While my family loves a good hike (and
there’s no shortage of them in the Upstate!) we sometimes find ourselves looking
for those stunning views – but with little to no hiking. Whether it’s because
we have an out-of-town guest visiting that might have less experience on the
trail or not be physically capable of tackling local hikes, or because I was
pregnant (or adventuring with an infant), we found a dozen sites that we could
pull right up to for that spectacular vista – with just a short walk! Head out
to one or two of them, or take an epic driving tour of all of them for a taste
of the SC Upcountry.
Wildcat Branch Falls
After breakfast at one of the many
cute spots in Traveler’s Rest, head north to Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway
11 and drive west. The first stop is Wildcat Wayside, the old rest stop for
travelers on their way to Asheville. With over a mile of trail that loops into
the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, this trailhead can be a popular spot; be
careful pulling in and out of the roadside parking area. However, you won’t
have to go far to see the star attraction, as the 30ft waterfall is visible
from the road. The shallow pool at the base is a popular swimming hole on hot
summer days!
Address: 5500 Geer Hwy, Cleveland,
SC 29635
Bald Rock Heritage Preserve
After driving a little over ½ mile
west on Highway 11 you’ll head north on Highway 276, then in 2.8 miles you’ll
come to the roadside parking for Bald Rock Heritage Preserve. This 165-acre Preserve is home to several rare
plants, as well as panoramic views stretching from Table Rock to downtown
Greenville. Access to the granite outcrop is across the wooden footbridge.
Address: Highway 276, Cleveland,
SC 29635
GPS Coordinates:
35.082310,-82.621320
Caesars Head State Park
In another 4.6 miles’ drive north
on Highway 276 you’ll reach the Caesars Head State Park Visitor Center. There is ample parking here, as well as
restrooms, picnic tables and a gift shop. Take the short, 0.1-mile trail to the
overlook featuring a wonderful view of Table Rock and the reservoir.
Address: 8155 Geer Highway,
Cleveland, SC, 29635
Grant Meadow Overlook
From Caesars Head, retrace your
steps back to Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway 11 and continue west. Just under
a mile after Aunt Sue’s Country Corner look for Grant Meadow Overlook to your
right. This scenic pull-off is newly open, an Upstate Forever conservation
easement protecting the 57-acre property that includes the meadow and streams
to the north. Behind them, the focal point – Table Rock. Take a minute to read
the historical marker that tells the story of the granite dome, or just soak in
the view from the bench before continuing on to Table Rock State Park.
Address: Grant Meadow Overlook,
Pickens, SC 29671
GPS Coordinates: 35.034126,
-82.684248
Table Rock Overlook
Table Rock Mountain rises 3,124
feet above sea level and can be seen miles. But if you want to get up close
without the strenuous 7+mi hike, just head to the Table Rock Viewpoint within
Table Rock State Park. To access the pull-off you’ll need a State Park Pass (or
to pay admission); it is located about halfway between the Table Rock Nature
Center and Gaines Lodge parking areas. If the Park is full or you don’t have a Park
pass, head instead to the Table Rock State Park Visitor Center on Lake Oolenoy,
where you’ll find restrooms and a gift shop, plus rocking chairs on a wide
porch with a prime view of Table Rock.
Address for overlook: 182-346
Table Rock State Park Rd, Pickens, SC 29671
Address for Visitor Center: 158 E Ellison Ln, Pickens, SC 29671
Sassafras Mountain
From Table Rock State Park it’s
another 4 miles or so to the intersection of Highway 11 and Moorefield Memorial
Highway, where you make a right to drive north 7.5 miles to Rocky Bottom, SC. Make
another right on F. Van Clayton Memorial Highway (Sassafras Mountain Rd) and
take it all the way to the end to Sassafras Mountain Observation Tower. From the parking lot to the tower is just over
a tenth of a mile, but the short stroll is worth it as on a clear day you’ll
have 360-degree views of North & South Carolina and Georgia.
Address: 1391 F Van Clayton
Memorial Hwy, Sunset, SC 29685
Jumping Off Rock
This next stop requires a bit of
time, and patience, as it requires a long drive down a gravel road. Once you
are back on Moorefield Memorial Highway, go north 0.9 miles to Horse Pasture
Road. This road is open year-round, but will close due to hazardous weather
conditions: see SCDNR for updates. High clearance is recommended for the 9.6-mile
drive to the overlook, but not required. On your way in you’ll pass several
Heritage Preserves and Wildlife Management Areas, with multiple waterfall hike
and Foothills Trail trailheads located on Horse Pasture Road. Look for a small pull-off
with an obvious trail, it’s only a couple hundred feet to the view. Jumping
Off Rock is the first of several stops located in the Jocassee Gorges
region in this driving tour that features views of Lake Jocassee; if you opt to
skip it you’ll get similar views from the Bad Creek Overlook.
Address: 448 Horse Pasture Rd,
Sunset, SC 29685
Long Shoals Wayside Park
Once back on Cherokee Foothills
Scenic Highway, look for the intersection with Roy F. Jones Rd. After driving
1.4 miles west on Highway 11 you’ll see the entrance to Long Shoals Roadside Park. There are picnic tables located right next to the parking
area, but this stop does require a short climb to reach Little Eastatoe Creek.
