November 14, 2023
Yellow Branch Falls plus Blue Ridge Railroad Historical Trail and Palmetto Trail Loop
near Walhalla, SC
Wow! What a great day for a hike with mostly sunny skies, cool temperatures and a light breeze. We hiked both the Yellow Branch Falls and Blue Ridge/Palmetto Trails which with walking between the trailheads resulted in a fairly lengthy hike. Both trails are easy to moderately difficult with some short steep inclines. The Yellow Branch Trail shows the most use with numerous exposed roots and has at least 5 rock-hopping, wet crossings. The Blue Ridge/Palmetto Trail is generally "easier on the feet" having an overall smooth surface, but with a heavy leaf cover today. We still found some fall colors here and there. Some of our hikers took some time to visit for their first time Issaqueena Falls and Stumphouse Tunnel . Fall is really a nice time to visit these trails.
Today's Hikers : Vic Robson, Allyson Aldrich, Jane Brown & Squirt, Rich Brown, Jenny Bell, Cindy Angliss, Renée Corbett, Matt Henderson & Toby, Angela Evans, Edwin Pruitt, Don Pratt, Betty Smith, Ken Kellerman & Cutie Pie, Shelia Getman, Heather Wall & Toby, Jack Treadman, Terre Pratt, Lynn Steele, Pam Hembree & Mike Bell.
The route
9.2 mi · 1,134 ft climbing · 5h 18m out, 4h 38m walking · 2.0 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%
20 photos are shown on the map where they were taken — click one to see it full size.
Photos (20)
Yellow Branch Falls, a "spectacular 50-foot vertical cascade." Not a lot of water over the falls today, but still impressive. Today's Hikers (L-R) Back: Vic, Allyson, Jane, Rich, Jenny, Cindy, Renee, Matt, Angela, Edwin, Don, Betty, Ken, Cutie Pie, Shelia, Heather & Toby; Front: Jack, Terre, Lynn, Squirt, Pam & Mike. Hey, everybody . . . . can I have your attention! Well . . . at least the pups are anxious to hike! Yes, it's a bit rooty with heavy use, but it's still not that bad of a trail. And there are several "not so wet" crossings. This massive tree along the trial caught our eye. Matt and I were puzzled by this large stacked rock wall over this branch that extended up the trail a ways. A view of Yellow Branch Falls from across the creek. Headed back to the trailhead. Nice bridge. Getting started on the second hike along the Blue Ridge Railroad Historical Trail. Some dramatic cuts were made to facilitate the railroad. The Blue Ridge Railroad Historical Trail is really quite nice. In the fall we do get a few views of the valley to the east. Oops! This Showy Gentian was a surprise! Closing the loop on our second hike, we pass by the Walhalla Reservoir. On our way back on the Palmetto Trail we pass the small, frequently overlooked Pollock Falls requiring quite a scramble down a hill to see. Nearing the end of our hike, we pass by what we think was the old Walhalla Reservoir. Shelia, Jack and Jane (not shown) took a few minutes to visit Stumphouse Tunnel.