If you’re an avid waterfall chaser, then you already may have conquered these seven easy waterfall hikes in South Carolina. When you’re ready to step up to another challenge level, head toward the Jocassee Gorges for a scenic hike that leads to an 80-foot waterfall that spills into the breathtaking Lake Jocassee.
Seen here from Jumping off Rock Overlook found on Horse Pasture Road, Lake Jocassee dazzles from both high above, as well as from on the water.
By taking a guided boat tour (see link below), you'll be able to see a number of waterfalls that tumble down the steep mountains in this gorge and keep Lake Jocassee supplied with fresh, crystal clear, cold mountain water. The waterfall in this photo spills 80 feet at the end of Laurel Creek and drops behind the enormous rock that's front-and-center in this image.
But that waterfall is only accessible by way of boat — or foot. From the lake tour, you can peek behind that enormous rock to see the last 30 or so feet of Laurel Fork Falls.
The trail to Laurel Fork Falls begins on the side of Horse Pasture Road and travels 8.4 miles into the wilderness. For experienced hikers, it's a day trip with an overnight in one of the primitive camp sites alongside Laurel Fork Creek at the top of the waterfall.
It also sports some fairy tale footbridges over some zigzagging water crossings over Laurel Fork Creek. The hike is just long enough that you should plan to spend the night and bring along all the necessities. (Remember to carry out whatever you bring in: there are no facilities or trash receptacles at the camp sites.)
At the end of the trail, there's an overlook so you can see the top and middle sections of Laurel Fork Falls. Imagine camping here at the overlook and hearing the sound of the falls as you fall asleep.
Some hikers take the hike one step further and follow the trail all the way down to the lake level. Although it doesn't end up exactly at the very bottom of the falls, you can still enjoy a swim in Lake Jocassee before heading back up to the observation deck elevation to make camp for the night.
The Laurel Fork Falls trail isn’t for beginner hikers. Before you hike this trail, be sure you have everything you’ll need to spend the night along the trail. Most experienced hikers can make this trek in about 8-10 hours round trip. For more information, refer to this link on sctrails.net, the official trail site for South Carolina Department of Parks and Recreation. You can also link up to a trail mapping app to follow on this hike with alltrails.com.
Haven’t taken that Lake Jocassee waterfall tour yet? Get more information about it from this previous article!
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