Swimming Holes in South Carolina

Moonshine Falls Area (4 places!)

Greenville, Cleveland, SC

WILDCAT FALLS: You get two for the price of one here at the Wildcat Wayside State Park. Wildcat Falls are a very popular falls, largely because they are roadside on SC 11 (the Cherokee Scenic Highway). The first falls are in two sections with a 10-foot freefall upstream and the 20-foot cascade down a slab of exposed granite into a shallow pool. About 100 feet to the left of these falls are a number of steps that ascend to a quarter-mile trail to another falls. The trail crosses just above the 10-foot free-fall on a wooden bridge and snakes its way through the woods to a 130-foot waterslide. The photo below isolates the lower portion of the slide. Be prepared to do a little boulder-climbing to reach the base of the waterslide, but please don't attempt to climb the falls themselves.

To get here: Stay on RT 276/11 west for about 5 miles past where RT 11 joins RT 276 and look for a pull off (unsigned) on the right (north) side of the road, which is the Wildcat Wayside State Park. Wildcat Falls is right by the side of the road. To get to the sliding rock up the trail, go up the wooden stairway from the parking area and go right at the top and follow the trail across a bridge for about .25 miles. At the end of the trail, climb over large boulders to reach the bottom of the huge sliding rock. 

TABLE ROCK STATE PARK: The park has many small waterfalls on Carrick Creek and Green Creek along the 1.9 mile Carrick Creek loop trail. Many of the falls are between 5 to 10 feet high with a small volume flow. One place very near the beginning of the trail has a pretty deep pool at the bottom.

To get here: stay on RT 11 past where RT 276 goes north then follow signs to the State Park. Enter the park and follow the signs to the nature center. Park in the lot across from the nature center and cross the road. Fill out the hiker registration form. The Carrick Creek, Table Rock and Pinnacle Mountain trails all begin behind the nature center. 

TWIN FALLS: Treat this place gently - absolutely no trash - it is a private preserve and we will loose access to it if it is abused. Beautiful falls Reedy Cove Creek with no pool at the bottom, but there is a huge, deep (even in late summer) swimming place along the short path to the falls. 

To get here: Stay on RT 11 west, past Table Rock State Park and turn north (right) on RT 178. Go about 3.5 miles on RT 178 then turn west (left) onto Cleo Chapman Road (at Bob's Place Tavern) and go 2 miles to a "T" intersection then turn right onto Eastatoe Community Road. Go 1 mile, and turn right onto Waterfalls Road which soon turns to gravel. Stay on this road until it ends at a parking area. Hike down the old roadbed alongside the creek a short way (easy hike). The biggest swimming hole is visible from the trail between the wooden water wheel and the falls themselves.

LONG SHOALS WAYSIDE PARK: A cascade falls/sliding rock in Little Eastatoee Creek at a nice wayside park and picnic area in Poe Creek State Forest. This is a quote from Allen Easler's South Carolina Waterfalls site: "Long Shoals are a popular spot for locals and tourists alike...slide down the rock into the cool waters on a warm summer day." Numerous organizations and community volunteers have transformed this old party spot into Long Shoals Wayside Park with parking, trails, picnic tables, bicycle rack, and a porta john. From the upper parking lot, follow the "trail" signs down to the Long Shoals. Or, park in the lower lot and take the fishing access trail to an area downstream of the falls.

 To get here: Continue on RT 11 west of Sliding Rock above and look for signs to Long Shoals Wayside Park. 

Sumter National Forest Area
Westminster, Walhalla, SC

Riley Moore Falls, at only 10 to 15 feet high, is rather short in comparison to most other falls in the mountains. Still, the facts that it occurs on the Chauga River (whitewater cousin of the Chattooga, one ridge west) and that is at least 50 feet wide make it special.  The easy-to-moderate 1 mile hike follows a somewhat-steep Forest Service road for about 15 minutes. Then, it turns left at a metal jeep barricade onto a recently constructed (but unblazed) trail which eases gently to the river. You can cut the hike in half and drive to the jeep barricade if you have a high-clearance or 4WD vehicle.

To get here: From Westminster, drive west on US 76 for 7.5 miles and turn right onto Cobb Bridge Road (this is the second turn for Cobb Bridge Road, not the first turn at the church just past Chau-Ram County Park). Drive 1.5 miles and turn left onto gravel Spy Rock Road (FS 748). Drive 1.7 miles to FS 748C (may be hard to spot) on the right. Park on the side of the road and hike to the falls. If you have a truck or 4WD, you may be able drive down 748C to the metal jeep barricade.

Chau-Ram (short for Chauga River and Ramsey Creek) is a pleasant 30-foot cascade located on Ramsey Creek in Oconee's Chau-Ram County Park just a few minutes west of Westminster. It's an easy-to-visit falls with great views for a picnic. You can also take a short hike, including a walk across a suspension bridge, to explore the park's trails and several rapids on the Chauga River. The park also offers an excellent campground that many have used numerous times as a base from which to explore area waterfalls.

To get here: From Westminster, drive west on US 76 for three miles. Turn to left into Chau-Ram County Park.