Gorges State Park - Lower Bearwallow Falls & the Auger Hole (4.5 miles; d=5.40)
Read MoreLower Bearwallow Falls & Auger Hole Hike Route Map
The approximate track of my hike to Lower Bearwallow Falls and the Auger Hole Trail, at Gorges State Park, as depicted a la Google Earth...
***Note my side trip past the lime kilns is not depicted as this was an ill-defined portion of the route and not recommended.***Auger Hole Trail @ Turkeypen Gap
Being dropped off and picked up at Turkeypen Gap would allow me to make a considerably shorter hike to Lower Bearwallow Falls than starting over at the Frozen Creek Access (5-miles round trip vs. 8-miles). This is the Auger Hole Trail as it arrives at Turkeypen...from here its an almost contuinual 2-mile descent to the Toxaway River...
Auger Hole Trail
A look at the Bearwallow Creek Crossing on the Auger Hole Trail. Just upstream beyond the rhododendron I could hear the unmistakable sound of falling water. No named waterfalls are listed near here so I immediately decided to add a short exploratory bushwhack to see what I could find...
Ted's Falls
What I found above the first set of cascades was a deep, rocky pool with this beautiful 15' waterfall above it. As far as I can tell it doesn't have a name (I later saw it referred to as Ted's Falls), probably because there are many bigger falls on Bearwallow Creek both up and downstream...
Auger Hole Trail
As the Auger Hole Trail reaches the height of land east of the Bearwallow Creek crossing it traverses a large slide area from a few years back. The park has done a good job of cutting through the slide but one gets the feeling that it won't take much effort for mother nature to make a mess of this stretch once again...
Lime Kiln Spur Path
As I neared the point where the old path makes its final drop down to the creek I found this old iron something lying in the middle of the trail. So focused was I on this peice of metal that I completely missed the lime kilns themselves which are dug into the hillside right next to where I was standing...
Bushwhack
Standing at the flats below the lime kilns it wasn't all that far to Lower Bearwallow Falls (maybe a quarter mile). The trouble is that a steep ridge protrudes into the river between them making it impossible to follow the bank downstream to the falls. My only option was to hunker down and try to bushwhack my way over the ridge to the faint trail which would lead to the falls on the other side...
Lower Bearwallow Falls
I had seen pictures and knew that Lower Bearwallow Falls was a beauty but I was still spellbound. The delicate nature of the falling water, the ruggedness of the surrounding cliffs, the lushness of the forest, and the way the mist seemed to just hang in the air all came together here to create one of the most surreal and serene natural settings I've ever experienced...
Bearwallow Flats
I decided to make a quick jaunt over to the confluence of the Toxaway and Bearwallow. On the way over I passed through a beautiful open bottom-land known as Bearwallow Flats. After a long cold winter being bathed in green like this is unbelievably refreshing...
state parkToxawayBearwallowwaterfallSapphirewildflowerlime kilnJocasseeHorsepasture
Chestnut Mountain Road @ Horsepasture River
After finishing the hike I decided to take the opportunity to travel the lower portion of the Chestnut Mountain Road as far as the Horsepasture River. The 3-miles from Turkeypen to the Horsepasture was some of the most rugged and narrow I've ever driven in my trusty old Ford, but it was a blast. Here it takes a well-earned break along the banks of the Horsepasture River following the descent...