Hike to Beautiful Station Cove Falls

Station Cove Falls is in rural northwestern South Carolina in the Sumter National Forest. The trailhead is a short drive from the Oconee Station State Historic Site and only a half hour from Clemson University. It’s also an easy day trip from Atlanta and other nearby metropolitan areas.

To get to the 60-foot waterfall, you have a couple of options. The shorter version starts at the Station Cove Fall Trailhead and is about a 1.6-mile out-and-back hike. You can begin from Oconee State Park for an extended adventure and make it a roughly 6-mile hike. The Oconee Passage of the 500-mile-long Palmetto Trail also runs near the falls.

Wildflowers and wildlife along Station Cove Falls Trail.

When we visited, we were tight on time, so we opted for the shorter version. The trail itself is well-worn and marked with blazes. In the spring and early summer, you can expect thousands of wildflower blooms along the trail. Some common ones include trillium, may apple, pink lady’s slipper orchids, bloodroot, and redbud. Some say the wildflower displays are among the best in South Carolina. The Appalachian cove the trail runs through is very diverse. More than 250 species of plants have been documented, including 14 rare ones. 

Keep an eye out for wildlife along the way. We spotted plenty of chipmunks, squirrels, songbirds, and a couple of white-tailed deer.  

Once you reach the base of the falls, sit back and relax for a bit. Station Cove Falls is absolutely stunning. We visited in the early fall when the leaves started changing. We got there in the middle of the afternoon and only saw a few other people.  

Northwestern South Carolina is filled with opportunities for adventure. Station Cove Falls is one of many nearby beautiful waterfalls. We also really enjoyed our visit to the Oconee Station State Historic Site.