Wrapped around the Middle Saluda River, Jones Gap State Park is a wonderful forest of beautiful creeks and waterfalls that supports a number of outdoor and recreational activities including hiking, camping, and fishing. You have to travel through the Palmetto Bible Camp to find it. The trailhead is not in the main part of the park. Subscribe to my weekly round-up of new posts? Hikes. It’s an easy, scenic pathway alongside the Middle Saluda River and is child- and pet-friendly. Required fields are marked *. Jones Gap State Park features a variety of trails, and one of the best leads to Jones Gap Falls – a 50-foot cascade over a staircase of stones. Wild trout, including the rare, native brookie. I only recommend products that I have personally bought, tested, and endorse. Picture a glistening ribbon of water plunging 80-100 feet over a granite ledge into a pool below which beckons rock-hopping, wading, and endless photo ops. Falls Creek Falls is a waterfall in Jones Gap State Park that features a 50-foot cascade that breaks over several stages. Water: Restroom facilities and a water fountain at Jones Gap State Park. Explore the most popular waterfall trails in Jones Gap State Park with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Posted by Jeff on Feb 20, 2020 @ 9:55 am in Hiking, Hiking Blog, Mountain Bridge Wilderness, Rated Easy Hikes, South Carolina, Water Hikes | 0 comments | Last modified: February 20, 2020 . Falls Creek Falls is a waterfall in Jones Gap State Park that features a 50-foot cascade that breaks over several stages. There is a great waterfall about a mile in, and many smaller cascades along the way. Jones Gap State Park, Marietta Picture: waterfall - Check out Tripadvisor members' 213 candid photos and videos. Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Park closes at 6 p.m. during daylight savings time. Gap State Park. More than 60 miles of hiking trails traverse the vast Mountain Bridge Wilderness area of upstate South Carolina. The intermittent climbs are mostly moderate except for a few technical areas, including the climb down to the base of the waterfall. You can use my travelog to discover fun places to visit and then use my interactive map to navigate there. Aug 14, 2019 - Jones Gap State Park Waterfall taken by @troyvlee on #Instagram. The Bill Kimball Trail (pink) is what makes this loop hard. Dogs are also able to use this trail. It can be hard to take in the scope of the cascade because it’s so steep and the canopy is so dense. Jones Gap State Park: Camping, Hiking, & Waterfalls (a Review) Wild Child Box: Subscription Box Review (& Discount Code) Exploring the Cox Ferry Lake Recreation Area Trails at the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge; How to Shower While Camping: A Complete (& Ridiculous but True) Guide to Campground Showers There is roadside parking for … J ones Gap State Park sits on the Blue Ridge Escarpment in upstate South Carolina very near the state line with its neighbor to the north. Enjoy!!! © 2021 C.C. Rim of the Gap is beautiful but strenuous, and can be icy in the winter. It’s all at Jones Gap State Park. Drive 5.4 miles and the road ends at Jones Gap State Park. You have to travel through the Palmetto Bible Camp to find it. in C.C. An alternative to hiking the strenuous Rainbow Falls trail, this in-and-out hike follows Jones Gap Trail and then the 0.1mi Jones Gap Falls Trail to a 50ft waterfall on a tributary to the Middle Saluda for a 2.6mi round trip. The trail follows the Middle Saluda River, making for a beautiful hike along the way. Or browse through the categories to find something you like. We recommend bringing A LOT of water, especially during the summer. A moderate one mile hike from near the Jones Gap State Park Headquarters leads to this 50-foot falls descending over a rugged stone staircase. #4 - Hospital Rock to Falls Creek Falls Trail, #5 - Jones Gap and Coldspring Branch to Bill Kimball Trail. Often referred to as real-life Middle earth, Jones Gap State Park in Marietta, South Carolina is a unique landscape full of waterfalls and thick lush green vegetation. Your email address will not be published. The trail starts on Oil Camp Creek Road, which is paved all the way, but it becomes narrow and one-lane near the end. Jones Gap State Park Three other Greenville County waterfalls can be accessed from Jones Gap State Park (southcarolinaparks.com) near Marietta. One of my favorite South Carolina Waterfall Hikes is the Rainbow Falls Trail in Jones Gap State Park. Rainbow Falls (Jones Gap State