Greenville, SC: Raven Cliff Falls Loop
This 7.7-mile lollipop loop through the Mountain Bridge Wilderness leads to Raven Cliff Falls, arguably South Carolina's most famous waterfall.
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Trail Facts
- Distance: 10.1
Waypoints
RFS001
Location: 35.1158561706543, -82.6386795043945
From parking area, cross US 276 to Raven Cliff Falls trailhead. Head S
RFS002
Location: 35.1123237609863, -82.6533737182617
L @ Y, continuing along red-blazed Raven Cliff Falls Trail through oak-hickory mix, common to surrounding uplands
RFS003
Location: 35.1097564697266, -82.6564254760742
R @ Y down short trail to falls overlook
RFS004
Location: 35.1091079711914, -82.6582412719726
Wide views across gorge to Raven Cliff Falls where Matthews Creek spills more than 400 ft. to valley floor. Return to WPT 3; R @ Y onto steeply descending Dismal Trail. Caution: Poison ivy
RFS005
Location: 35.104061126709, -82.6463623046875
R @ T onto pink-blazed Naturaland Trust Trail, following Matthews Creek. Evergreen hemlocks thrive
RFS006
Location: 35.1044578552246, -82.6502456665039
Cable bridge over creek; in .6 mi., see plants cling for dear life on flat expanse of The Cathedral, a towering 120-ft. rock wall
RFS007
Location: 35.1048698425293, -82.6613235473633
Planked suspension bridge offers top-down view of loud Raven Cliff Falls. Here, the creek slides, crashes, drops, and cascades on its surge over bare, broken cliffs
RFS008
Location: 35.1044158935547, -82.6640014648438
R @ T onto blue-blazed Gum Gap Trail, a wide dirt road closed to park traffic. In summer, buckberries and blackberries abound
RFS009
Location: 35.1151962280273, -82.6573257446289
Trail swings SSE; L @ WPT 2 back to trailhead
Raven Cliff Falls
Location: 35.1049842834473, -82.6615371704102
©Danielle Bernstein
The base of the falls
Location: 35.1048545837402, -82.6612014770508
©Danielle Bernstein