Parts are muddy if recently rained. From the parking lot, there's a 1/2 mile smooth, paved, slightly uphill path/walkway to a viewpoint at the top of the falls. Whitewater Falls Overlook is a 531 m green singletrack trail located near Brevard North Carolina. Absolutely beautiful and some great views on the path to the overlook as well. WHITEWATER FALLS DIRECTIONS Bad Creek Access to Upper Whitewater Falls is a 2.3-mile section of the trail. From the parking area, a moderate hike of 45 minutes to an hour will get you to an overlook where you’ll find an unparalleled view of Lower Whitewater Falls. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. A lower overlook is located at the bottom of 154 wooden steps. Drive approximately 2 miles to the parking area for the Foothills Trail/Whitewater River. 6.) Would definitely do again. I went to Lower Whitewater Falls first, because I wanted to see it in more daylight, but generally, it is better to go to Upper Whitewater Falls first, because it's harder to reach it. Much of it parallels the Whitewater River. Other reviews say that, instead, you can follow the trail that goes to 281 to get back to the parking lot, but the images on GPS seemed to show that trail going out to the main road (281), not to the Whitewater Falls parking lot. You'll see them soon, along with a metal footbridge over the river. Turn right (northeast). © 2021 South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. You have to hike to bridge. Create Recommended Route or Trail . You see the entire waterfall from a distance. Box 1006, Charlotte, NC 28201 | 1-800-443-5193. Distance: 1.9 miles (in and out trail, total 3.8 miles) Difficulty: moderate. The Foothills Trail is a 76-mile (122 km) National Recreation Trail in South and North Carolina, United States, for recreational hiking and backpacking.It extends from Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park.It passes through the Andrew Pickens Ranger District of the Sumter National Forest, Ellicott Rock Wilderness, Whitewater Falls, and Lake Jocassee. The walkway begins at a parking lot and is accessible to wheelchairs. Good hike! Experience a first-hand lesson in the raw power and peril of the Niagara River’s Class 6 white-water rapids. Signs says there are no views of the falls, but the trail takes you to gorgeous short falls area. Easy paved walkway to semi-tree obstructed view that’s still good and stairs to lower platform with view of entire falls. Go left towards Table Rock. Foothills Trail Conference | P.O. When the trail intersects a gravel road, follow the gravel road briefly (about 200 yards) and then resume your hike on the trail. We parked and took the half mile, up hill walk to view the falls which, of course, are spectacular. Share a Photo . Blazes: Reddish Orange. To experience these breathtaking falls up-close-and-personal, take the paved ¼ mile walkway to the upper overlook. The entire Whitewater Falls chain – six different waterfalls along the North and South Carolina border – is the highest series of falls in eastern North America. I found other reviews a bit confusing when it comes to the trail & directions. The Lower Falls is located about a half-mile down the Whitewater River from the Upper Falls (which is in North Carolina). Very easy paved hike! Absolutely stunning views of the North Carolina South Carolina border in the gorges park, Easy gradual uphill walk to the overlook. Whitewater Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies, falling 811 ft.! (This is a lighted parking lot with a public telephone and portable toilets.). Racing in a 2017 Jeep Trail Cat. The trail now goes downhill, sometimes on dirt, sometimes on stones placed like steps, and in a couple places on wooden steps. After 0.3 miles, the trail heads down toward a river crossing with a couple bridges across Whitewater River. Perfect for small kids and elderly. View of the falls is spectacular! The second being the one down to (and back up from) the Lower Whitewater Falls overlook. Parking is available at … From Walhalla, drive north on SC 11 (Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway) for 14 miles and turn left onto SC 130. Share a Gem . Whitewater Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains, and it's shared between South Carolina and North Carolina. Share a Video . All rights reserved. This trail is not considered wheelchair or stroller friendly due to the steep sections with a grade of up to 20%. Of Travel and Tourism, 301 N. Wilmington Street , Raleigh, NC, 27601, Phone: 919-733-4171. The two viewing decks mentioned above are the two “official” locations for viewing the Falls. If you want to hike to a couple of short falls with shallow pools where you can swim, then take the path that goes to the right of the lower platform. Read more. So the .5 paved walk to the falls is easy. Directions from Cashiers, NC: Travel south on SR 107 9.3 miles to SR 413 (SC) and a sign for Whitewater Falls. Upon our return, I noticed that at several vacant parking spaces, there appeared to be evidence of … You can do this easy hike, with time for lots of pictures, in less than an hour. