Waterfall hikes are some of the most photographed and most family-friendly trails in any state — the destination delivers a clear visual reward, and many are short enough to do before lunch. We pulled every South Carolina trail in our database whose name explicitly references falls, cascade, chute, or plunge, then ranked them by accessibility so the easiest and shortest waterfall hikes surface first. The result is ten hikes that pay off without punishing the people you're hiking with.
South Carolina runs from the Blue Ridge in the northwest through the Piedmont to the Lowcountry sea islands — modest peaks but real ecological range. Spring and fall are best; summer humidity is significant; winter trails are quiet and clear. Waterfalls run hardest in spring snowmelt and after sustained rain — the same windows when trail surfaces are slipperiest.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 4,297 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in South Carolina — but the data has limits worth being honest about. We identify waterfall hikes by scanning trail names for terms like "falls," "cascade," "chute," and "plunge." That misses unnamed seasonal cascades and trails whose primary feature is a waterfall not mentioned in the route name. Treat the list as a confident sample, not a complete catalog.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Base of the Falls Trail
Base of the Falls Trail near Cedar Mountain in Transylvania County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #1 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Base of the Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Bearwallow Falls Trail
Bearwallow Falls Trail near Lake Toxaway in Transylvania County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #2 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bearwallow Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Bearwallow Falls Trail
Bearwallow Falls Trail near Lake Toxaway in Transylvania County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #3 slot for accessibility. Expect wood surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bearwallow Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Bearwallow Falls Trail
Bearwallow Falls Trail near Lake Toxaway in Transylvania County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #4 slot for accessibility. Expect gravel surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in South Carolina, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. A gravel-and-dirt tread holds up well after rain, though loose surface on descents calls for trekking poles or careful footing. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bearwallow Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Bearwallow Falls Trail
Bearwallow Falls Trail near Lake Toxaway in Transylvania County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #5 slot for accessibility. Expect fine_gravel surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. A gravel-and-dirt tread holds up well after rain, though loose surface on descents calls for trekking poles or careful footing. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bearwallow Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Becky Branch Falls
Becky Branch Falls near Mountain City in Rabun County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #6 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Becky Branch Falls trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Beech Bottom Falls Trail
Beech Bottom Falls Trail near Rosman in Pickens County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #7 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Beech Bottom Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Beech Bottom Falls Trail
Beech Bottom Falls Trail near Rosman in Pickens County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #8 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Beech Bottom Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Bernie's Trail to Sids Falls
Bernie's Trail to Sids Falls near Tallulah Falls in Oconee County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #9 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Compared to similar trails in South Carolina, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bernie's Trail to Sids Falls trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Bridal Veil Falls Trail
Bridal Veil Falls Trail near Cedar Mountain in Transylvania County leads to a named waterfall and earns the #10 slot for accessibility. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. Time the visit to spring snowmelt or the days after a storm for the most volume; wear shoes with real grip — wet rock near falls is no joke. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Bridal Veil Falls Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your South Carolina trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for South Carolina. Spring and fall are best; summer humidity is significant; winter trails are quiet and clear. Copperheads and rattlesnakes in the uplands, alligators in Lowcountry swamps, and tick-borne illness statewide.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More South Carolina hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our South Carolina coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in South Carolina — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in South Carolina — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in South Carolina — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in South Carolina — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in South Carolina — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in South Carolina — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in South Carolina — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in South Carolina last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
