Accessibility – Moderate

Height – 70′

Distance – 3.4(out and back)

Beauty – 6

Photo rating – 4

Solitude – 5

GPS Info: LAT 35.0188241 LONG -82.73686

Last Updated – 01-10-2023

Last Visited – 02-20-2022

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Palmetto Trail Falls is a 70 foot high waterfall on a tributiry of Racheal Creek in SC. The falls is visible from the nearby Palmetto Trail in the winter, but it requires some scramling to get to the base. The hike start at any point on the Palmetto Trail, but when I hiked in in Febraury, I parked on Alewine Road, just off SC11. The parking is here: 35.00341, -82.74065.

The hike starts past the gate and follows an old logging grade on a pretty steady climb for the 0.8 of a mile to where it intersects with the Palmetto Trail. Make a right and follow the gently sloping Palmetto Trail for 0.8 of a mile to the unnamed trib. The waterfall is just upstream of the trail, and requires scrambing and climbing over some fallen trees. If you look for the tributary on a map, it doesn’t show. Not everyone will enjoy the scramble up to the base, but the Palmetto Trail is easy hiking along this stretch, and if you’re there in winter, you can see it from the safety of the trail.