Right now
Right now as of Nov 8, 2026
- Permit No permit needed. Entry fee: $5 per car, $15 per van or bus.
Status note (Nov 8, 2026): Open, as far as we can tell: no closure notice for the park, falls or tunnel appeared on City of Walhalla pages as of Nov 8, 2026. The city does close the park in icy weather, as its January 2026 posts warned. The city closed the tunnel entrance during winter weather on Jan 10, 2025. Visit Oconee said in October 2026 that visitors can still walk into part of the tunnel. What the status labels mean
Issaqueena Falls is a cascade in Stumphouse Mountain Park, a City of Walhalla park in Oconee County, SC. Visit Oconee describes a short walk through the woods and across a covered bridge to a viewing platform. Wikipedia gives a height of 100 feet; the city publishes none. Admission is $5 per car. The city closes the park in icy weather.
About Issaqueena Falls
Issaqueena Falls sits in Stumphouse Mountain Park, a 440-acre park maintained by the City of Walhalla. The park also holds Stumphouse Tunnel, the Palmetto Trail Stumphouse Passage and the Blue Ridge Railroad hiking trail.
Wikipedia calls Issaqueena Falls "a 100 ft (30 m) high cascade waterfall." The city publishes no height, so treat that figure as unofficial.
Wikipedia says the falls are named for a legendary Cherokee girl who is said to have leaped from the top with her lover.
Federal mapping (GNIS) spells the name Isaqueena Falls, with one s. The city, Visit Oconee and Wikipedia use Issaqueena. Our map pin is the GNIS point for the falls.
The city has no page just for the falls. Park details live on its Departments page and its park pass page.
Yellow Branch Falls, on a Sumter National Forest trail west of Walhalla, is the closest other falls on this site. Station Cove Falls is also near Walhalla.
Getting there and parking
The city lists the park at 150 Stumphouse Tunnel Road, Walhalla, SC 29691, in Oconee County. Our directions button uses the GNIS pin for the falls, so it may differ from the parking lot.
Hours
The city's Departments page, updated Nov 6, 2026, lists summer hours of 8:30am to 8pm and winter hours of 8:30am to 5pm.
The park's bike site, stumphousepark.com, gives different times: 8am to 8pm in spring and summer, and 8am to 6pm in fall and winter. Confirm with the city before you go.
Contact
For general park and trail questions, the city lists stumphousewalhalla@gmail.com. Shelter rentals go through (864) 638-4343.
Gate and passes
The city's pass page says a new gate system has been installed and online gate pass sales have resumed. See the fee box on this page for rates.
Map and nearby falls
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OpenPartly open / seasonalUnconfirmedClosedLarger map
Issaqueena Falls walk: woods, covered bridge and viewing platform
The city publishes no trail length or route for the falls. Visit Oconee says the waterfall "can be enjoyed without committing to a lengthy hike."
Through the woods to the platform
Visit Oconee said in October 2026 that "a short walk through the woods and across a covered bridge leads to a viewing platform." You see the falls from there, surrounded by forest.
We call it easy based on that description. No official difficulty or distance is published.
Stumphouse Tunnel
Visit Oconee says the falls and the tunnel "are just a short walk apart." Wikipedia says the tunnel is a few yards from a gravel parking lot.
Wikipedia says workers dug 1,617 feet of a planned 5,863-foot railroad tunnel before work stopped in 1859. Visit Oconee says visitors "can still walk into a portion of it today."
Dogs
We found no official pet rule for the park. The city and Visit Oconee pages we read do not say whether dogs are allowed, so ask the city first.
Accessibility
We found no official accessibility information for the walk, the covered bridge or the viewing platform. Email the city to ask before you visit.
When to visit
The city publishes no best season for the falls. It does list two sets of hours, with shorter days in winter.
Winter weather closures
The city closes the park in bad weather. In January 2026 it said the park was "expected to close once freezing weather arrives" and again if roads became icy.
On Jan 10, 2025, the city announced that "the Stumphouse Mountain Park tunnel entrance and city parks will be closed." Check city news before a winter trip.
Rain and the bike trails
The park's bike site, stumphousepark.com, says the bike trails close after heavy rain. It points to the Stumphouse Mountain Park Facebook page for weather closure updates.
Events
The city canceled its second annual Frosty's Night Ride, a bike event at the park, for this year. That notice covers the event only, not the park.
