Waterfalls near Greenville, South Carolina

How the list breaks down

We count six falls within a 50-mile straight-line radius of Greenville. The list covers only falls we have published, not every waterfall near the city. One South Carolina falls does come up on our Whitewater page: Lower Whitewater Falls in Oconee County, which has no page of its own here.

The six split into four groups. DuPont is run by the N.C. Forest Service, and Whitewater, near Cashiers, is in Nantahala National Forest. Looking Glass, Moore Cove Falls and Sliding Rock line US-276 in the Pisgah Ranger District, 39 to 41 straight-line miles out. Hickory Nut Falls, 42 straight-line miles away in Chimney Rock State Park, has the highest listed price here: $17 per adult.

For more of the state, see our North Carolina waterfalls guide.

DuPont: Triple Falls and High Falls, 29 straight-line miles

Expect company here. The N.C. Forest Service estimates that more than 700,000 people a year hike the trail linking Hooker, Triple and High Falls. The Triple Falls Trail itself reopened on May 21, 2025, after Hurricane Helene. The closures cover the stairs down to the base and the Turkey Knob bridge.

Explore Asheville puts Triple Falls 0.5 mile from the Hooker Falls lot. A walk past Hooker, Triple and High Falls totals 2.2 miles with 160 ft of gain. Explore Asheville gives about 120 ft for Triple Falls and 150 ft for High Falls.

The N.C. Forest Service scheduled tree work to close the High Falls kiosk path for a day on Nov 6, 2026, with Nov 10 as the rain date. On Nov 7 the page did not say whether the work was done, so the path may close on Nov 10. On a work day, use Buck Forest Road to reach the High Falls Loop.

No entry or parking fee is listed. Lots are first come, first served, and summer lots often fill by 9:30 a.m. Forest rules bar swimming or wading within 300 ft upstream of any waterfall.

Whitewater Falls, and the lower falls in South Carolina

Upper Whitewater Falls drops 411 ft, per the Forest Service. A paved walk of about 0.5 mile round trip reaches the upper overlook; it is accessible but not level. From there, 154 wooden steps descend to a lower overlook. Discover Jackson NC lists the site as open dawn to dusk.

For the fee, the newest official figure we found dates to a 2024 Forest Service proposal: $3 per vehicle per day or $15 a year. Check Recreation.gov before you go. It warns that parking is not guaranteed, and vehicles outside designated areas may be fined and towed.

Below the state line, the river keeps falling. Lower Whitewater Falls in Oconee County, SC drops another 400 ft by the Forest Service's figure. The Foothills Trail Conference describes a moderate 1.9-mile hike each way from Duke Energy's Bad Creek access on SC 130. It has no page in this guide and is not counted in the list above.

Looking Glass, Moore Cove and Sliding Rock on US-276

Looking Glass Falls, 39 straight-line miles from Greenville, is 60 ft by Explore Brevard's count. It sits directly off US-276, about 6 miles north of the Pisgah Ranger Station, per the Forest Service. The top viewing deck is accessible, and stairs drop to the creek. The Forest Service lists no fee, and there is no restroom and no lifeguard.

Moore Cove Falls, at 40 straight-line miles, drops 50 ft over a cave-like rock outcropping. The Moore Cove Trail (TR318) is 0.7 mile and easy, with three footbridges and about 250 ft of elevation change, per the Forest Service. The agency does not recommend entering the area behind the falls.

Sliding Rock, 41 miles away as the crow flies, is a 60-ft natural slide on Looking Glass Creek. Swimming is allowed if you can swim. Lifeguards work only from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the 2026 staffed season is over. Explore Asheville says sliding isn't permitted off-season, but the Forest Service and Naventure don't say so. Ask the Pisgah Ranger District before you go.

Chimney Rock: Hickory Nut Falls, 42 straight-line miles

Hickory Nut Falls is 404 ft, per NC Parks and the Chimney Rock operator. Only Whitewater's upper falls, at 411 ft, is listed higher on this page. The falls trail is inside the fee-based Chimney Rock attraction, which reopened on June 27, 2025, after Helene.

Tickets as listed on Nov 7, 2026 are $17 per adult and $8 for ages 5 to 15 for one day. NC Parks gives the trail as 0.7 mile one way and moderate; the operator calls it 1.4 miles round trip. Through December 31, the gate takes entries from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Reservations use 1-hour arrival windows and are recommended on busy weekends.

Issaqueena Falls near Walhalla

Issaqueena Falls, in Stumphouse Mountain Park near Walhalla, SC, is 43.0 straight-line miles away. Wikipedia gives it 100 feet; the city charges $5 per car. It is open, as far as we can tell (Nov 8, 2026).

Yellow Branch Falls in Sumter National Forest

Yellow Branch Falls, west of Walhalla, SC, is 43.8 straight-line miles away. The USFS describes a 50-foot cascade at the end of a moderately difficult trail of about 1.5 miles each way. It is open, as far as we can tell (Nov 8, 2026).

Station Cove Falls on Oconee Station Road

Station Cove Falls, in Sumter National Forest near Walhalla, is 41.0 straight-line miles away. The USFS calls the 0.5-mile walk to the stepped 60-foot falls "an easy, 30-minute hike." Parking is limited to four cars. It is open, as far as we can tell (Nov 8, 2026).

South Carolina: Raven Cliff Falls and Spoonauger Falls

Raven Cliff Falls in Caesars Head State Park is 25.1 straight-line miles away by our math. SC State Parks gives it 420 feet and calls the trail a four-mile round trip to an overlook.

Trail access costs $3 for adults, per SC State Parks. As far as we can tell (Nov 11, 2026), SC State Parks said all official Mountain Bridge Wilderness trails were open.

Spoonauger Falls in Sumter National Forest is 43.4 straight-line miles away by our math. The Forest Service gives it 50 feet and describes an easy 20-minute hike.

Its page lists no fee. As far as we can tell (Nov 11, 2026), the page, updated Dec 31, 2025, showed "Site Open."

Waterfalls near Greenville: FAQ