Raven Cliff Falls Hike Route Map

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Raven Cliff Falls

A LOT of hype accompanies any literature written to guide one to South Carolina's highest waterfall.  Reportedly over 400' in height, it's understandably a major draw for visitors to the Upstate.  Also the fact that the trailhead is along busy US-276, near equally busy Caesar's Head State Park, and that it's only a 2-mile easy to moderate one-way hike means many, many people see the falls every year.  Combined, the hype and the busyness had effectively kept Raven Cliff Falls off of my radar.  I had caught the wildflower bug this spring, however, and needed a quick, nearby hike where I might have a good chance of finding some.  Common sense told me that going to Raven Cliff on a sunny, spring Saturday might not be the most enjoyable experience but I figured between the flowers and the falls I could probably tolerate the crowds.  Come on along and see what I found...


Trailhead GPS Coordinates:35.115984, -82.638350


Route Type:  Out-and-back          Difficulty:  CHALLENGING  (Petzoldt Rating:  5.60 )

Hike Length: 4.6 miles                    Hike Duration: 1:30

Trailhead Temp: 60'F                     Trail Traffic:  100+ people

Min. Elevation: 2,750'                      Max. Elevation: 3,100'

Total Vertical Gain: 500'                 Avg. Elevation Gain / Mile: 109'


Trails Used (blaze color):  Raven Cliff Falls/Foothills Trail (red)


4-26-2015

  • Dave Kathy Weemhoff

    on May 4, 2015

    I've never been there, but the trail and scenery are beautiful -- Springtime and flowers-- nice.