Brasstown Falls

I visited a really cool area this past weekend and ended up doing some extreme hiking. (As extreme as I possibly can do!) The trail to Brasstown Cascades in South Carolina starts off easy enough, but by the time you pass the first set of falls, it turns difficult. You begin to have to pick your way downhill over rocks and tree roots.

But the journey is worth it! The area is beautiful and wild. Brasstown Creek tumbles down 120 feet in three separate drops. “To reach the other two sections requires steep descents and crossing large boulders. It is not recommended for the novice hiker.” Is that what I did? Something that was not recommended for the “novice hiker”? I think so. Yikes!

This second set of falls is Brasstown Veil and there was one below this one that I did not risk climbing down to see.

One of the reasons I wanted to relocate back to northeast Georgia is the easy access to areas like this one and also to North Carolina. We literally have hundreds of waterfalls in the Tri-State region, which includes north Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. I did not know about the waterfalls in the Upcountry of South Carolina until about three years ago. They are amazing!

This is a wonderful example of a gorge with four waterfalls cascading down through it. I fell in love with this trail and the hike.

Of course, there is plenty of plant life because the winter has been so mild.

Here’s the cliff area that drops off to a sandy beach. These people were cooking out along the shore. I have no idea how they got down there with food and cookware!

I did briefly talk to another hiker who was taking photographs and also had her dog with her. There are plenty of people on this trail and it is too early for snakes! So there’s no need to worry. Bear? Who is even thinking about bears at this point?! Cocoa did not make the trip with me and I was glad once I saw the terrain. She would have been fine but probably would have dragged me off the side of a cliff!

I love to see the flowering plants in the woods at this time of year. I have no idea the name of this one. I just know that it was totally sweet!

This photo really doesn’t show the depth of the gorge. The river splashes down through Brasstown Sluice into a pool below the rocky cliff. I was glad that I wore my leather Keens on this trip. They hang on the the rocks much better than my other hiking shoes.