Mashbox Falls, South Carolina
I recently received a trail map from another member of a Carolina hiking group on social media after an inquiry. I had been to Ceaser's Head State Park several times and hiked some of the most difficult trails the park has to offer. Raven Cliff Falls by Dismal Trail Loop to name the most strenuous. Also, the very popular sites of Bald Rock and the Ceaser's Head Lookout are almost always packed with tourists and "casual" explorers. I wasn't sure what to make of this newly passed along map and I only saw one photo of the final falls which "seemed" to be a large and tall waterfall, but pictures can be most deceiving.
Gus and I were game! Having hiked most upstate trails in SC already and hitting some of our favorite spots this particular Spring, we were searching for a change anyways. We charged up the camera gear, downloaded the map and we were off after a very wet and rainy week.
We must have driven past the quaint parking lost over 3 dozen times before without ever going down the gravel road to the parking area. This trailhead is commonly used for the Pinnacle Pass Trail. We parked the car, armed the GPS, and started to set out on our journey.
One of the best things about hiking in this Carolina section of the Blue Ridges is the amount of foliage cover you get from the canopy of lush green trees above. It was a rather hot day, but mother nature gave us constant shade and always provided us glimpses of the beautiful day it was outside.
As we proceeded down the super green trail full of moss and budding rhododendroms, there were several small trickling streams from the recent rains to jump over which also gave Gus a cool drink of mountain spring water. There were so many sights and sounds of nature to take in on this quiet hike, it's hard to even put into words. The trail branched off a few times, but we maintained our course via map. Gus and I only saw one other hiker the whole day, so this was a very unfrequented hike.
Let me explain that last opinionated statement further too. I am NOT of the hiking breed who thrives on exclusive private hikes that are only whispered and traded down from one grizzled hiker to another in dark corners of backrooms. I don't believe in that nor do I respond well to those sentiments. I believe any hike should be made "available" to anyone willing to put in the time, effort, and that practices good hiking techniques. That being said, I also believe every hike doesn't need to be dumbed down to a certain degree to ensure everyone can access it. A great example would be Beech Bottom Falls. I am physically fit and able enough to utilize the old trail down to the base of the falls which is being no longer maintained. However, the new overlook platform is meant for everyone, kids, elderly, etc to access the falls as well. I disagree with this. I shouldn't be made to hike the new muted experience simply because not 100% of everyone is physically able to hike the old trail. Every kid doesn't deserve a participation trophy, but every kid should know at least what soccer is. Make sense?
We came up to the first very small unnamed falls off-trail about 20 yards away. We could audibly hear it and even see most of the small falls. I decided to press on as it didn't seem worth the effort. We then approached some switchbacks and according to the map, our turn off was near the next stream. There was a very small deer trail faintly noticeable off to our left. This was our turnoff. Do NOT miss this turnoff.
As we made our initial descent down to the stream base, it was obvious we were no longer going to receive the luxurious manicured trail we've been accustomed to for the last few miles. The overgrown trees and bushes were rampant, but you could still make out the way just fine. If there was a question about directions, we simply pulled up the map to stay our course.
Once we hit Oil Camp Creek, I knew it was just a matter of following it to our first stop; Evans Falls, and then to our goal of Mashbox Falls.
Evan's Falls is a nice little waterfall that you find in the wild all the time. The lower base is a good cascade into a small pool. I imagine this pool would be great on a July day to act as a swimming hole to cool off in. Gus enjoyed it, but it was a bit too cold for my liking. Plus the thought of hiking in wet clothes wasn't typically appealing. We took several shots, avoided a small snake, and made our way up the left side following the creek to our main attraction; Mashbox Falls.
Along the way are several interesting rapids from the recent rains were more flush than normal. We did stop several times simply taking in the ambiance and enjoying the journey.
The trail from this point was much less noticeable and it's about really just finding your own route but maintaining following Oil Camp Creek. We then approached the Mashbox! It suddenly made sense that the name of the falls was Mashbox, as in moonshining "mash". I had thought it was named "Matchbox", but I was mistaken! Mashbox is more deserving as there is an actual Mashbox near the creek.
Once you pass by the rusty mashbox, you will start to see and hear the actual fall itself. Mashbox Falls is a tall and somewhat slender fall, but this particular day it was full from almost a weeks worth of precipitation. It was glorious! I had found the falls after about a half-mile of light bushwacking and it was worth every step, every tick I pulled off Gus and I and every muddy boot. I took several photos and videos here as the opportunity was rare not only to visit but also knowing I would also only have a few select friends I would feel comfortable bringing along this hike due to difficulty.
It was a total scramble to make it up to the falls for a few photos, literally climbing with all fours to get near to the vantage point I was hoping for. The price paid was well worth the patience in the ascent. We hung out here for about 45mins until mother nature queued up our last call by the way of some distant thunder rumblings.
I knew it was a quick distance back to the car via the map, so we packed up and started the scramble up the steep lefthand side of the falls to the road, then a simple roadside walk back to the parking lot from there.
The scramble was no joke, so if you are reading this and considering going and not confident in your physical abilities, I would simply recommend you go back the same way you approached. Its longer, but much safer. However, if you're feeling confident, then get ready for the drastic vertical on loose ground. If you're in a gray area in between, definitely do NOT attempt this without a friend in case you get hurt or run into trouble. Finding the road is easy as once you distance yourself from Mashbox Falls, the cars and truck sounds become obvious. Gus and I made our way up a large fallen tree that led to the road.
I leashed up Gus and down the road we went. We proceeded back to the car with thunder drawing nearer in the distance. There was one more fall on the way back to the car, "Drip Rock Falls". When doing my research I ran across photos and videos of Drip Rock Falls and I wasn't impressed in the slightest. It's literally as its namesake; water slowly dripping off a large rock. I skipped this fall, but its there too if you need to check a box.
We made it back to the car before any serious thunder and it started to sprinkle rain as we took our trip down out of Ceaser's Head on our way back to Greenville. It was a great day!
I loved being "surprised" about the awesomeness of hikes. I hadn't expected much, but I received more than I'd hoped for! This is truly a hidden gem. So many falls and other hikes get lost from infrequent use or people keeping them too coveted. This falls will hopefully grow a bit in popularity for the experience versed hikers who don't mind a bit of a bushwack and dirty scramble to really see this amazing waterfall. The scenery on the way was worth the hike alone, so to have a crazy beautiful fall at the end was the icing on the cake! I will do this hike again, but probably bring an experienced hiking friend along with me to share it with!
Until the next one...
Time: about 3 hrs with stops
AT YOUR OWN RISK***
Quick Videos of Our Hike:
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