Chasing Waterfalls - Twin Falls

I found this website the other day with 27 waterfalls in upstate SC - SC Waterfall Trails. I came across this site after hunting a waterfall that wasn't really a waterfall at all... it was this:



That's a dam. I mean, I guess technically there's water falling over it, but really not what I was expecting. So, after work yesterday, I picked a waterfall off the list and decided to find it. Now, some of them on that list take hours to hike to, one is only recommended to be reached by boat, and some are just short walks. I picked one that was only about a quarter mile from the parking area - the Twin Falls in Pickens County.

Now, all I had were Google Map directions to the general area, and the instructions off the Trails site. I'm used to my GPS that tells me when to turn and where, so of course I got lost twice, even ending up in North Carolina once. It should have taken me 45 minutes to get there, but I ended up driving around these steep, curvy mountain roads for an hour, and it took me almost two hours total to find the falls. It was so worth it, though:



Once you got to the parking area, there's a quarter mile-long trail along a creek to walk up to get to the falls. Along the way, there was a ton of mountain laurel in bloom, and little paths shooting off to the side toward the creek. I wish it had been a longer trail.



I passed a couple and a family leaving as I was going up the trail, and once I got to the little viewing booth across from the falls, there was a family playing in the water.



After a awhile, they started climbing up around the falls and disappeared into the woods. I took a page from their book and climbed down off the viewing area to poke around.



After awhile, those people who wandered into the woods reappeared on top of the falls. I may have to go back some day when I'm not in my work clothes, and it's not late so I can poke around some more and make my way up to the top.

All-in-all, it was pretty amazing, and well worth the half a tank of gas, and accidental excursion to North Carolina. It felt like some epic quest. I'm pretty sure I destroyed the One Ring, killed Voldemort, and/or defeated the Dark Side while finding these falls. This weekend I might try seeing one with a longer hike involved. If anyone wants to go with me, I'd love a hiking buddy!

I now leave you with this amazingly awkward picture of me. It was next to impossible to get a shot of me and the falls, and I'm even more awkward in the only one in which I got all of the falls behind me.




Hint: click on pics to make them bigger.