HikingWNC

Accessibility – Moderate

Height – See table

Distance – 1.5 miles (loop)

Beauty – 4

Photo rating – 5

Solitude – 4

GPS Info: LAT 34.93704 LONG -82.87885

Last Updated – 12-23-2025

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Where to park: Keowee-Toxaway State Park is on SC-11 between SC-133 and SC-130. There is a parking lot at the trailhead. The GPS location is: 34.93238, -82.88547.

The hike: The Natural Bridge Trail leaves from the upper parking lot, opposite the visitor’s center. A kiosk with a trail map marks the start of the loop hike, which can be combined with the Raven Rock Trail, a loop that runs along the lake. If you hike both loops, the mileage will be about 4.75, with some elevation (less than 800 feet total). The only other trail in the park is the Palmetto Trail, which branches off of the Raven Rock Trail at the midpoint of the two loops. You don’t want to end up on this trail by mistake, or you will end up at Long Shoals Recreation Area.

You can hike the Natural Bridge Trail in either direction, and it is well-marked with trail badges on the trees. If you go counter-clockwise, you will come to the natural bridge first, at 0.6 miles, which is a huge slab of rock that creates a natural bridge over the creek. Poe Creek Falls can be accessed by a side trail around 0.1 miles from the bridge. The waterfall is small, but scenic. Middle Poe Creek Falls is 0.1 miles downstream, and a manmade bridge spans the creek below the falls. A spur path leads up to the falls, which is the biggest of the three drops in the park.

On the hike between these two falls, the Raven Rock Trail heads to the right. Lower Poe Creek Falls is another 0.3 miles downstream, and also accessed by a spur path. This section of the trail took a beating from Hurricane Helene, and the lower waterfall has some deadfall lying on it.

More to see: If you hike the Raven Rock Trail, there are several cool spots, the first being Raven Rock, which has a great view of the lake from the exposed rock. There is also a side trail that leads down to the campsites and a small sandy beach. It’s 0.1 miles each way to get to the campsites.