Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Northwest South Carolina:
Station Cove Falls, Twin Falls, Sassafrass Mountain
This was the last day of our short vacation, but since we were only a few hours from home, there was time still time for more fun. From Seneca, we backtracked slightly to Walhalla, then caught a portion of the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway (Highway 11) northeast, stopping for a couple more waterfalls just off the byway.
We soon arrived at the trailhead for Station Cove Falls, part of the Oconee Station State Historic Site. This was an especially pleasant, mostly flat, 2-mile round-trip hike through a forest carpeted with wildflowers. The weather was perfect, and the trail ended at a delightful 60-foot cascade. What could be nicer?
Station Cove Falls
Tom and Bosco take a break
Springtime wildflowers
A touch of purple
A bit further down the road, we came to our last waterfall(s) of the trip - a two-for-one treat - the remarkable Twin Falls, in Sunset, South Carolina. These side-by-side waterfalls mark the confluence of two separate streams. After winding through a neighborhood, we found the small parking area for a trail along Reedy Cove Creek to a covered observation deck overlooking the falls. Nice! And only .9 mile out and back.
Twin Falls, emanating from two separate streams
Leaving the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway, we then proceeded to the top of Sassafrass Mountain, South Carolina's highest point, at 3,553 feet. In 2019, the state built an observation platform at the top of the mountain and cleared away a swath of trees, opening up vast mountain vistas. The half-mile walk at Sassafrass Mountain was a good last hike for Bosco before the 3 1/2-hour-drive home.
Sassafras Mountain Overlook
On the border
Blue Ridge Mountains
South Carolina's highest point
Later in the afternoon, we swung through Brevard, North Carolina, for a quick look at the downtown and then later stretched our legs at a couple of rest stops, arriving back at the house around 7:00 p.m. Bosco was worn out! (And he wasn't the only one...)
Total mileage: 605 miles. We saw a lot in just four days!
THE END
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