Foothills Trail

Length: 2.5  miles
Rating: Moderate/Strenuous

Whitewater Falls has a drop of 411 feet. The trail goes up to an elevation of 3200 and then follows a ridge line to the NC-SC border.

The third trail starting from the Whitewater parking area is the western extension of the Foothills trail. From the overlook continue up along Whitewater River and cross NC 281 south of the vehicular bridge. Again stay on the trail and observe cautionary signs. The hike may also be started here since there is some parking on the shoulder of NC 281. The trail is blazed in white from the Whitewater Falls overlook. On the South Carolina side the white blazes are continued with a white bar above the main blaze. The South Carolina end is at the Sloan Bridge campground on SC 107. Plans are being made to provide primitive camp sites along this trail in North Carolina.

For personal accounts about this trail and others leading to waterfalls in the area go to Rich Stevenson's site. Photo By Rich Stevenson

Directions:

From Cashiers North Carolina, drive south on NC and SC 107 9.3 miles to SC 413 and a sign for Whitewater Falls. Turn left and continue 2.3 miles to the intersection with SC 130. Hake another left and drive north on SC 130, which becomes NC 281 at the state line. Just beyond the state line is a sign for Whitewater Falls. Visitors coming from Toxaway and other points east should start at US 64 and 281 and drive south 8.6 miles to the Whitewater Falls parking area. New toilets are near the parking area.