Jocassee Gorges Trip Reports

Jocassee Photos

My first trip to the Jocassee Gorges came in the late '90's. Myron was leading a backpacking trip to Lake Jocassee. The idea of spending 3-days hiking along a lake wasn't very inspiring. It was January though, and I didn't have anything better to do. I came along, and was amazed at what we found. Jocassee isn't your ordinary Carolina lake. It is surrounded by rugged mountains and deep gorges carved by whitewater streams. Our first visit took us to the Laurel Fork Gorge, Lake Jocassee, and the Toxaway River. I was fascinated, and planned a return trip the next winter. On our return, we started at magnificent Whitewater Falls and hiked for three days. This route took in Upper and Lower Whitewater Falls, the Thompson River, Hilliard Falls, and the lower Horsepasture River.








Whitewater Falls



Most of the Jocassee Gorges area used to owned by Duke Power. in the late '90's, they announced plans to sell a large portion of their property. South Carolina purchased most of the land bordering Lake Jocassee, but North Carolina was slow to act. The conservation community feared that the land would be purchased by developers. That summer, I led a Sierra Club hiking trip there to spur interest in protecting the area. On the first day, we hiked and bushwhacked from Frozen Creek Road to Wintergreen Falls on the Toxaway River. The following day we hiked the upper Horsepasture River to Rainbow Falls, Stairstep Falls, and the brink of Windy Falls. All of the waterfalls were beautiful, but Windy Falls really stirred my imagination. It was a serious adventure just getting to the top of the falls, but getting a view of the elusive cascades proved even more difficult. Finally we settled for a fine view from a cliff above the first drop. As we relaxed on the rocks, we spotted a black bear getting a drink at the base of the falls. This trip began a long running obsession for me with Windy Falls that continues to this day. Later that year, the state purchased the land and created a game land and Gorges State Park.

In June, 2018 Team Waterfall did a camping weekend, featuring a flight with John in a small plane over the waterfalls of the Jocassee Gorges. On Sunday we discovered a waterfall in the Nantahala National Forest.     (Photos)











