My family and I decided to spend a weekend in North Carolina. Since we enjoy the outdoors we…read moredecided to spend a part of our time hiking. We went to Little Bradley Falls, located in Saluda, North Carolina. Due to a wildfire that happened a couple of years back some of the trials are restricted for hikers. However, you are still able to see Little Bradley Falls and explore the surrounding area. The trail is pet and kid friendly, with designated paths, so you do not have to worry about getting lost. The parking lot is more of "pull of the side of the road" style parking. It was tight, but I was able to park my SUV. Although the majority of Little Bradley Falls trail was closed, the rest of the trail was well kept, and you could visibly see the park staff was working on reopening the damaged trail. The waterfall was beautiful, there is an observation area where you can see the majestic waterfall, perfect for photos. Although the trail was well cleared, one dangerous part is you have to climb over rocks in the river to get to the other side of the trail. It wasn't that difficult, but should be considered when planning your hike to Little Bradley Falls. If you are in the Saldua North Carolina area, or want to take an easy hike with the family, I would definitely recommend taking a look into Little Bradley Falls. I hope to return in the future to complete the other trailhead that is adjacent from Little Bradley Falls.

Short trail with a beautiful waterfall at the end…read more Drive: 1.5hour drive from Charlotte Parking: the location on the google map doesn't take you to a parking lot. We arrived at the entrance of a side trail. Parking is available on the side street. Trail: about a 30 -45 mins trail but it is very tricky Overall, I enjoyed the short hike. The waterfall at the end was definitely worth the trip. Highly recommend a visit. 5/5

We heard so much praise about this place before we visited & it did not disappoint. We booked at a…read morehome on Chestertown Dr and had a great stay. My husband really enjoyed how beautiful his golf experience was. The staff are so kind & accommodating. We got lunch once at their restaurant. Everyone loved their food. My burger was quite burnt, however. The fries were good though. The amenities are all very thought through. We enjoyed the 10 minute hike we had up to a waterfall that was nearby. It was so peaceful and nice. We actually came for a destination wedding! Not sure how many weddings they do, but we had a great time. Beautiful wedding & no complaints as a guest. Be aware however that I have AT&T and had no signal my whole stay. I relied on WiFi.

Chef Yvonne does an excellent job in the restaurant. Her tomato bacon dill soup is amazing. The…read moregrilled mahi sandwich is really really good. Her chicken salad sandwich on a croissant is outstanding. The locally sourced beef burger is delicious. The onion rings are some of the best I've ever eaten. The Bloody Mary is in my top 3.

Gorgeous place, easy parking on the side of the roads with multiple stopping areas. Dog friendly…read moreand people friendly. Able to swim and to walk around (very cautiously) on rocks. Relaxing to just lay on a massive rock and listen to the waterfall.

5-Stars for simply being a beautiful waterfall relatively close to town and located just a few…read moreshort steps from the road, no hiking required. There are 3 viewpoints: road level, mid-level down a short set of stairs, and at the base down a second set of stairs. This is a great option for people with little kids, people with limited mobility, or those just short on time. There is limited roadside parking. Free to visit. No restroom. Easy peasy.

The camp host was unprofessional, rude, and threatened to call the sheriffs department because he…read moresaid we were talking too loud. We were not loud and are filing a complaint. We have been coming here for years but will not pay to be treated this way.

Our family loves North Mills River! If you're looking to hike, fish, ride horses, picnic, camp,…read moreetc. this is a solid spot. The picnic area is very well maintained and each picnic table typically has a charcoal grill to go with it. We really love fishing out here! If you're lucky enough to outsmart the elusive fish out here... you can expect to catch rainbow, brook, and brown trout!

