Hikes. Required fields are marked *. It is a little steeper (moderate) leading up through forested areas. Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Park closes at 6 p.m. during daylight savings time. I had a 4-month old puppy with me, so I couldn’t cross the water with him. The Jones Gap Trail (blue) is an easy to moderate trail following the Saluda river. 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. 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. The trailhead is not in the main part of the park. I only recommend products that I have personally bought, tested, and endorse. Jones Gap State Park, Marietta Picture: waterfall - Check out Tripadvisor members' 206 candid photos and videos. 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. Learn more. I built this site to log my travels to interesting parks, trails, and roadside attractions. #Outdoors #Waterfall #SCStateParks #Nature #Waterfall #Photography #Mountains #Hiking #ComeOutAndPlay The intermittent climbs are mostly moderate except for a few technical areas, including the climb down to the base of the waterfall. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Falls Creek Falls, a 100 ft cascade - but you definitely climb for that one. 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. Located in the Upstate of South Carolina in the 4,000 acre pristine woodlands of Jones Gap State Park, is the namesake waterfall of the park - Jones Gap Falls. Amazon Associates disclosure. From the parking lot, hike toward the park buildings on a short trail that crosses the Middle Saluda River. If you are coming from the Asheville area, you can get on I-26 east and head towards South Carolina. Wild trout, including the rare, native brookie. This is a hike in, get your photo, and hike out kind of attraction. 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. I'm a digital marketing specialist by trade and an avid weekend explorer. You can use my travelog to discover fun places to visit and then use my interactive map to navigate there. Jones Gap is just 1 of 47 State Parks in South Carolina. in C.C. 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. Once back to the Saluda, the return is easy! It can be hard to take in the scope of the cascade because it’s so steep and the canopy is so dense. It’s an easy, scenic pathway alongside the Middle Saluda River and is child- and pet-friendly. There is roadside parking for … The purple blazing is good on the first 2/3 of the trail and then seems to disappear when the trail gets steeper. Turn on to the road from US276/Hwy 11 (Geer … Naturaland Trust, a land conservancy started by environmentalist Thomas Wyche, acquired the land to form Jones Gap State Park in 1979. 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. Your email address will not be published. Jones Gap State Park What a rush. All rights reserved. #4 - Hospital Rock to Falls Creek Falls Trail, #5 - Jones Gap and Coldspring Branch to Bill Kimball Trail. Rainbow falls - 100ft waterfall that hits the ground with such force as to create a fine mist, which creates a rainbow. Hospital Rock to Falls Creek Falls Trail. 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. Nov 13, 2019 - Explore South Carolina State Parks's board "Waterfalls in SC State Parks", followed by 2032 people on Pinterest. The Bill Kimball Trail (pink) is what makes this loop hard. Would your family be up for a hike up to Rainbow Falls? There are several trails, the Jones Gap trail goes along the River, up to a waterfall and beyond. Enjoy!!! Several pools in the river provide wading opportunities and salamander hunts. After about a mile, I turned right onto red-blazed Rainbow Falls Trail, crossed the Middle Saluda, and got a workout with a … Like most waterfalls in South Carolina, the falls are at … The park features a ranger station with public restrooms, a parking lot, and picnic tables. 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. This beautiful trail takes you through forested areas along Oil Camp Creek, eventually reaching Pinnacle Pass. Or browse through the categories to find something you like. NOTE: If you want to visit Jones Gap before 2 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays, you need to pay $5 and reserve one of the 30 parking spots available the day before your visit. 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. 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. The 50-foot cascade at Falls Creek Falls in Jones Gap State Park. The trail is 1.9 miles from the trailhead to the falls, making it a nearly 4-mile out-and-back hike. See more ideas about state parks, sc state parks, waterfall. Another .6 miles down and the trail to the Jones Gap Falls will be on the right. Parking is just a couple of hundred yards up on the right. 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. 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. Parking spot reservations may be made here: https://reserve.southcarolinaparks.com/mountain-bridge You have to travel through the Palmetto Bible Camp to find it. I should add that the trail crosses the creek and continues on the other side. Falls Creek Falls is a waterfall in Jones Gap State Park that features a 50-foot cascade that breaks over several stages. The trail actually starts with an unforgiving uphill climb. Continue on 276/11 for about 4.5 miles and turn left at the F-Mart on to River Falls Road. The trail starts on Oil Camp Creek Road, which is paved all the way, but it becomes narrow and one-lane near the end. 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. 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 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. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from March until October. 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. Zero spam. This route can done as either a point-to-point or an out-and-back. 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 . Jones Gap Trail to Jones Gap Falls, Jones Gap State Park. If you know where the trail continues to go, please let me know in the comments. There are several nice spots by the river to take a break! Rim of … 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.) After that, it levels out and is mostly hilly until the next big climb. Rim of the Gap is beautiful but strenuous, and can be icy in the winter. That said, it’s not too bad if you’re in shape and don’t mind a little climbing. The Coldspring Branch Trail (orange) crosses the creek several times. Reserved parking spaces will be held until 2 p.m. Jones Gap is spectacular The most beautiful place I know! If you shop through any Amazon link on this website, you support me at no cost to yourself. Starts off easy when you enter the trailhead, but will quickly get steep as you walk up a lot of stairs. When it comes to angling-especially trout fishing-South Carolina really shines. 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. Drive 5.4 miles and the road ends at Jones Gap State Park. Hospital Rock - Falls Creek Falls Loop by Jack Thyen (SCJack33) Your Online Guide. Note that if there has been recent rainfall and the ground is muddy, the hike will be much more difficult. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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 There’s no swimming hole at the falls and no flat ground to really enjoy the view. Jones Gap State Park is located in northern Greenville County, SC at the end of Jones Gap Road (also labeled as River Falls Road or County Road 97 on various maps). 303 Jones Gap Road Marietta, SC Visit their website. There is a great waterfall about a mile in, and many smaller cascades along the way. Jones Gap State Park . Several thousand different plant and animal species. More than 60 miles of hiking trails traverse the vast Mountain Bridge Wilderness area of upstate South Carolina. Water: Restroom facilities and a water fountain at Jones Gap State Park. © 2021 C.C. Aug 14, 2019 - Jones Gap State Park Waterfall taken by @troyvlee on #Instagram. 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 And can be accessed from Jones Gap trail ( pink ) is what this... 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