Accessibility – Moderate+
Height – 35′
Distance – 8.0 miles (out and back)
Beauty – 7
Photo rating – 8
Solitude – 7
GPS Info: LAT 35.02984 LONG -82.77171
Last Updated – 12-23-2024
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Where to park: There was a time when the gate was further from the road and the large open parking area the top of the hill was where we parked, but then the gate was moved closer to the road, leaving room for one car to park by the gate. I think it’s easier to park on the southbound side of the road on the wide grassy shoulder than dealing with trying to park without blocking the gate. The GPS on the parking area is 35.02937, -82.79939.
The hike: Walk down the road and cross to pick up the gravel road that leads past the gate. The road is going to meander along, going up and down as it snakes along the contour. There isn’t a ton of elevation to the road, but there are countless old roads that intersect it. It’s pretty obvious which road to stay on. The ones that intersect have a different roadbed, and most connect at odd angles. At 1.9 miles from the gate, the road passes the trail to Mountain Cat Falls. If the leaves are off, you can see it clearly from the road. The road crosses Poplar Hollow at 2.7 miles from the gate, and at 3.4 miles it passes in front of Palmetto Trail Falls, which drops on the left side of the road. It is a low flow creek and needs a good rain to make it look good.
Just about 0.1 of a mile from Palmetto Trail Falls, the road will come out of a sharp lefthand turn. Once the road straightens out, you will see a very faint road on the right. The GPS is 35.03081, -82.77504, but you’ll have to look for it. The rhodos and brush are thick, and the going will be slow. Once you’re on the old road, it will bend toward Reedy Cove Creek, and abruptly fizzle out in an area of dense growth. From there, keep working toward the creek, aiming to remain below the falls. There is a small waterfall below Eden Falls, called Vespa Falls. Vespa Falls is about 10-12 feet high. If you come out below Vespa Falls, head up toward Eden Falls on river left. The two waterfalls are very close together.