Park) (Rating: 5 /5, 3 Votes) Most people who visit Jones Gap State Park stroll the gently ascending Jones Gap Trail to Jones Gap Falls. #6 - Oil Camp Creek to Pinnacle Pass Trail. Jones Gap State Park is a South Carolina state park in northern Greenville County, near Marietta.The 3,964-acre (1,604 ha) park, which includes the headwaters of the Middle Saluda River, is, with Caesars Head State Park, administered by the state Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism as part of the Mountain Bridge Wilderness. #Outdoors #Waterfall #SCStateParks #Nature #Waterfall #Photography #Mountains #Hiking #ComeOutAndPlay See more ideas about state parks, sc state parks, waterfall. From the parking lot, hike toward the park buildings on a short trail that crosses the Middle Saluda River. I would rate this hike a moderate-to-difficult. The 50-foot cascade at Falls Creek Falls in Jones Gap State Park. There are several trails, the Jones Gap trail goes along the River, up to a waterfall and beyond. Rainbow Falls: Located in Jones Gap State Park and one of the first Upcountry waterfalls found along SC 11 from the east, Rainbow Falls is the most popular waterfall accessed in the park. Raven Cliff Falls - the highest in South Carolina! The Jones Gap State Park trails allow hikers to traverse between the two parks, as well as connect to a portion of the Foothills Trail and Palmetto Trail South Carolina hikers know and love. DIRECTIONS. Parking is just a couple of hundred yards up on the right. It's a 2.3-mile hike (one way and relatively strenuous) to the waterfall, but the reward is a 125-foot waterfall and frequent rainbow colors when the sun hits the cascading water. Jones Gap State Park What a rush. There is roadside parking for maybe 7 or 8 cars, so get there early before it fills up. Rainbow Falls, located in Jones Gap State Park, is a moderately difficult hike but offers incredible views of the 100 ft waterfall. If you know where the trail continues to go, please let me know in the comments. The trek to the falls is strenuous but moderately short, and can be doable with kids if you plan ahead. This is a hike in, get your photo, and hike out kind of attraction. It is a little steeper (moderate) leading up through forested areas. Admission: $5/adult, $3/child, Free for kids 5 and under. That said, it’s not too bad if you’re in shape and don’t mind a little climbing. The park features a ranger station with public restrooms, a parking lot, and picnic tables. Trekking poles will help with the ascents and descents. Would your family be up for a hike up to Rainbow Falls? The trail to the falls follows the boulder-strewn Middle Saluda River, which is in sight most of the way. Located in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area of upstate South Carolina, Jones Gap State Park is a jewel among the South Carolina State Parks. The Coldspring Branch Trail (orange) crosses the creek several times. If you'd like to do a point-to-point, leave a car or get a ride from the end at Geer Highway. Jones Gap Falls - a 50 ft cascade. The 4,246-acre park is located in Cleveland, S.C., near the North Carolina-South Carolina border, and attracts 60,000 visitors every year. If you shop through any Amazon link on this website, you support me at no cost to yourself. I'm a digital marketing specialist by trade and an avid weekend explorer. There’s no swimming hole at the falls and no flat ground to really enjoy the view. Note that if there has been recent rainfall and the ground is muddy, the hike will be much more difficult. All rights reserved. I should add that the trail crosses the creek and continues on the other side. Hospital Rock to Falls Creek Falls Trail. It's just a couple of hundred feet long and worth taking a look. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from March until October. Plunging 100 feet over a jagged wall of granite glittering with mica schist, Rainbow Falls ranks among the most spectacular waterfalls at Jones Gap State Park in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. The purple blazing is good on the first 2/3 of the trail and then seems to disappear when the trail gets steeper. I'm the C.C. Nov 13, 2019 - Explore South Carolina State Parks's board "Waterfalls in SC State Parks", followed by 2032 people on Pinterest. Continue approximately 1.5 miles and turn right onto River Falls Road (Greenville County S-23-97), which changes to Jones Gap Road, and continue to Jones Gap State Park. There are several trails, the Jones Gap trail goes along the River, up