This is the best waterfall we got to visit in SC this far. After we left Reedy Branch Falls we…read moredrove here. Well, as close as we could get. I didn't realize that we couldn't drive all the way to the trailhead so we had a long hike in store due to me having to carry my toddler most of the time. I should have re-read the previous reviews before coming. My friend did help me carry her as well and for that I was very thankful. So definitely don't recommend this hike with a little one unless strapped in a carrier. Also, I don't recommend it for the elderly either. It's definitely a wilderness hike deal with roots and elevation change. In fact, it's mostly downhill on the way to the falls, but on the way back it's pretty much all uphill, which was not fun with aforementioned young child. It's about a half mile to the actual trailhead and then another 0.7 mile to the falls. That's about 2.4 miles round trip. The reason of course that my boys absolutely became enamored with this place is the large swimming hole. It is wonderful and has plenty of space. The waterfall itself is beautiful and although it's not as tall as others, its width is quite impressive. I was trying to get as close as I could and even noticed a hidden part of the falls inside of the rock structure. That was so cool!! The sand at the base and shore give it a beachy vibe. We definitely packed it in and out making sure not to leave anything behind as to preserve the area as best as possible. Needless to say we were wiped by the time we made it back to our vehicles, but we're still glad we decided to venture here. Coming back with my hubby and boys in the very near future. Happy yelping!

I just wanted to update my 3/15/20 review below to add I've now done this hike several times, but…read moreTHIS time I had the chance to hike it with a friend who is directly related to the namesake of the waterfall... Riley Moore. Sandie is a church friend of mine and Riley Moore was her Great Great Uncle (I believe that's right). He once upon a time operated a grist mill here at the top of the falls. She's been trying to get here to see the waterfall, but couldn't find it and wanted to join us (along with her family) since I knew the way. Upon further research I discovered there are actually still remnants of the mill including visible drill holes, spikes and bolts. Thought that was pretty cool info to share! [ [ [ PREVIOUS REVIEW ] ] ] Riley Moore Falls is small in height but HUGE in personality. It's located off State Road S37-748, which is a nicely maintained gravel road where cars and trucks alike can comfortably traverse. ~~~ DIRECTIONS From Westminster, SC - DO NOT turn onto Cobb Bridge Road from Long Creek Hwy (Hwy 76) where you will see the brown & white sign pointing you in the direction of Riley Moore Falls. Our GPS had us go this way, then left onto State Road S37-748, but the road was CLOSED during our visit! INSTEAD, turn onto PU-32 also known as Rocky Fork Road. Turn left onto a gravel road near Rocky Fork Baptist Church and follow that until it dead ends @ State Road S37-748 (also known as Spy Rock Road). Turn right and drive approx. 1.4 miles (4 minutes) to 748c (aka Riley Moore Shoals Road). Park at the intersection of State Road S37-748 and 748c. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE 748c in a car or minivan. Low clearance vehicles will find the terrain on this road to be VERY difficult to navigate without bottoming out or getting stuck. I'd also recommend 4x4 capability on wet days! There can be several deep-pocketed muddy areas after heavy rains. ~~~ THE TRAIL Once you reach the intersection of Spy Rock Rd (S37-748) and 748c, park roadside on Spy Rock, secure your vehicle and begin your hike approx. 1/2 mile down the "primitive road." IF you have a high ground clearance SUV or truck, you can drive the primitive road another half mile or so to a second parking area near the trailhead. The primitive road is VERY BUMPY  and can be muddy in spots after heavy rains, so a 4x4 is best. After reaching the second parking area, follow the marked trail on the left!!! The trail is a little over a 1/2 mile to the falls from here. The trail is fairly straightforward and easy to follow. ~~~ THE FALLS Once you reach the Chauga River, you will notice a large sandy area with plenty of room for an entire horde of hikers!!! Riley Moore Falls is not very tall (only about 12 feet), but it is very wide and has a deep base pool. PRO TIP - Bring swimwear, towels and a picnic, but be sure to pack it in and pack it out. ~~~ THINGS TO KNOW Hiking Distance: 2 miles (round trip to falls from S37-748) Difficulty of hiking 748c: All downhill to trailhead (moderate return) Difficulty of hiking trail to falls: EASY Creek Crossings: NO Elevation Gain: 357 feet Waterfall Height: Approx 12 feet Access to top of falls: NO - not without getting wet Access to base of falls: YES Pool of water @ base of Falls: YES Sitting areas @ base: YES + sandy beach RESTROOMS: NO PARKING: YES (along road) + secondary parking area closer to trailhead for trucks and high ground clearance vehicles with room for about 6 cars. ~~~ [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] A lovely waterfall in any season, but also a great spot for a summer swim. While we had the waterfall practically to ourselves during our Mid-March expedition, be advised other trail website reviews say it gets trashy & crowded in summer months. What a shame if that is true because it truly is a treasure. ENJOY! 2022 / 74 #UPDATE 178

