December 9, 2025
Riley Moore Falls Trail
near Westminster, SC
While a cold (37°F to 41°F) and cloudy morning, it was actually a "great day for a hike." Access to the trailhead was easy with a 3-4 car pull-off for available parking. The hike started with a walk down FS 748C and transitioned onto a conventional and well maintained trail to the Chauga River and Riley Moore Falls. While only 12 feet high, this falls spans the entire 100-foot width of the river making it quite impressive. There is a fairly large sandy beach and swimming hole at the base of falls making this a favorite summer attraction. While not a long hike, this very easy hike is worth repeating periodically and could easily be combined with other trails off of the Long Creek Highway (US 76).
Today's Hikers: Phil Steele, Lynn Steele, Debbie Nuessly, Gregg Nuessly, Matt Henderson, Gerald Richardson, Ken Pardue, Allyson Aldrich, Angela Evans, Jenny Bell & Mike Bell.
The route
2.5 mi · 390 ft climbing · 1h 37m out, 1h 19m walking · 1.9 mph moving
Elevation
Hover over the profile to see the elevation and steepness. Your position will be shown on the map.
- Steepness
- Gentle under 5%
- Moderate 5–10%
- Steep 10–15%
- Very steep over 15%
10 photos are shown on the map where they were taken — click one to see it full size.
Photos (10)
Riley Moore Falls . . . nice water flow today. Today's Hikers (L-R): Mike, Jenny, Angela, Allyson, Ken, Gerald, Matt, Gregg, Debbie, Lynn & Phil. We started from the gate for Riley Moore Shoals Rd (FS-748C), but the actual trailhead is a short distance down this road. The official Riley Moore Falls trailhead and a very good trail to the falls. A first view of the falls from the trail. Checking out the falls from the large beach and adjacent swimming hole. Another view of Riley Moore Falls. Big smiles today. Phil Steele found some nice views of the Chauga River just downstream and around the bend from the falls. Phil Steele taking a few more photos before we headed back.