While not as long as the walk to the Sassafras Mountain tower, it is a little
steeper – it descends about 100ft.
Address: Scenic Hwy 11, Pickens, SC 29671
GPS Coordinates: 34.949246,
-82.851151
Bad Creek Overlook
From Long Shoals Park drive west
on Highway 11 for almost 10 miles. Turn right on SC-130 N and continue for 10.1
miles. Bad Creek is the site of the largest hydroelectric station operated by
Duke Power, and includes 7,500-acre Lake Jocassee, a 375-acre upper reservoir,
an underground powerhouse and a one-mile long tunnel bored through the mountain
bedrock connecting the reservoirs and powerhouse. The site is open to the
public year-round, however visitors must abide by the Bad Creek visitor
regulations posted at the electronic gate at the entrance to the site, which is
at the turn off SC-130 N onto Bad Creek Road. Proceed carefully on Bad Creek
Rd. for 3.6 miles until you come to the entrance to the parking lot for the Bad
Creek Visitor Overlook. This overlook has more breathtaking views of the emerald
Lake Jocassee, with a backdrop of the mountains of the Jocassee Gorges.
Address: Bad Creek Visitor Overlook, Bad Creek Rd, Salem, SC 29676
GPS Coordinates: 34.995363,
-82.992124
Note: Just to the north is the
North Carolina border and Whitewater Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in
the east. We’ve chosen not to include it in this guide as the hike to the
viewing platform is about 0.6 miles and involves stairs; this is also a fee
area. However, it is close enough that it is definitely an option if
interested!
Wigington Overlook
Once back on Whitewater Road drive
south for 0.7 miles, then turn right and head west on Oscar Wigington Memorial
Highway. This short connector route between SC-107 and SC-130 offers a
fantastic bird's-eye-view of Bad Creek Reservoir and the Carolina foothills
from the Wigington Overlook, which is 1.4mi from Whitewater Rd.
Address: Oscar Wigington Memorial Highway Scenic
Overlook, State Rd S-37-413, Tamassee, SC 29686
GPS Coordinates: 35.001087,
-83.043677
Sloan Bridge & Chattooga Pull-Offs and Picnic Areas
Continue west on Wigington Highway
until you reach Highway 107, Falling Waters Scenic Byway. Just north of the
intersection is the Sloan Bridge Picnic Area, with restroom facilities and
picnic tables. 2.3 miles south is Fish Hatchery Road, which leads to the Walhalla
State Fish Hatchery, another picnic area, and a popular spot for fishing.
Sloan Bridge address: Sloans
Bridge Access, Tamassee, SC (GPS Coordinates: 35.003620, -83.054143)
Walhalla State Fish Hatchery
address: 198 Fish Hatchery Road, Mountain Rest, SC 29664
Burrell's Place Pull-off
One mile south of Fish Hatchery
Road is a memorial site for five service members who were killed when a B-25
Army Air Corps plane crashed into a mountain top at night on March 10, 1943. At
the Burrell’s Place Pull-Off visitors can find a memorial marker with the names
of the servicemen. 1/3 mile further is a wide spot in the road that has room
for a couple of cars, with a view of Cantrell Mountain and the Upstate beyond.
GPS Coordinates: 34.964861,
-83.078429
Russell Farmstead (Chattooga Town)
After cruising the rest of Falling
Waters Scenic Byway, you’ll reach Highway 28S. Make a right and continue
towards the SC/GA border, and in 7.5 miles you’ll reach the pull-off for
Chattooga Town, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The
Russell house was a busy Appalachian farmstead in the late 1800s and early
1900s, and served as a stopover for travelers headed north to NC to escape the
hot South Carolina summers. A fire destroyed the main house and three
outbuildings in 1988, leaving only a chimney of the main house, but the
foundations are visible and an interpretive sign on the site details the layout
of the farmstead.
Address: Mountain Rest, SC 29664
GPS Coordinates: 34.909300,
-83.172708
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| Source: Google Maps |
Chattooga River (Oconee county) pulloff
Retracing your steps to Mountain
Rest, SC, you’ll take Chattooga Ridge Road to Long Creek Highway; the next
destination is where Highway 76 crosses the Chattooga. Just before the river
there is a 10-minute parking pull-off with room for about 6 cars, and a walkway
that leads to an overlook of the Chattooga River and the bridge. If you would
prefer a closer look at the river, park at the US Forest Service Chattooga
River Access site across the way, though that will require a short walk.
Address: Highway 76 Chattooga
River Access, Mountain Rest, SC 29664
GPS Coordinates: 34.814151,
-83.303892
The fastest way back to Greenville
from the Chattooga River is through Clemson on Highway 123, though if you’re
looking to take the scenic route (or headed to our our starting point in
Traveler’s Rest) you’ll want to take Highway 11. We often detour through Pickens to stop for
food, or watch the sun
set from Glassy Mountain.
Pack that bag of gear &
snacks, and hit the road this spring with this guide
to scenic viewpoints and pull-offs. Make sure to leave a comment to
let us know what you enjoyed most!
This article first appeared on Kidding Around Greenville as Stunning Scenic Spots With No Hiking: An Upstate SC Driving Tour.
Never snorkel alone