For more falls in this part of the Blue Ridge, see our waterfalls near Greenville, SC page and Whitewater Falls across the state line.
| Height | 100 ftNote: Wikipedia; the city publishes no height |
|---|---|
| Trail | Short walk through the woods and across a covered bridge to a viewing platform (Visit Oconee). The city publishes no trail length |
| Difficulty | No official rating: the City of Walhalla publishes no difficulty for this walk. We call it easy because Visit Oconee says the falls can be enjoyed "without committing to a lengthy hike" |
| Entry fee | Park admission: $5 per car and $15 per passenger van or bus (City of Walhalla; stumphousepark.com). Annual pass $50 for Oconee County residents; for non-residents the city's pass form says $75, while the Departments page and stumphousepark.com say $60. Other county and state park passes are not valid |
| Permit / reservation | No permit listed; the park charges $5 per car and $15 per van or bus to enter |
| Parking | 150 Stumphouse Tunnel Road |
| Dogs | No official rule found. The city and Visit Oconee pages we read do not say whether dogs are allowed |
| Swimming | No official rule found. The city and Visit Oconee pages we read do not mention swimming or climbing at the falls |
| Wheelchair / stroller | No official accessibility information found for the walk or the viewing platform |
| Best time to visit | No official best month; the city lists separate summer and winter hours and closes the park in icy weather |
| Crowds | No official visitor figure published |
| Managed by | City of Walhalla (Stumphouse Mountain Park) |
Safety and swimming
Stay on the walk and the viewing platform. Visit Oconee's 2023 waterfalls page says 10 or 12 people are rescued each month at Oconee County waterfalls, some after scrambling up rocky terrain toward a waterfall's top.
Bring a flashlight for the tunnel. Visit Oconee says it "gets dark quickly" inside. Wikipedia says the tunnel stays near 50 degrees F with about 85% humidity.
Wikipedia also records a 1999 rockslide at the tunnel's vent, followed by re-excavation in 2000.
Avoid the park in icy weather, when the city may close it. The park's bike site says not to enter a bike trail that is taped off.
In an emergency, call 911. Our waterfall safety guide has more on staying safe near falls.
Conditions change: confirm with the official source before you go.
Where to stay near Issaqueena Falls
Compare hotels, cabins and rentals close to the falls around Walhalla.
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Photos
Issaqueena Falls FAQ
Is Issaqueena Falls open now?
As far as we can tell, yes. No closure notice appeared on City of Walhalla pages as of Nov 8, 2026. The city does close the park in icy weather.
Is there a fee for Issaqueena Falls?
Yes. The city lists $5 per car and $15 per passenger van. Annual passes are $50 for Oconee residents and $60 or $75 for non-residents, as city pages disagree. Other county and state park passes are not valid.
What are the Stumphouse Mountain Park hours?
The city lists 8:30am to 8pm in summer and 8:30am to 5pm in winter. The park's bike site says 8am to 8pm in spring and summer, and 8am to 6pm in fall and winter. Confirm before you go.
How long is the walk to Issaqueena Falls?
No official distance is published. Visit Oconee describes "a short walk through the woods and across a covered bridge" to a viewing platform.
How tall is Issaqueena Falls?
There is no official figure. Wikipedia calls it "a 100 ft (30 m) high cascade waterfall."
Can you go inside Stumphouse Tunnel?
Visit Oconee said in October 2026 that visitors "can still walk into a portion of it today." The city closed the tunnel entrance during winter weather on Jan 10, 2025, so check first.
Are dogs allowed at Issaqueena Falls?
We found no official pet rule. The city and Visit Oconee pages we read do not say, so email stumphousewalhalla@gmail.com before you bring a dog.
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Sources
- City of Walhalla: Departments page, Stumphouse Tunnel & Issaqueena Falls Park (address, hours, admission, shelters; read Nov 8, 2026)
- City of Walhalla: Stumphouse Mountain Park pass (annual pass prices, gate system; read Nov 8, 2026)
- City of Walhalla: Updates for Parks, Recreation and Tourism (park acreage, city resident pass; Nov 2025)
- City of Walhalla: Winter storm page (park closure in icy weather; 2026)
- City of Walhalla: Walhalla preps for winter weather (Jan 22, 2026)
- City of Walhalla: Winter weather update and closings (tunnel entrance closed; Jan 10, 2025)
- City of Walhalla: Frosty's Night Ride at Stumphouse Mountain Park (event canceled; read Nov 8, 2026)
- Stumphouse Park bike site (hours, fees, passes, rain closures; read Nov 8, 2026)
- Visit Oconee: Tips from a local fall driving route (walk to the falls, tunnel; Oct 2026)
- Visit Oconee: Your Oconee County fall scenic driving route (falls and tunnel a short walk apart; Sept 2026)
- Visit Oconee: Waterfalls (rescue figure; 2023)
- USGS GNIS: Isaqueena Falls, feature ID 1229841 (coordinates, county)
- Wikipedia: Issaqueena Falls (height, legend; read Nov 8, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel (tunnel history, parking, temperature, rockslide; read Nov 8, 2026)
Last verified Nov 8, 2026 by The Waterfall Guide editorial team. Conditions change: confirm with City of Walhalla (Stumphouse Mountain Park) before you go. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.