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Fall is the time to gather up the family and take to the mountains for that annual rite of autumn — leaf gawking. Every year, South Carolina’s Upstate cuts loose with color as the season’s sunny days and cool nights transform the vibrant green forest foliage into a brilliant palette of oranges, reds, golds and pinks.
Throw in a couple of fun side excursions, some fresh-from-the-farm cuisine and a cozy cabin in the woods and you have one bodacious autumn getaway.
Whether you’re traveling with kids, parents or friends, these are some great ideas for your itinerary. For other excursion options, check out www.SouthCarolinaParks.com, www.theupcountrysc.com andwww.DiscoverSouthCarolina.com.
Day 1: The Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Highway, whitewater rafting on the Chattooga River, apple orchard country, dinner at the Steak House Cafeteria in Walhalla.
Day 2: Devils Fork State Park, kayak or pontoon boat tour of Lake Jocassee, Twin Falls.
Day 3: Caesars Head State Park, Raven Cliff Falls, Poinsett Bridge, Campbell’s Covered Bridge.
Details, Details …
No need to rush on this road trip. It’s all about enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of fall in the mountains. Slow down, stop often and take plenty of pictures to show the folks back home.
Day 1: Start your adventure at the southernmost end of the 115-mile Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Highway off Interstate 85 at the Georgia-South Carolina border. As you travel through the low, soft hills of the Piedmont, you’ll see the magnificent peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance awash in fall color.
Take a turn off the highway to venture into the heart of Sumter National Forest, where you’ll find Wildwater’s Chattooga Rafting Center. Take your pick of several great excursions — a zip line canopy tour through nine acres of wooded wilderness or a leisurely seven-mile canoe trip on Section II of the Chattooga, or ratchet it up a notch and take a mini whitewater rafting trip on this National Wild and Scenic River.
Just down the road from Wildwater’s outpost is Chattooga Belle Farm, a 138-acre u-pick plantation featuring exquisitely maintained fields of peach and apple trees, grape and muscadine vines and berry patches. Apple season is over, but you can still sample the locally made chutney, relish and apple butter sold in the store. Or order up a hot apple cider, take a seat in one of the rocking chairs under the barn’s covered patio and enjoy the expansive vista of fall foliage as the sun sets behind the mountains.
Day 2: Make your way back to the Cherokee Foothills Highway and head north to Devils Fork State Park, a hidden jewel tucked deep in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The centerpiece of this 622-acre retreat is Lake Jocassee, a crystal-clear mountain reservoir surrounded by a lush landscape of pines and hardwoods.
Rent a canoe, kayak or motor boat from one of the local outfitters or take a guided pontoon boat tour of the lake and its many splendid waterfalls. The park also features an easy one-mile loop trail that follows a winding creek through the forest.
Finish the day with a pleasant hike to one of the prettiest waterfalls in the Upstate. It will take you just 15 minutes to walk the quarter-mile trail to Twin Falls. Reedy Cove Creek splits at the top of the falls, sending most of its water down a 75-foot granite wall and the rest cascading down a 45-degree slope of rocks and boulders.
Day 3: It wouldn’t be the mountains without some seriously twisty roads. As you continue on the Cherokee Foothills Highway, you’ll begin to ascend through a tunnel of trees ablaze in scarlet, yellow, orange and purple. Next stop isCaesars Head State Park in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. Walk out to the 3,266-foot granite outcropping for a fantastic view of Table Rock, South Carolina’s most photographed natural wonder.
The annual raptor migration will be going on through Dec. 1, so be sure to look for broad-winged hawks, bald eagles, osprey, Mississippi kites, turkey vultures and peregrine falcons being carried by the thermals and updrafts generated by wind currents on the south-facing escarpment.
If you’re up for a moderately difficult but lovely trek through the woods, hike to Raven Cliff Falls, a 420-foot mountain cascade boasting well-deserved postcard status. A suspension bridge offers one of the two publicly accessible overlooks to the falls as they splash deep into the mountain cove below.
Those seeking a less-strenuous end to a fall foliage tour might prefer to visit two landmark bridges farther along the Cherokee Foothills Highway. Poinsett Bridge, one of the most significant historic structures in South Carolina, is a graceful 14-foot Gothic arch stone bridge spanning Little Gap Creek. Campbells’s Covered Bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in the state. Both are great spots for picnicking.
Where to stay, what to eat
Before you leave Oconee County for Devils Fork State Park, stop at the Steak House Cafeteria in Walhalla for some of the best fried chicken this side of the Mason-Dixon Line. It doesn’t have to make sense — it’s delicious! Other great dining spots along the way include Aunt Sue’s Country Corner in Pickens for homemade fudge and cobblers to die for, Mountain House Restaurant at Caesars Head in Cleveland and the Hare & Hound Pub in Landrum.
Your choice of accommodations is just as plentiful. Oconee, Table Rock and Devils Fork state parks all feature camping and cabins or villas. Among the many popular private offerings is Laurel Mountain Inn in Pickens.
For additional information regarding South Carolina's vast array of unique opportunities for enrichment, excitement and escape, as well as a free copy of our special downloadable/printable South Carolina Barbecue Trail Map, featuring more than 200 barbecue restaurants, please visit DiscoverSouthCarolina.com or SouthCarolinaParks.com.
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