Fall Creek Waterfalls

Friday morning, we woke up and had breakfast at camp and then headed to the trailhead for Yellow Branch Falls in Sumter National Forest.  This is a popular one, so we wanted to arrive early and beat the crowds.  Hiking down the trail, there was more beautiful mountain laurel blooming.

We crossed Yellow Branch on stepping stones a couple times and then the trail curved away from the creek.

In just over a mile, it wound around back to the creek at the base of Yellow Branch Falls.

It's such a beautiful waterfall, one of my favorites in South Carolina, especially in the high water.  I took of my boots and waded in the water to see it from different angles.

A little blackbelly salamander popped his head out of a log near the base of the falls.

After a little while, we headed back.  By the time we made it back to the parking lot, several more cars had arrived.

Continuing on, we drove to the trailhead for Fall Creek Falls.  After parking we hiked down along the first waterfall, which was right below the road.  There were some scenic upper cascades.

Then it was a steep scramble down to the base.

The upper falls is not actually on Fall Creek, but a tributary.

After some pictures, we continued on.  We saw some jack in the pulpit along here.

Continuing on, there was no official trail, but it was pretty easy following the tributary downstream to North Fork and then Fall Creek.  A little over a mile and we came to the second waterfall.

It's a big one and there was no mistaking it.  It was a really scenic waterfall and we spent some time here enjoying the view.

It was just a short ways further to Chattooga River and the third waterfall on Fall Creek, just upstream of the confluence.

There was a lot of rhododendron in the way for a good view.  As we made our way back to the car, it started raining.  Luckily, we had completed the hard parts before the rain.

Back at the car, we returned to Oconee State Park and went to the Foothills Trail parking.  From here, we took the combined Foothills Trail/Hidden Falls Trail.  After about 1.5 miles, the trails split and we followed Hidden Falls Trail.  There was a small Disappearing Falls near the start of the creek.

Not much water, but kind of cool how the water disappeared into the ground.  As the trail descended, there were more mountain laurel.

There were even a couple rhododendron starting to bloom.

The trail continued on around and back to the base of Hidden Falls, a tall waterfall in several sections.

I climbed up to the middle section for a close up view.

We stopped at the base for a snack and to enjoy the view.

Then we headed back.  Sandy and Alex drove and I took Oconee Trail back to the campsite.

We had another fire before bed.