There’s a brand new trail in the Palmetto State that leads to a waterfall that spills approximately 150 feet down the Blue Ridge Escarpment and it’s worth checking out. Earlier this year, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources opened a brand new trail to a waterfall whose name most people simply won’t recognize.

The trail, a 1.7-mile round trip hike near Sassafras Mountain and the community of Rocky Bottom, is a newer, shorter, and easier version of an old trail that’s no longer maintained.

alltrails/Liene K

And while the old trail (not recommended, by the way) led to the base of the waterfall formerly known as Pinnacle Falls, the new trail leads some place entirely different and ends up on the other side of Abner Creek for a completely different view of the newly named Beech Bottom Falls.

alltrails/Sean Hogan

If you haven’t discovered this new trail yet, it’s quite an adventure and includes a couple of whimsical footbridges.

alltrails/Liene K

It also passes right by a bat tower that you clearly shouldn’t disturb.

alltrails/Sean Hogan

And it winds through and under a shady forest canopy for most of the way. For the most part it’s a fairly easy trek until the last 100 yards or so - when things get a little dicey.

alltrails/Liene K

Expect a serious downhill challenge for the last part of the trail and remember that it will be an uphill challenge on the return.

alltrails/Jamie Pace

Most of the downhill part includes steps or handrails as the trail makes its way to a brand new overlook for viewing Beech Bottom Falls (the old Pinnacle Falls).

alltrails/Sean Hogan

The overlook itself isn’t huge and affords the best view of the falls in the winter, after the leaves have fallen.

alltrails/Sean Hogan

Here’s a view captured during the summer months!

alltrails/Kristin Bok

The old trail to Pinnacle Falls in South Carolina (now renamed Beech Bottom Falls) was much more challenging than this newer trail which allows more people to access a view of the falls and is rated as easy on alltrails.com. Did you ever hike the old trail and have you hiked the new one? We’d love to hear your reviews of either (or both) in our comments. And for more easy waterfall hikes in South Carolina, keep reading here!

alltrails/Liene K

alltrails/Sean Hogan

alltrails/Jamie Pace

alltrails/Kristin Bok

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