Look Mom, No Brains!
Wintergreen Falls on the Toxaway River



The Whitewater and Thompson Rivers


My first visit to the Thompson River area came in October of 1998. On that trip, we hiked in from highway 281, following the Thompson River Gorge to the Foothills Trail. That afternoon, we survived an adventurous bushwhack upstream to Big Falls. The next day, we hiked out to Whitewater Falls. Somehow, it took me almost 10 years to return to this spectacular area. Finally, in May of 2007, Christy and I took Thao on her first backpacking trip. We hiked in from the Whitewater Falls trailhead, and camped on the Thompson River. We spent a full day at Big Falls - (Photos), and I stopped at Lower Whitewater Falls on the way out. I returned a couple of months later, and explored some of the waterfalls upstream, including High Falls.  - (Photos)  -  In May, 2010 Johnny joined me for a backpacking trip through the Thompson River Gorge.  - (Photos)  -  We started at Brewer Road and finished at Duke Power's Bad Creek access, visiting High Falls, Big Falls, and several other waterfalls along the way. In July, 2012, Jack and I did several short hikes to waterfalls in the Whitewater and Thompson River drainages, starting with a CMLC hike on private property to the original Tumbling Fun Falls.  - (Photos)    -  In September, 2014, Jonathan and Jess joined me for a hike to the other Tumbling Fun Falls on Mill Creek.  - (Photos)    - . In October, 2014 Brenda joined me for a hike to Whitewater Falls and Lower Whitewater Falls (SC).  - (Photos)    - . In April, 2015 I spent a full weekend in the Jocassee Gorges area. After a solo hike to waterfalls on Auger Fork Creek, Team Waterfall hiked to the base of Whitewater Falls, camped at the brink, and hiked to High Falls, Rich Falls, and Big Falls on the Thompson River.  - (Photos)    - . In August, 2015 Spencer, Stephanie, Scott and spent a weekend around Cashiers and Highlands. On Saturday we explored the upper Whitewater River above highway 281. We found 11 waterfalls, a cave, and an incredible slot canyon.     (Photos). On Sunday we explored Granite City and hiked to the top of Blackrock Mountain.     (Photos). In September, 2015 Team Waterfall returned to the Upper Whitewater gorge to further explore the slot canyon. This time I swam up the slot canyon from the brink of Exit Falls to view Little Canyon Falls.     (Photos). Team Waterfall returned to the area the next weekend. We river walked up the Thompson River from Lake Jocassee to Big Falls, bushwhacked to the base of Lower Whitewater Falls, and explored the upper Whitewater River's slot canyon.     (Photos). My October, 2015 dayhike with Rocky, Joe, Thomas, Kitty, and Stephanie L to the upper Whitewater River gorge. Photos.
Photos from a day exploring Sassafras Mountain (NC) and the headwaters of Silver Run Creek in search of Fulfillment Falls with Spencer and Scott.    (Photos)
My August, 2016 dayhike with Brenda, Scott, and Kyle to Rich Falls on the Thompson River and Hidden Dome Falls.     (Photos).
My May, 2017 hike with Stephanie through the upper Whitewater River gorge. Water levels were moderately high, making the trek more challenging and dangerous than normal. Instead of stopping at the highway 281 bridge, we continued on to the brink of Whitewater Falls and the viewpoints beyond. Photos.
Our November, 2018 camping trip in the Jocassee Gorges area, featuring hikes to Lower Whitewater Falls, Virginia Hawkins Falls, and Yucca Falls.     (Photos)
My January, 2020 Team Waterfall hike with Darrin, Bob, Sean, Spencer, Carlos, Scott, Casey, Renee, and Mark to Blackberry Run.     (Photos)
Photos from a November, 2020 hike with Jennifer, Scott, Thomas, Spencer, Carlos, and Jack to Green Party Falls and the upper Whitewater River.    (Photos)
Photos from a May, 2021 weekend on the Thompson River and Mill Creek, including hikes to High Falls, Tumbling Fun Falls, Rich Falls, and Standing Stone Falls.    (Photos)
Photos from a fantastic exploration of Corbin Creek in April, 2022 with Thomas, Kitty, Darrin, Bob, Sean, Scott, Spencer, and Carlos.     (Photos)
Photos from a January, 2023 hike with Scott to Forgotten Falls and another waterfall on an unnamed tributary of the Thompson River.     (Photos)
Photos from a May, 2023 hike with Darrin and Mitch to the upper Whitewater River.     (Photos)







Sunbathing at Big Falls



The Horsepasture River and Bearwallow Creek


We made several early trips to the Horsepasture River. Since then, we've made several attempts at exploring Windy Falls. In May of 2001, Fungirl and I did a 3-day backpacking trip starting at the Bad Creek Access near Whitewater Falls. We hiked a combination of the Foothills Trail and the Auger Hole Road to camp on the Horsepasture River. We found some nice but distant views of the falls from Narrow Rock Ridge. The main adventure though was a wicked bushwhack upstream to the base of Windy Falls. In March of 2003, I returned to Windy Falls. This time, a group of us hiked to the new designated campsites in Gorges State Park. From our campsite, we dayhiked to Upper Bearwallow Falls. The next day we hiked out by the scenic route. We descended to the top of Windy Falls, and Bob and I made a daring descent to the base of the first drop. We then hiked out along the Horsepasture River, passing Stairstep Falls, Rainbow Falls, Turtleback Falls, and Drift Falls along the way. In January 2010, Jack and I did a dayhike along the Horsepasture River.   (Photos)  -  We visited the four major waterfalls, and enjoyed some impressive rime ice around the Rainbow Falls overlook. In May 2012 I did a solo backpacking trip with the dogs from the Bad Creek to a campsite on the Horsepasture River. That trip featured side trips to Hilliard Falls, Narrow Rock Ridge, and Lower Bearwallow Falls.  -  (Photos)    A few months later, Jack, Johnny, Darrin, and I camped at Raymond Fisher Place in Gorges State Park and visited numerous waterfalls on Bearwallow Creek and the Horsepasture River.   (Photos)  - . In October, 2014, I returned to the top of Windy Falls. Brenda, Bob, and Billy joined me for a bushwhack down almost to the base of the first big drop.   (Photos)  -  In May, 2015 Darrin, Jack, Spencer, Stephanie, and Dillon and I finally reached the very base of the biggest drop of Windy Falls.   (Photos)  -  My March, 2017 hikes with Team Waterfall to peaks and waterfalls in the headwaters of the Horsepasture River. Photos.
My July, 2017 birthday camping trip in the Jocassee Gorges, with hikes up the Horsepasture River to Windy Falls and along lower Bearwallow Creek.     (Photos)
In February, 2018 I hiked with Stephanie and two of her friends to Windy Falls on the Horsepasture River.     (Photos)
My January, 2020 hike with Spencer to the Rocky Knobs above Lake Jocassee     (Photos)
Photos from an October, 2020 hike with Jack from Brewer Road across the Rocky Knobs and down to Narrow Rock Ridge. We also found a waterfall on upper Bearcamp Creek.    (Photos)
Photos from a May, 2021 weekend with Christy and the dogs in the Jocassee Gorges, including a hike to Narrow Rock Ridge with Brenda and short hikes to several waterfalls.    (Photos)
Photos from a December, 2022 exploration of upper Bearcamp Creek with Thomas and Sean.     (Photos)
Photos from an April, 2023 exploration of upper Bearcamp Creek with Thomas.     (Photos)
Photos from a December, 2023 hike with Jackson to Stairstep Falls on the Horsepasture River.     (Photos)