Today was our second time back to Alum Cave Trail, and we did the 2.3 miles to Alum Cave Bluff and…read morethen turned back, for a total of 4.6 miles. You can go on for a total of five miles to reach Mt. Leconte, but since the weather was turning and it was starting to rain we cut our hike short. Like others, I suggest getting to this trail head early, as at 7:30 am half the parking lot was full!! We love this trail in particular for its endless water features, lots of scenic spots to take pictures, unique bridges, and the breathtaking view from the top. Even with the bad weather today, it was something spectacular watching the fog lift above the golden trees. If you haven't been, this trail is definitely worth your time and attention. You will want to wear some sturdy walking shoes for this one and maybe even bring a walking stick!!

Gorgeous trail with diverse beauty. We did the medium length hike to the bluff and loved it. Once…read moreyou pass the cave the whole hike is pretty much going uphill so come prepared to get a workout in and wear proper shoes and bring some water. The views are great from the bluff and totally worth it. We came during the week around noon and parking lot was full so we had to park further out and walk about a half mile or so to the trail so be prepared for that or plan your time. Totally worth it! One of my favorite hikes that we did in the area. Loved being by the creek, the log crossings, the cave, the moss, the trees, and the Mountain Views. the scenery was so pretty. There is a bathroom on-site at the start of the trail in case you are wondering.

We did this hike back in the winter and it wasn't crowded. There's a little bit of parking by the…read moretrailhead and a lot of people park along the street. If you're looking at AllTrails, we did Little Bearwallow via Wildcat Rock Trail. The trail is pretty steep and on the more strenuous side. It's 4.7 miles round trip if you follow the same path. If you only care about views, I would recommend going to the Wildcat Rock Overlook and turning around after that. It would be about 3 miles round trip. There are no views from the Little Bearwallow Summit. The Wildcat Rock Trail also continues to Bearwallow Mountain, but we didn't do that portion. I'd like to come back for it at some point.

We were visiting Bat Cave, North Carolina. We had planned to hike Chimney Rock. As our luck would…read morehave it, the two days that we were in town, Chimney Rock was closed for maintenance. While we were driving from Asheville on our way back to Bat Cave later that day I spotted a new hiking trail head. Basically it is tucked right off the winding country highway. There is a sign, and some gravel parking. What I noticed while driving by were the cars parked there. So be on the lookout. We planned to hike it the next morning. We decided to get an early start. When we arrived before 8am, there were two cars parked in the gravel near the trail head. You start by crossing the road, you head down before (trust me) you go up the mountain. You can choose to hike just 1.1 miles to Little Bearwallow Falls. Or you can continue up to Wildcat Rock which is listed as basically 1.6 miles one way which sounds easy. But if you ask me it is straight up. The day we went it felt like we were hiking in the rain forest. We were sweating so much that sweat was dripping from our finger tips as we hiked up. I loved every minute of it. We were secluded and we were working hard. It felt so good. Once we reached Little Bearwallow Falls, we just knew that we needed to continue to the top. We needed to see something a little more spectacular. Once we reached the top to Wildcat Rock it was gorgeous. We stepped out of the foliage and we could see the valley below and the mountains in the distance. It was beautiful. We waited and we were lucky enough to see a bird soaring high above the mountain tops. It was the perfect hike for us. Strenuous yet providing the feeling of peace and accomplishment. We highly suggest checking out Wildcat Rock especially if Chimney Rock is too busy, or if money is a factor. There is no cost to enter at this trailhead unlike if you go to Chimney Rock. Also, take water.

Easy and beautiful, I hate that it's a little drive for us…read more The leaves are amazing this time of year

On a not-quite-hot day that was a bit humid, this was a bit of a workout for someone like me who…read moredoesn't hike much. A level parking lot with restrooms, I left the van there and followed a family carting a cooler, a baby stroller and a bunch of towels. I figured that if they could do it then I sure could. And then they peeled off at the level part and I started up the hill. There's a sign with a warning that it's steep. I ignored the sign at my own peril and climbed up to the view point. Totally worth it. It's quiet other than the sound of crashing water and a few birds in the distance. The view of Triple Falls is amazing. Not an easy climb - I would say this is "moderate plus" because of the incline. It is somewhat smooth but not wheelchair capable and there's a definite risk of slipping on the climb back down. [Review 20013 overall - 3454 in North Carolina - 988 of 2023.]