15 South Carolina Waterfall Routes Where Dogs Can Join The Hike
Most people picture South Carolina as beaches and boardwalks. Upstate has a different personality: cold creeks, granite ledges, and more than a few 100-foot cascades hiding behind rhododendron.
Better yet, leashed dogs are welcome on a surprising number of these routes, from 0.2-mile strolls to gorge-diving treks. Some end at sandy river beaches.
Others end at the tallest waterfall in the state. Here is where to point the paws first.
1. Yellow Branch Falls Trail
Few waterfalls fan out quite like Yellow Branch, a 50-foot curtain sliding across broad rock shelves.
Start at the Yellow Branch Picnic Area off SC Highway 28 near Walhalla, in Sumter National Forest. The out-and-back run is roughly 3 miles and moderately tough.
Expect small creek crossings, which most dogs treat as a bonus. The path narrows beside deep ravines, so keep the leash short and shoes sturdy.
2. King Creek Falls Trail
Seventy feet of white water dropping into a clear plunge pool: that is the payoff at King Creek Falls near Mountain Rest.
The trailhead sits off Forest Service Road 771 in Sumter National Forest, shared with the Chattooga Trail.
Roughly 2 miles round trip, it takes about an hour, with the last stretch descending into the Chattooga River Gorge. Leashed dogs love the cool, shady rhododendron tunnels.
3. Licklog and Pigpen Falls via Foothills Trail
Two waterfalls, one easy mile. That math is hard to beat.
From the Nicholson Ford Road trailhead near Mountain Rest, the Foothills Trail rolls gently to Pigpen Falls, a 25-foot stack with a shallow pool and a big flat boulder for snack breaks.
Continue a bit farther for 80-foot, two-tiered Licklog Falls. Skip the steep scramble to its base with a dog.
Keep leashes clipped throughout.
4. Opossum Creek Falls Trail
Getting to this trailhead means backcountry roads off US 76, ending on Turkey Ridge Road near Long Creek. Adventure starts early.
The 4-mile round trip inside Sumter National Forest begins flat, then tips down into the gorge. The final half mile involves rock and log scrambling.
A 50-foot cascade tumbles over ledges toward the Chattooga River, where a sandy beach makes a fine leashed lounging spot.
5. Brasstown Falls Trail
Three waterfalls in under a mile? Brasstown Creek delivers, and then some.
Off Brasstown Road near Long Creek in Sumter National Forest, the route strings together Brasstown Cascades, the Veil, and the Sluice, plus little Brasstown Falls when water runs high.
Steep, rooty, and slick in places, so call it strenuous. New steps and observation decks help.
Leashed pups are permitted, but mind wet rock.
6. Chau-Ram Falls Trail
A 180-foot suspension bridge swaying above rapids gives this stop a theme-park feel, minus the lines.
Chau Ram County Park sits at 124 Chau Ram Park Rd in Westminster, where the Chauga River drops 40 feet over rocky ledges.
Trails here are short and friendly, including a two-mile riverside loop. Dogs are welcome on leash, and an admission fee applies at the gate.
7. Oconee Station and Station Cove Falls Trail
History and hydrology share a parking lot here.
The trail leaves Oconee Station State Historic Site near Mountain Rest, where a stone blockhouse has stood since 1792.
An easy 1.5-mile round trip rolls through cove hardwood forest famous for spring wildflowers, ending at 60-foot Station Cove Falls spilling down a rock outcrop.
Under an hour total, leashes required, and a great pick for older dogs or short legs.
8. Hidden Falls Trail
The name earns itself. Hidden Falls stays tucked away in the Cheohee area near Tamassee, in Oconee County.
Also signed as Tamassee Knob via Hidden Falls Trail, the route runs roughly 2.4 to 4 miles round trip with moderate climbing.
Crowds are rare, so the soundtrack stays birdsong and moving water. Leashed dogs get plenty of fresh scents through the thick, fern-lined woodland.
9. Rainbow Falls Trail
Bring extra water and a good breakfast. This one asks for effort.
Inside Jones Gap State Park at 303 Jones Gap Rd in Marietta, the strenuous 4.5 to 5-mile round trip climbs rocky, uneven ground beside the Middle Saluda River.
Then a 100-foot torrent explodes off a cliff face, throwing mist that catches sunlight in rainbows. Leashed dogs welcome, park admission required.
10. Jones Gap Falls Trail
River time, all day long.
Starting near the Visitors Center in Jones Gap State Park, Marietta, the roughly 5.3-mile round trip traces the Middle Saluda past pools, rapids, and small cascades.
Jones Gap Falls itself arrives as a pretty multi-tiered drop, ideal for a snack stop. Keep an eye out for the old Cleveland Mill foundation.
Moderate to strenuous, leashes on, entrance fee at the gate.
11. Raven Cliff Falls Trail
Tallest in the state: Raven Cliff Falls drops about 420 feet into its gorge.
The trailhead sits off US-276 in Caesars Head State Park near Cleveland, about a mile from the Visitor Center.
Take the moderate out-and-back to the overlook, roughly 2 to 3.8 miles, which suits leashed dogs nicely.
Leave the long loop alone, since ladders and the suspension bridge do not mix with paws.
12. Carrick Creek Loop
Water, water everywhere, and only two miles of walking.
The loop begins at the Nature Center in Table Rock State Park, Pickens County, and takes about an hour at a happy sniffing pace.
Carrick Creek Falls shows up early, a 15-foot drop with its own observation deck. Smaller cascades keep coming through oak-hickory forest.
Pets are welcome on leash, plus a park entrance fee applies.
13. Issaqueena Falls Trail
Short walk, tall reward. Roughly 0.2 miles gets you to the overlook.
Issaqueena Falls lives inside Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel Park, near 1500 Stumphouse Tunnel Rd in Walhalla, tumbling about 100 feet down a stepped rock face.
Leashed dogs handle this one easily, making it ideal for puppies, seniors, and hot afternoons.
The historic Stumphouse Tunnel sits right next door for a cool bonus stop.
14. Battlefield Trail to Horseshoe Falls
Sometimes the best hike is the one nobody has to be carried back from.
The Battlefield Trail in Table Rock State Park, Pickens, forms a flat 0.7-mile loop near the main facilities.
Horseshoe Falls waits along Carrick Creek: modest in size, big on charm and shade.
Leashed dogs are fine here, and a state park entrance fee applies. Good choice for recovery days or puppy first hikes.
15. Miuka Falls, Cheohee Falls, and Secret Falls via Winding Stairs Trail
Three falls for one ticket, and the ticket price is a workout.
Winding Stairs Trail leaves Winding Stairs Road in Sumter National Forest near Mountain Rest, running about 5 miles round trip over steep, often slick ground.
Miuka Falls drops a dramatic 75 feet, Cheohee Falls charms quietly, and Secret Falls hides best of all.
Leashes required. Grippy footwear strongly encouraged for the humans.
