Laurel Fork Falls Hike
Waterfall · about 80 ft high | South Carolina
16.8 mi round trip
Laurel Fork Falls Hike at a Glance
The Laurel Fork Falls hike via the Foothills Trail is 16.8 mi round trip.
| Falls height | About 80 ft |
|---|---|
| Elevation at the falls | ≈ 1,260 ft |
| Trail | Foothills Trail |
| Distance | 16.8 mi round trip |
Your time: about 5 h 35 min of moving time at Naismith pace (3 mph plus 1 hour per 2,000 ft climbed); about 7 h at a relaxed pace. A 160 lb hiker with a daypack burns roughly 3,170 kcal. No elevation gain is published for this route, so climbing time isn’t included.
Adjust for your pace and breaks →Route line not shown. The 16.8 mi distance for this hike is verified (sctrails.net), but we don't yet have a trail track we trust, so the map shows only the destination. Carry an official map.
About Laurel Fork Falls
Laurel Fork Falls is a waterfall in South Carolina, about 80 feet high, on land managed by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (Jocassee Gorges) / Foothills Trail Conference. Its height is from sctrails.net.
The Hike
The hike to the falls follows the Foothills Trail: 16.8 miles round trip, from Foothills Trail Laurel Valley Access. Distance from sctrails.net.
Before You Go
- Rock around waterfalls is slick when wet; stay on the trail and back from the edge.
- Check South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (Jocassee Gorges) / Foothills Trail Conference for current conditions, closures and parking before you go.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the hike to Laurel Fork Falls?
The Foothills Trail to Laurel Fork Falls is 16.8 miles round trip.
Where does the Laurel Fork Falls hike start?
It starts from Foothills Trail Laurel Valley Access.
How tall is Laurel Fork Falls?
Laurel Fork Falls is about 80 feet high.
Safety Information
Current Hazards
- Slippery wet rock near the falls
- Fast, high water after rain or snowmelt
- Check weather before departure
Turn-Around Time
3:00 PM
Plan to reach the falls by this time so you are back before dark.
Essential Gear Checklist
* Critical items - do not hike without these
Emergency Contacts
Emergency / Search & Rescue
911Point Forecast
NWS Point Forecast →In most of the US, backcountry search and rescue is dispatched through 911 — tell the operator you have a hiker emergency and your GPS coordinates.
Downloads
Sources for The Laurel Fork Falls Guide
Where the trail data, elevation and route line on this page come from.
- Verified against
- sctrails.net
- Distance
- sctrails.net
- Falls height
- sctrails.net
- Falls location
- worldwaterfalldatabase.com
- Elevation
- ≈ Copernicus GLO-90 elevation model at the falls coordinates (via Open-Meteo)
Conditions change. Check the land manager for closures, fees and weather before you go.
Nearby Hikes
Other hikes within 30 miles of Laurel Fork Falls.