Fungi at Windy Falls

The Toxaway River, Rock Creek, and Laurel Fork


Since those early days, Fungirl and I have made several explorations in the Toxaway River area. In addition to the river, we've checked out some major tributaries, such as Toxaway Creek, Rock Creek, and the Laurel Fork. In August of '99, Fungirl and I camped at Bearwallow Fields and explored lower Bearwallow Creek and the Toxaway River. In March of 2000, we took a boat, courtesy of Hoyett's, across Lake Jocassee. We were dropped off at Laurel Fork and hiked to Toxaway Creek to camp. Along the way we spotted endangered Oconee Bells and bushwhacked to rarely seen Sky Falls. A year later, we hiked in from Rocky Bottom and camped at Laurel Fork Falls. The next day we hiked to the Toxaway River and then out to Frozen Creek Road. That summer, we hiked in from Frozen Creek Road and made a loop combining the Auger Hole Road, the Foothills Trail, and the Cane Brake Trail. The next summer, we returned to the Toxaway Creek area for another weekend backpacking trip. On these trips we explored the Toxaway River and Toxaway Creek and searched for more remote waterfalls. In August, 2009 I finally returned to the area with Jack and Johnny on Johnny's sailboat. On Friday we visited remote waterfalls on Wright Creek and the Whitewater River before an after-dark cruise across the lake to Rock Creek. We camped at Rock Creek and hiked to Sky Falls before sailing back to Devil's Fork State Park in South Carolina.  - (Photos). In August, 2012 Jack and I hiked to Wintergreen Falls on the Toxaway River.  - (Photos)    In August, 2016 Team Waterfall made a major exploration of the Toxaway River, starting at highway 64 and hiking down through the Upper and Lower Narrows to the base of Upper Wintergreen Falls.  - (Photos). In March, 2017 Team Waterfall explored a remote stretch of Rock Creek. Photos. Some of us returned in November, 2017 and hiked to Indian Ford Falls on Rock Creek. Most of this stretch of creek is now within Gorges State Park.     (Photos)
We returned to Rock Creek again in December, 2017 for an exploratory dayhike farther upstream.     (Photos)
In November, 2017 we did a backpacking trip with the dogs to Cane Brake in Gorges State Park.     (Photos)
My October, 2019 hike with Jack, Jennifer, and John to Wintergreen Falls on the Toxaway River, followed by a Team Waterfall camping trip and a day with Christy on the Parkway.     (Photos)
Photos from a visit to Project Why? With Christy, Scott, Jennifer, Thomas, Kitty, and John.    (Photos)
Photos from a November, 2021 Team Waterfall weekend. Christy and I kayaked from the end Bootleg Road to the mouth of Rock Creek to camp. Zachary and his dog Franklin backpacked in, while Johnny, Thomas, and Kitty joined us by way of Johnny's sailboat.     (Photos)












Sky Falls







Jocassee Photos


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