There are several waterfalls located in and around the Ellicott Rock Wilderness Area, near the borders of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Three of my favorites are King Creek Falls, Spoonauger Falls, and Upper Whitewater Falls. The area also includes basic campsites, picnic areas, and fishing.
King Creek Falls and Spoonauger Falls are located off of Forest Road 646/Burrell’s Ford Road in Sumter National Forest. The road is paved for about a quarter mile, then turns to uneven gravel.
Whitewater Falls is a short distance away in the Nantahala National Forest on the border of North Carolina and South Carolina.
King Creek Falls
King Creek is a 70-foot waterfall. The 1.5-mile hike to the falls starts at the Burrell’s Ford parking lot. Go to the end of the parking lot and follow the gravel lane as it slowly slopes down into the campground and footpaths.
To locate the King Creek Falls Trail, continue on the gravel lane past the information board. Just ahead, on your left you will see the metal trailhead post. The path is relatively easy and wide to start. You are surrounded by trees which would be beautiful in bloom. Follow the orange blazes on the trees.
King Creek Falls is gorgeous up close! There is a small pool at the bottom but not enough to swim in. The pool has several boulders and fallen trees along the banks for you to rest and enjoy the view. It was so calming to sit in the shade and listen to the falls. We were at the waterfall for 30 minutes or more and didn’t see another person. See more photos of King Creek Falls and learn about trail.
Spoonauger Falls
Spoonauger is a 50-foot, multi-tiered waterfall. Just beyond the Burrell’s Ford parking lot, continue on Burrell’s Ford Road until you reach the next information board on your right. There is no parking lot for this trail so you will have to park along the side of the road. Start your half-mile hike at the information board and follow the signs for the Chattooga River Trail.
You will see the metal trailhead post indicating the breakaway for the Spoonauger Falls Trail to the right. Spoonauger Falls is a 3-tier waterfall. You can see the upper main falls, and the middle section from the trail. The middle section is rather flat, so we were able to walk up even closer to the falls on the flat rocks near where the main section breaks. Be careful as the rocks in and around the waterfall are slick!
Spoonauger Falls was another waterfall we had to ourselves. These are two beautiful, lesser-known waterfalls. I highly recommend visiting if you are in the area! See more photos of Spoonauger Falls and learn about trail.
Upper Whitewater Falls
Right along the North Carolina-South Carolina state line, lies one of the highest waterfalls (811 feet) east of the Rockies – Whitewater Falls. The upper falls plummet 411 feet. The 400-foot lower falls can be accessed from a different location in South Carolina. This is a popular waterfall so be prepared for crowds.
Follow the paved walkway at the end of the parking lot to the overlook for the upper falls. This 0.6-mile path is universally accessible but does climb in elevation to the top. From the overlook you can see the top of the multi-drop cascading waterfall.
To the right of the overlook there is a set of wooden stairs leading to a lower overlook platform. From the lower platform you can see all of Upper Whitewater Falls. This is an even better view and worth the 154 wooden stairs if you are able.
Whitewater is a magnificent waterfall! I could have stayed all day to watch it. See more photos of Upper Whitewater Falls and learn about trail.