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Great trail, challenging incline, perfect for short hike. For those looking for an up-close and personal view of nature’s power, you will not want to miss this. Whitewater Falls to Whitewater River Trail, https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/whitewater-falls-overlook-trail. There is net ascent of about 800 feet (200 m). Barely a mile. This easy 0.6 mile-round trip will reward you with a spectacular view of the highest waterfall in the Eastern United States. New Single-Family Homes and Main-Level Owner's Suite Homes in Whitewater Trails for Sale Starting from the Mid $200s. From the lower observation deck, there is a trailhead to spur trail that takes you down to the Foothills Trail, which provides access to Whitewater River, and there is an unofficial trail that will take you to the base of Whitewater Falls. The falls is quite impressive but your view is from a distance and you can only see a portion of the 200 foot waterfall. The Lower Falls is located about a half-mile down the Whitewater River from the Upper Falls (which is in North Carolina). Karen Richele Burke wrote a … Whitewater Falls to Whitewater River Trail is a 1.7 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Sapphire, North Carolina that features a waterfall and is good for all skill levels. Continue north (right), following blue blazes and good signage pointing toward Lower Whitewater Falls. Lower falls accessible by trail down from the platform. An out-and-back to view the less-visited Lower Whitewater Falls; part of the tallest chain of falls in the eastern U.S. Near Walhalla, South Carolina. Really easy- has a small uphill road towards the first outlook and then a series of stairs down to the second. You're hiking 4.8 miles round-trip to the overlook at Lower Whitewater Falls. This hike was simply a walk from a paved parking lot to the overlook of the falls with a paved trail. Very very beautiful and magnificent even from a distance. Very steep coming back but easy going down. After a short downhill section (.1 mile) you reach the Foothills Trail. Beautiful waterfall. On the north side of the river, the trail intersects with the Foothills Trail. Upper Whitewater Falls is on the NC side of the border and the Lower Whitewater Falls is on the SC side. From the trailhead at the far end of the parking area, walk. Clean, well maintained. It takes roughly 2 hours to walk the length of the trail and back at a moderate pace. Dogs are also able to use this trail … Whitewater Falls. The roar of the river provides a deceptive tranquility, the perfect ambiance for your walk among the many viewing platforms that put you right at the river’s edge. The entire Whitewater Falls chain - six different waterfalls along the North and South Carolina border - is the highest series of falls in eastern North America. A moderate one-hour, two-mile hike along the Foothills Trail and a spur trail takes you to a spectacular overlook. We were in the area on 2/22/2020 and stopped for a short visit to the falls. Make another left and drive north on SR 130 (SC), which becomes SR 281 (NC) at the state line. Stairs are steep and wet going down to the viewing platform but never felt unsafe. It's a beautiful spot. Box 1006, Charlotte, NC 28201 | 1-. The trail to the right, not easy. Once you cross the Whitewater River the trail dissects a few directions and the trail that takes you to the viewing platform is somewhat dull with no points of interest until you reach the viewing platform. Both the upper and lower falls feature scenic overlooks that can be accessed by car. This is a … You can also reach the bridge by walking/scrambling over rocks in the water to the right. Taking other people's content (text, photos, etc) without permission is a copyright violation and NOT OKAY! 7.) The Lower Whitewater Falls comprises a dramatic 200-foot drop. Turning left on the Foothills Trail is the route to Upper Whitewater Falls - continuing forward is the route to Lower Whitewater Falls. If the bridge is as far as you plan to go, leave you pack in the car. And though more travelers journey to Upper Whitewater Falls in North Carolina, the Lower Falls in Oconee County comprise a 200-foot drop as dramatic as any in this guide. Upper Whitewater Falls was definitely a waterfall that left a lasting impression on us. Duke Energy | P.O. Whitewater Falls Trail. Once you hit the stairs to the foothills trail though, it becomes an easy moderate. The hardest part of the trail is the ascent from the Whitewater River up to the Upper Whitewater Falls viewing platform. Particularly Special Place. Follow the blue blazes of the Lower Whitewater Falls overlook spur. Fee: $3 for vehicles with seven passengers or less; $1 per person for more than seven people traveling together in a vehicle. Lower Whitewater Falls is a smaller version of its bigger brother the Upper Whitewater Falls further upstream and across the state border.. That said, it was still 200ft tall as the waterfall cascades and plunges in a similar manner to its bigger brother. 5.) The trail does join a small gravel road for a brief period but the blazes and signs clearly indicate when to separate from the road where you will ascend a little more before you level off and then descend down to the large and well constructed wooden overlook that provides beautiful views of lower whitewater falls. Was beautiful as always but a little crowded. 11-26-17 Lower Whitewater Falls is about 2 miles down river from North Carolina's 411' Whitewater Falls.Starting at Whitewater Falls, you could hike to both via the Foothills Trail and spur trails, but that's not the easiest way to see Lower Whitewater Falls. Height: 411 feet Trail Type: Asphalt and stairs Hike Distance: 0.5 miles round trip Difficulty: 8 if you take the stairs Beauty: 8 Overview: Whitewater Falls has been given the distinction of being the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi River, although Crabtree Falls in Virginia and Fall Creek Falls in Tennessee also make the same claim. 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