Chestnut Ridge is yet another preserved hiking gem in the area located between Glassy and Squirrel…read moreMntn. There are many options and routes from the two trailhead's. I hiked 5.7 miles total from the southernmost trailhead. South Pacolet River is about 3 miles from the start and quite tranquil. The trail is rough with roots and uneven terrain. There is some elevation in this hike, but nothing too challenging for seasoned hikers. Don't get me wrong, this hike is a great workout! The 'red' trail portion of the hike is actually quite wide, but proper hiking footwear is most definitely needed considering the rugged nature with the roots and all. There are a few stairs missing in some spots, but I just can't bring myself to knock a star off for that because I had such a great hike regardless!

A++ to the community of folks who have preserved this area! We were one of three folks exploring on…read morea mid afternoon weekday. It's serene, peaceful and just so happens to be apart of the Palmetto trail system - look it up!

Beautiful, low traffic trail to get a good walk around 2 ponds at. The trail connects to the longer…read morePalmetto trail which crosses the state. The Preserve offers moderate inclines in mostly gravel trail with some steeper areas after the first 1.5 miles. Lovely birds, restored land (following a kudzu cleanup), running water, and a waterfall (I didnt go far enough to see that). Limited parking and no restrooms. I'll definitely go back as long as I can get there early.

Been here twice in one month because it was just that awesome. High falls is just one waterfall in…read morethis park, there are 2 more. Easy trails, not too much incline or decline, pretty short hike down to high falls and lots of rocks to lounge on.

Same as my review for Dupont State Forest where this trail & waterfall are located. Great park with…read morea variety of hiking trails and some beautiful waterfalls to check out. The trails are well marked, but you'll want to either download the trails map ahead of time from their website, or take a photo of the park map at the parking lot, because they don't have maps along the trails & there are several trails to chose from. We hiked to High Falls and then Triple Falls, which is a bit further (both beautiful!), which I would say are moderate-level difficulty due to the inclines & some portions of the trail are loose gravel. Easy for The Hubs and I, but a tad more of a challenge for my in-laws. There are some spots with rocks just the right size to sit on and have a rest if you need a break. There are restrooms at the High Falls trailhead parking lot, and a gift shop. I'm not sure about restrooms elsewhere in the park.

I walked a bit at the section near Easley. The playground and workout loop near the parking lot was…read morereally nice and well maintained. On the trail, I saw evidence of drug use- gloves and used needles. I don't have a dog but I'd be a bit nervous to walk one here because of that. It's really unfortunate because this seems like such a great and accessible resource. I don't know if I'd feel safe waking alone in the morning. Maybe I'll check out the side near Pickens.

Very nice trail I walked it .. unfortunately I was only able to do half way because of scheduling…read moreduring this trip visiting family but I enjoyed it peace and quiet.. taking a water bottle good idea was little warm out when I went but people were riding their bikes nice paved walk

Campground Pros and cons:…read more Pros: -Lake was clean and perfect to swim in -Everyone respected quiet hours -Staff at check in was fabulous -Bathroom close by -clean Cons: -No playgrounds in the campgrounds -Neighbors fire pit smoked for two days straight. Heavy billowing smoke and nothing the camp host would/could do about it. Not sure why rangers don't address the issue. Our throats were raw and we could not sit outside. We ended up leaving a day earlier than scheduled. -pricey for state campground. 60 bucks a night for a campsite.

We spent Labor Day 23 at table rock State Park in Pickens South Carolina. Overall not a good…read moreexperience. The park had quiet hours at 10 and for the most part people respected The quiet time and the staff was super friendly. The main reason we disliked this park was the smoke. Many of the campers either did not know how to light and maintain a fire or the campground is selling wet wood but either way the smoke was overwhelming and made it miserable. The Rangers should absolutely have addressed the smoke issue by going to each of the campsites and finding out what was going on.. One of our campsite neighbors had smoke going for two days straight and it was unbearable. In addition the sites were way too close together for such a beautiful park it could've been laid out to keep everybody happy and maintain some privacy. Lastly, the park is very expensive compared to other state parks.

Came on a weekday morning, not many cars parked, only went to Rainbow Falls. Pretty short hike to…read moreit, although downhill there so uphill on the way back, not too steep. Slightly slippery from rain, lots of dead trees and leaves on the ground. Not a bad hike, would recommend if you're in the area!

What a fun hike! You hike down to the falls and the hike back up to your car. The falls are…read moreamazing. And there are many spots to get off the trail and climb around on the boulders.

MERRY FALLS is a beautiful roadside waterfall found along the gravel portion of Cascade Lake Road…read morejust outside the boundaries of the beautiful & rugged Dupont State Recreational Forest of North Carolina. The exact GPS location is 35.200645, -82.643481, but if you are skilled at reading maps, the waterfall is located just north of where the East Fork of Laurel Creek merges with a lesser no-named creek or about 500 feet south of where the East Fork merges with the main Laurel Creek. There is no hiking required to view the falls, but if you wanted a closer, more in-person pic at the base it would require a fairly easy goat scramble down the semi-steep roadside embankment. Different hiking websites claim the falls to be anywhere from 30 to 50 feet. However, using the topography lines on AllTrails I have calculated the height of the waterfall to be approx. 47 feet tall from top to the lower cascade. The main two tiered fall itself is approx. 35 feet tall with another 12 feet of cascades from the base. On the day I visited the falls it had rained 4 of the previous 6 days, so the falls were full and beautiful! FINAL THOUGHTS This is not a typical destination waterfall, but it IS an excellent bonus stop when touring the larger high volume waterfalls in the area such as nearby Triple Falls, High Falls, Hooker Falls and Raven Cliff Falls. You could also visit the spill wall of the Cascade Lake Dam approximately 2.25 miles north of Merry Falls on Cascade Lake Road. It is built in such a way that by itself it is a beautiful drive-worthy waterfall. ENJOY!!! 2021 / 42

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.]