GPS for waterfall: 35.01641, -82.99368 Water source: Whitewater River Height: Approximately 200 feet The upper portion of the falls: Along the way to the base of Lower Whitewater Falls lies the remains of a small plane, which crashed in 1972, killing all four of its passengers. The Whitewater River, starting with the larger Whitewater Falls upstream just across the border into NC, falls 1,500 feet over 3.5 miles. Lower Whitewater Falls is the second in a series of massive drops the Whitewater River makes in its final few miles before emptying into Lake Jocassee. Whitewater Falls is one of the tallest chains of waterfalls in the eastern U.S. and the Lower Falls are not as frequently visited but just as impressive. Whitewater Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains, and it's shared between South Carolina and North Carolina. Blazes: Reddish Orange. It’s on the Whitewater River in the Jocassee Gorge area of North Carolina. From the base of the stairs, an unpaved trail provides access to the 76-mile Foothills Trail, descending along the river to Lower Whitewater Falls in South Carolina. More energetic hikers can continue down the half-mile spur trail that drops 600 feet in elevation to the Whitewater River and Foothills Trail. To experience these breathtaking falls up-close-and-personal, take the paved ¼ mile walkway to the upper overlook. The walkway begins at a parking lot and is accessible to wheelchairs. You bound up the steps to the edge of the rail for a better look. There are several more falls downstream of the Lower falls, but most are quite inaccessible. Not quite as high as its much more well-known and visited big brother, Lower Whitewater is none-the-less a sight to behold. Lower Whitewater Falls cascades a spectacular 200 feet down a rock face in the Jocassee Gorges area. Whitewater Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies, falling 811 feet! The 400-foot Lower Falls can be accessed from a different location in South Carolina. This waterfall has a claim as the tallest waterfall east of the Rockies, which is apparently disputed. A lower overlook is located at the bottom of 154 wooden steps. Trail Head: SC Hwy 130, Duke Energy Bad Creek Facility (Foothills Trail Guide Mini Map #6). Lower Whitewater Falls trail is located off of Bad Creek Rd. The sound is distant, but thundering. Distance: 1.9 miles (in and out trail, total 3.8 miles). Difficulty: moderate. The parking lot, and part of the trails in this area, are maintained by Duke Energy Co. From this trailhead, you can h Lower Whitewater Falls cascades down the plain gray rocks of the mountain, and for a moment, it takes your breath away. The creamy, white cascades flow powerfully down the rock face. A hike a bit south of here leads to the lower falls. The series falls is 800+ feet in total, but this hike only catches the upper 400 feet of the falls. From the … Meanwhile, the trail itself gets consistently steeper as it plunges downhill towards Lower Whitewater Falls. The last 0.2 miles are the steepest, before it suddenly levels out, turns right, and reaches the observation platform for Lower Whitewater Falls at 2.4 miles. Lower Whitewater Falls is an incredibly beautiful waterfall. Charles Runge / AllTrails The waterfall is made up of six different sections, and the beautiful Lower Falls can be accessed via a 2-mile trail. The Upper Falls plummets 411 feet. The hike reaches the lower observation deck at just under .3 mile, catching broad views of the rushing waterfall. This out-and-back hike follows blue blazes to a constructed viewing platform for an optimal vantage point to see the falls, though visitors shouldn't expect access to the falls themselves. There is a pretty spacious parking lot with a $3 fee that you pay via envelope station. 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