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    Tugaloo State Park

    4.6 (26 reviews)

    Tugaloo State Park Parks Photos

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    Beach area
    Grace D.

    Settled right across the SC border on Lake Hartwell was this gem! I hiked the Muscadine Trail through the woods and it was lovely, a true breath of fresh air after a few days in Atlanta. There are waterfront cabins or yurts, campgrounds, and outdoor activities abound! I love the pay for parking is good at any state park you make it to within the day, so park hopping is totally suggested if not encouraged!

    Rick B.

    We had a great time at Tugaloo. Clean beautiful camp sites and nice facilities. We paid for a pontoon boat ride and had an awesome time. Kids can ride their bikes. Reservations fill up very fast so reserve as far ahead as you can. We will definitely be back.

    Tugaloo prk, @Glamped Life
    Danielle P.

    @thetravelslayer Every yr we go hiking for waterfalls. So far we have been to upper South Carolina & North Carolina few times, Feb we visited Tugaloo in Georgia. I picked this location because it was a quick getaway and I wanted to stay in a YURT. We reserved far in advance online for 2 days. The yurts close to the lake go really fast. I picked #6 due to all the great reviews online. The park is safe, clean and well taken care of, so no worries. Bring your own bedding, they do have heat which makes it very cozy. A water facet is close to the fire pit. Staff & check in was quick and easy. I brought all our goodies for our weekend getaway wine- snacks- candles! Fire pits and tables are near every yurt, wood for sale upon check in if U need it. You can rent canoes also. I really enjoyed my walks and peacefulness on the beach in the mornings. I saw quite a few deer in the park. During this trip went to Anna Ruby Falls, Toccoa Falls, and Tallulah Gorge from this location. We hiked and enjoyed every moment of our waterfallin weekend! We had a wonderful experience, I recommend all....

    The dump station is very close to RV sections 18-22 and when the wind blows just right you can smell the sewage from the . dump section
    Tawanda L.

    Well RV camping is so relaxing BUT we stayed at the #18 in section 18 thru 22 it is adjacent to the .9 mile Muscadine blue trail a very easy trail. The dump station is very close to RV sections 18-22 and when the wind blows just right you can smell the sewage from the dump section. The dump station had long lines on Sunday as most everyone was leaving today.The comfort station or bath/shower house as we call it is very clean with a slide lock on the single shower in each bathroom. The #18 campsite is on the end near the entrance so it's pretty private with trees perfectly spaced for our hammock. . We had a problem with gnats getting inside so we looked up solutions for that using cornmeal and comet.

    Hiking trails are easy for even the little ones.
    Windy C.

    Great place to spend a beautiful day outside in Lavonia! We had lots of kids with us and the hiking trails were fun for ages 4-15 and all adults! Beautiful photo ops. There is a nice playground, a small beach front area and lots of picnic tables. After a long hike we headed a few miles away to J Peters for drinks and early dinner. Made for a relaxing day.

    Beautiful views
    Diane B.

    A very lovely campground. Sites are large. Hiking is good. Boat ramp, beach and nice cottages. Very clean.

    These guys greeted us as soon as we walked in- and many later
    Jenn C.

    We rented two yurts from this past Thursday to Sunday at Tugaloo. It was a really fun experience and my kids (age 12 and under) loved it! The yurts come with one futon that folds down to full size bed, and full bed size bunks. We brought our own sheets and pillows. There is a fan but no a/c. We would love to come back when it's cooler Bc that was my only complaint. We brought two fans and managed fine though. There are heaters for when it's cooler which would be nice. We opened the side flaps on front and back of the yurt and lifted the bubble on top for more air flow. It's really roomy for our family of five in the one yurt. There is electricity and a lamp and overhead light. We stayed in yurt 3 while our other family stayed in yurt 2. For info/ yurt 1 is right at lot level and wheelchair accessible. I think for any seniors or those with trouble walking far it would be very hard to stay in any further yurts. We even were saying "wow!" after a few trips up and down. Yurt 2 was perfectly over the water area where we fished. The kids literally spent the day up and down the hill fishing, painting, playing,Swimming and just being kids. My 12 year old is already begging to go back. They didn't miss tv or WiFi one bit. The yurts are clean, the bathrooms are clean, there's a fire pit and picnic table. We brought a pop up tent for the picnic table and it was perfect. There is a gas station nearby to stop for ice to keep your coolers cold. I think this is a wonderful spot for anyone. And a great way for families to unplug! The lady who works there was wonderful too and gave my in laws a ride with their stuff on her golf cart up the hill. We actually drove 6 hours to meet our family there and we are happy to do it again.

    A look inside yurt #4 at Tugaloo State Park

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    2 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    The best place to camp! Also good cabins to stay in. Book early. Lake Hartwell is the place to be.

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great state park. Friendly helpful staff. Good fishing. Plenty of other activities as well.

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Good but not great could have done much better. Will not return. The food was mediocre and setting was very plain.

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    7 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Tugaloo State Park

    Review Highlights - Tugaloo State Park

    We camp a lot during the summer and we practically live at Tugaloo since it is right on the beautiful Lake Hartwell.

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    Riley Moore Falls

    Riley Moore Falls

    5.0(4 reviews)
    18.4 mi

    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

    Photos
    Riley Moore Falls
    Riley Moore Falls - CREATED FROM GOOGLE MAPS

    CREATED FROM GOOGLE MAPS

    Riley Moore Falls

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    Tugaloo State Park - parks - Updated June 2026

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