Beginning of 2012-2013 Hiking Season (Yellow Branch)

Yellow Branch Falls (Oconee County)            What a beautiful day for the first hike of the season.  We began by gathering at the Keowee Key Parking Area to meet the new comers and to send farewell wishes to Sue Miyano.  Sue is moving to Washington after living in Keowee for 20 years.  She has also been hiking for those 20 years with the group.  Sue will certainly be missed.  She was so kind to leave me a few hiking books, maps and several other materials that will come in handy on the trails. Sue We met our next group in Walhalla to regroup and head to Yellow Branch.  I believe there were 25 of us today.  The description below is not to accurate to what I found.  This is an easy  in and out hike.  The trail had seen some harsh winds so there were alot of down trees that blocked the trail.  Alot of over and under hiking today.  The best part of the hike was the falls.  We just had a few days of hard rain, so there was a little bit of water coming over.  Love to jump over the rocks in the creek and walk thru it in my Keens.

DESCRIPTION:       This moderately difficult out-and-back trail leads you to the base of a spectacular 50-foot vertical cascade. Starting from the parking area, you will hike approximately .2 mile on the Yellow Branch Nature Trail, before you come to the junction with the Yellow Branch Falls Trail. You will pass through groves of dignified hardwoods and cross meandering creek bottoms before turning to circumnavigate the steep terrain. In the winter when the trees are bare, you can see the Walhalla vicinity as you hike. Wear sturdy shoes and use extra caution during wet conditions as this trail skirts the edges of deep ravines. Conversely, if it hasn’t rained for some time, the falls may be just a trickle of water over a series of ledges.

Height: 50 feet

Length of hike: 1.3 miles in addition to the 0.2 mile on the Nature Trail (either direction)

Time to hike: 1 hour

Difficulty: Easy - Moderate

Creek or river: Yellow Branch

USGS Quadrangle: Whetstone

Directions to the falls:

1. From Walhalla drive west on SC 28 for 6.8 miles and left turn into Yellow Branch Picnic Ground (open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. year round).

2. Hike in 0.2 mile on the Nature Trail (from either end) to the Yellow Branch Falls Trail.

3. Hike 1.3 miles to the falls.