to a waterfall and beyond. It's a 2.5 mile hike to the base of the waterfall and the hike gains over 1200' in elevation which could make this a strenuous hike for Jones Gap State Park, Marietta Picture: waterfall - Check out Tripadvisor members' 206 candid photos and videos. Eventually the water from Rainbow Falls makes its way all the way down the mountain to join the Middle Saluda River as it runs through Jones Gap State Park. Hikes. It's a steady ascent which gets quite rocky/rooty at times. The trail is 1.9 miles from the trailhead to the falls, making it a nearly 4-mile out-and-back hike. More Jones Gap and Rainbow Falls Trail is a 11.9 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Cleveland, South Carolina that features a waterfall and is rated as difficult. The view of the falls are BEAUTIFUL! Having reached the highest point of the hike, there are several areas on the way down where one might just have to be on all fours (around the rock walls which are beautiful!) Amazon Associates disclosure. #hiking, A post shared by Chad Chandler (@chad.chandler) on Apr 28, 2018 at 10:07am PDT. Parking spot reservations may be made here: https://reserve.southcarolinaparks.com/mountain-bridge This route can done as either a point-to-point or an out-and-back. The Jones Gap Trail (blue) is an easy to moderate trail following the Saluda river. Continue on 276/11 for about 4.5 miles and turn left at the F-Mart on to River Falls Road. Zero spam. Falls Creek Falls, a 100 ft cascade - but you definitely climb for that one. At about .6 miles (1km) the Rainbow Falls Trail starts off to the right (which is moderate to hard and about 1 1/2 miles long.) An alternative to hiking the strenuous Rainbow Falls trail, this in-and-out hike follows Jones Gap Trail and then the 0.1mi Jones Gap Falls Trail to a 50ft waterfall on a tributary to the Middle Saluda for a 2.6mi round trip.Show more Jones Gap State Park Visitor Center Starting from the visitor center, blue-blazed Jones Gap Trail gentle rises upstream alongside the Middle Saluda River. This parking fee is in addition to the visiting fee. The trailhead is not in the main part of the park. Turn on to the road from US276/Hwy 11 (Geer … Once back to the Saluda, the return is easy! Several pools in the river provide wading opportunities and salamander hunts. Jones Gap is just 1 of 47 State Parks in South Carolina. Starts off easy when you enter the trailhead, but will quickly get steep as you walk up a lot of stairs. There are several nice spots by the river to take a break! Learn more. This beautiful trail takes you through forested areas along Oil Camp Creek, eventually reaching Pinnacle Pass. Like most waterfalls in South Carolina, the falls are at … Much of the hike to Rainbow Falls, which begins at Jones Gap State Park (seen here at the start of the trail on the right side of the map), follows along the Middle Saluda River. Date of experience: November 2019 Ask Becky S about Jones Gap State Park Jones Gap Trail to Jones Gap Falls, Jones Gap State Park. Rainbow falls - 100ft waterfall that hits the ground with such force as to create a fine mist, which creates a rainbow. When it comes to angling-especially trout fishing-South Carolina really shines. Hospital Rock - Falls Creek Falls Loop by Jack Thyen (SCJack33) Your Online Guide. Rim of … Reserved parking spaces will be held until 2 p.m. I'm not sure if the waterfall is on Camp Greenville property or is now part of Jones Gap State Park, but this is now the official trail to the waterfall. It’s very similar to nearby Rainbow Falls Trail, except this trail has no switchbacks to help you manage the elevation. If you are coming from the Asheville area, you can get on I-26 east and head towards South Carolina. The trail actually starts with an unforgiving uphill climb. #7 - Gum Gap Trail - Foothills Trail Extension: Jones Gap to Sassafras Mountain, #8 - Pretty Place and Rainbow Falls via Hospital Rock and Jones Gap Trail [PRIVATE PROPERTY], Jones Gap and Coldspring Branch to Bill Kimball Trail, Gum Gap Trail - Foothills Trail Extension: Jones Gap to Sassafras Mountain, Pretty Place and Rainbow Falls via Hospital Rock and Jones Gap Trail [PRIVATE PROPERTY]. This 50ft beauty is an easy waterfall to visit as the trail is only about 1 mile one-way, has minimal elevation change, and parallels the gorgeous boulder strewn Middle Saluda River almost the entire hike. I built this site to log my travels to interesting parks, trails, and roadside attractions. 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