ATLANTA — If you’re looking for a great day trip and don’t mind a bit of hike, you will want to check out Yellow Branch and Issaqueena Falls.
Located just across the Georgia border in Walhalla, South Carolina, both sets of falls are a two-hour drive from Atlanta and are free to visit.
Yellow Branch Falls:
There is a parking lot at the trailhead with a decent amount of parking spots for visitors.
Once you start on the trail to the falls, you will hike about 1.3 miles to get to them.
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The trail takes you along a beautiful path that zigzags across a creek and is a relatively easy to hike. As you approach the falls the path narrows a bit, but the path itself is fairly clear and well-kept.
The trail will take you to the base of the falls, and this is what you will see:
Yellow Branch Falls is a 50-foot vertical cascade that flows over a series of ledges. Many people use these falls as a place to cool down and swim on a hot day.
It is also pet-friendly. Read more about the falls here.
Issaqueena Falls:
Just up the road a little ways from the Yellow Branch Falls parking area, you will find Issaqueena Falls.
Follow the signs to the parking area, and you will see where the path to the falls begins.
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There is no hike to get to these particular falls. As you follow the path, you will get a chance to see out across the forest and overlook the falls.
There is an observation area at the end of the path for you to enjoy the waterfall.
The 100-foot cascade is among the most popular places in the area and among the most beautiful, according to the state’s website.
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If you want to get a closer look, you will find a path along the side of the observation deck, which will take you down to the base of the waterfall.
It is a bit steep and you will want to be careful climbing down. The path is fairly clear but not necessarily easy to climb down or back up. However, the view from the bottom of the falls is gorgeous.
Read more about the falls here.
The Stumphouse Tunnel:
Just up the road from both sets of falls, you will find the Stumphouse Tunnel.
According to the historical marker outside it, the Stumphouse Tunnel was the largest of three that were started before the Civil War for the Blue Ridge Rail Road.
The rail line was supposed to connect Anderson, South Carolina to Knoxville, Tennessee, but was never completed.
The tunnel is wide open to walk into and check out. The tunnel is 25 feet high, 17 feet wide and extends just over 1,600 feet into the mountain.
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Further in you will find a barrier that will prevent you from going any deeper into the tunnel.
You may want to use the flashlight app on your phone to help see the path ahead of you as you walk through the tunnel.
Read more about the tunnel here.
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