking trail was easy even with the stairs. I think I finally have built up a tolerance, because my legs no longer hurt after hikes I go on. It's only about a mile long, so it's not too bad, but there is elevation change and people who aren't used to it may find it somewhat challenging depending on stamina. I wonder if Pauly's Gourmet Peanuts Truck still comes around on the weekends, because it wasn't there on a Wednesday; would've liked to check it out. The trail was somewhat busy with hikers, but definitely not overrun. The weather was perfect for hiking, but it was cooler than expected. I should have been brave and joined the polar bear club with cold immersion in the swimming hole at Lower WBF, but alas; hopefully next time. No bathroom facilities are available here, so go before you come. On to hike #10! Happy yelping!

This was my second time visit and stay at Devil'sFork State Park and it was just as beautiful as…read morethe first time. First let me say Bridgett, one of the park rangers, is an absolute gem. I've never met someone more helpful, thoughtful and genuinely kind and appreciate everything she did for us. She went above and beyond. The park itself is kept very clean, including the bathrooms at the campsite. We stayed at site 44 which is used for RVs and tents. We had a tent and a car tent so this site was perfect and spacious for both. There is a power box and water hookup on all the RV sites. The water at Lake Jocassee is as beautiful as everyone claims it to be. We spent hours on the water swimming, floating, and kayaking. There are tons of fish to see if you feel like snorkeling or scuba diving (yes you can dive here! Many people come here to get certified.) We got caught in the rain but that didn't hinder the trip at all. There was no noticeable flooding of any kind. We did witness an emergency on one of the beaches and the rangers were very quick to act and attentive. The man was stabilized and all was well fortunately but I appreciate how quickly the staff acted. (This is one of many reasons why it is so important to fund our packs and keep the appropriate people employed here!)

Loved camping here! We booked a last minute overnight camping trip at this park. We were gonna get…read morethere after the office hours since we were coming from out of state. They were so accommodating and helped us over the phone to book sites. It was dark by the time we got there and we woke up to a surprisingly beautiful view! The water looked sooo clear. We weren't too far from the bathroom (they have showers + hot water)! We had water/electric connections as well and it was really affordable. There are many waterfalls that you can drive to nearby and hiking trails too. We ended up staying another night because we really enjoyed it!

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.

This was a very nice experience coming here to enjoy nature then walking over this well built…read morebridge that was built in 1820. It is said that this bridge is hunted and it is not safe to be around the area after hours. It is said you can hear the worker that was buried inside the bridge because they couldn't get him out. Spooky I know although I don't know how true that really is, one thing I do know is I would not want to be in that area after hours. The sounds of water streaming under the bride is very relaxing. I love the arch that is built inside the bridge.

Just past Travelers Rest, SC. What a nice day drive. The scenery is beautiful and it's an easy 4…read moremile drive off SR25 up to see the Poinsett Bridge. Park across the street, a sturdy staircase gets you down to the bridge. WOW.... Such history !!! It's a 200+ yr old bridge with a Gothic design. Take the walking trail on either side off the bridge, follow the stream.. .. stunning. So glad we took the time to stop.

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 only remaining covered bridge in the State of South Carolina, this 38 foot long pine structure…read morespans Beaverdam Creek. The bridge and the area around it is part of a passive park owned by Greenville County. It was built in 1909 by Charles Irwin Willis (1878-1966) and is a four-span Howe truss, featuring diagonal timbers and vertical iron rods. It is named for Alexander Lafayette Campbell (1836-1920) who owned and operated a grist mill here. The foundations of the mill and home site are still here to be explored. Ample parking and several picnic tables in the shade make this into a great stop for lunch. When the water isn't running to quickly, there's nothing wrong with dipping your feet into the creek to cool off. There are several signs about so that you can learn about the area. [Review 14940 overall, 442 of 2021, number 811 in South Carolina.]

super cute and small little park all centered around the bridge! I probably wouldn't go an hour out…read moreof my way to come, but if you are passing through, it's pretty neat. Make sure your kids wear clothes they can get wet! The little river under the bridge is unique with lots of smooth rock. FYI, it only gets mid calf deep, so it's not really a swimming hole.

July 28 2025 - Todd Creek Falls Trail is too overgrown with high bushes from both sides the first…read more1/4 part of trail with thorns, poison ivy, etc. And the area around the small pool area at the base of waterfalls is also overgrown and difficult to approach. The trail continuing on from the waterfall into the woods is not approachable at all. Spring and late fall are best to navigate. Too bad there isn't a group that could keep the trail better managed. Otherwise, the falls is running full and beautiful. Normally, a wonderful place to visit and cool off in the summer.

This trek gets high marks because it is a quick, easy hike to beautiful waterfalls and a…read morewell-maintained trail. The trail isn't well-marked at the head but it is quite easy to follow. It's maintained and well-used. Park at the clearing on Brookbend Road near the bridge and cross the street and head South. The power lines are quite visible and the trail is on the right-away under them. It's maybe a half mile to the waterfall which will be visible to your right. Head downhill and enjoy the beauty from many spots. Continue forward beyond the falls and the trail is much nicer. It meanders through the forest and you can see the spillway from the dam. Be careful, but you can actually walk on it but you are risking your life by doing so! The spillway provides a nice waterfall as well. The trail continues and becomes a loop or it can be followed to the lake. The negatives: aside from the powerlines and the lack of marking on the trail head, this place should have a map posted to indicate what the history is and where you are. A missed opportunity! Head to Waldrop Stone Falls, which is very close when you are done!