Waterfall Hero Hikes: Fall Creek Waterfalls (Chattooga)

There are three scenic waterfalls along Fall Creek and its tributaries before it flows into Chattooga River. The waterfalls are located in the Andrew Pickens Ranger District of Sumter National Forest.

Hike Length: 3 miles
Estimated Time: 3 to 4 hours
Difficulty: Difficult
Location: Andrew Pickens Ranger District of Sumter National Forest
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (3)
Crowds: Low
Warnings: The rocks around the waterfalls are very slippery. There is no official trail to the waterfalls and the path is overgrown in places with dog hobble and rhododendron.
Trailhead GPS: 34.82280,-83.25100
Waterfall GPS: 34.82264,-83.25139 (First Waterfall), 34.81890,-83.26650 (Second Waterfall), 34.82022,-83.26857 (Third Waterfall)

Directions:

To visit the falls, head west from Walhalla on SC-28 south for about 6 miles and turn right on Whetstone Road. Go 4.9 miles and turn left on Chattooga Ridge Road. In 3.8 miles, turn right on Fall Creek Road. In 0.3 miles, bear left on Forest Road 722. Drive 0.5 miles to a pull-off on the left right where it crosses a tributary of Fall Creek. The parking spot is not obvious, but you can hear the first waterfall from here.

Map:

Hike Description:

From the pull-off, a path leads down towards the sound of the first waterfall. Almost immediately, there are some nice cascades that make up the upper portion of the waterfall.

In 100 feet or so, a steep path to the left leads down to the base of the First Waterfall on Fall Creek, also called Andrew Ramey Falls.

Climb back up and go right on the path that follows this unnamed tributary of Fall Creek down to the confluence with North Fork Fall Creek. There's no official trail but the path is fairly easy to follow. In about 0.5 miles is the confluence of North Fork with Fall Creek and the trail follows Fall Creek for the rest of the way. At about 1.3 miles, the Second Waterfall on Fall Creek is visible. Another path to the left leads down to the base of the waterfall.

It's less than a quarter of a mile to the end where Fall Creek flows into Chattooga River. The Third Waterfall on Fall Creek is right above the confluence. The lowest section can only be seen by boat from the river.