- Height: 12 feet
- Type: Sliding free-fall
- Stream: Tributary of Chattooga River
- River Basin: Savannah River
- Elevation: 1,612 feet
- Landowner: U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Recreational Area: Sumter National Forest, Andrew Pickens Ranger District
- State: South Carolina
- County: Oconee
- USGS Map: Whetstone
- Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
- Accessibility: Forest road & bushwhack
- Trail Blaze: None
- Admission Fee: None
- Hike Length: 1.42 miles
- Waterfall GPS: 34.84127 -83.24666
- Parking GPS: 34.83629 -83.25386
Overview
I named this one Shine Falls for a rusted barrel downstream.
Driving Directions
From Walhalla, South Carolina. From the intersection of SC-183, head west on SC-28 for 6.1 miles and turn left onto Whetstone Road. Drive 4.9 miles and turn left onto Chattooga Ridge Road. Drive 3.8 miles and turn right onto Fall Creek Road. Drive 0.3 miles and turn left to stay on Fall Creek Road. Drive 2.3 miles and park on the right side of the road near the fork of Fall Creek Road (road to the right) and Turpin Branch Road (road to the left.)
From Westminster, South Carolina. From the intersection of US-123, head north on US-76 for 15.4 miles and turn right onto Chattooga Ridge Road. Drive 2.1 miles and turn left onto Fall Creek Road. Drive 0.3 miles and turn left to stay on Fall Creek Road. Drive 2.3 miles and park on the right side of the road near the fork of Fall Creek Road (road to the right) and Turpin Branch Road (road to the left.)
From Clayton, Georgia. From the intersection of US-441, head east on US-76 for 10.3 miles and turn left onto Chattooga Ridge Road. Drive 2.1 miles and turn left onto Fall Creek Road. Drive 0.3 miles and turn left to stay onto Fall Creek Road. Drive 2.3 miles and park on the right side of the road near the fork of Fall Creek Road (road to the right) and Turpin Branch Road (road to the left.)
From Westminster, South Carolina. From the intersection of US-123, head north on US-76 for 15.4 miles and turn right onto Chattooga Ridge Road. Drive 2.1 miles and turn left onto Fall Creek Road. Drive 0.3 miles and turn left to stay on Fall Creek Road. Drive 2.3 miles and park on the right side of the road near the fork of Fall Creek Road (road to the right) and Turpin Branch Road (road to the left.)
From Clayton, Georgia. From the intersection of US-441, head east on US-76 for 10.3 miles and turn left onto Chattooga Ridge Road. Drive 2.1 miles and turn left onto Fall Creek Road. Drive 0.3 miles and turn left to stay onto Fall Creek Road. Drive 2.3 miles and park on the right side of the road near the fork of Fall Creek Road (road to the right) and Turpin Branch Road (road to the left.)
Hiking Directions
From the parking. Follow the less maintained Fall Creek Road on the right for 0.64 miles to the second creek you'll cross. Once across turn left and bushwhack downstream to the top of the falls and carefully make your way down to the base. Once down continue following the creek for 150+ feet to the top of Obscured Falls and climb up the hillside and work your way to the base. Once at the base continue downstream to the top of the falls and carefully drop down to the base.
My GPS track can be found below. Click on the track name to be taken to the Gaia GPS website where you can save the track to your phone or computer.
My GPS track can be found below. Click on the track name to be taken to the Gaia GPS website where you can save the track to your phone or computer.