Miuka Falls Trail Guide

 

Allegedly one can hike to Miuka Falls and then go to "Secret Falls" as well....I didn't find it but I didn't get crazy because I was hiking with Ellie, my three year old. 

However, Miuka Falls was the main waterfall on our list for 2021 and it was great! Here is what you need to know. 

Miuka Falls is a 2.6 mile total out and back hike whose terrain I rate as mostly easy to moderate at the last few hundred feet. 

Getting there: This hike is located in the Oconee Region in Tamassee, SC. The trailhead is labeled as the "winding stairs trail" (there are no actual winding stairs 😉). In your Google GPS you can simply type, "Winding Stairs Trail, Tamassee, SC). It will take you directly to the parking spot which is a good sized pull off on the side of the road just past the Cherry Hill Recreation Parking area. These are both on the same side of the road, so if you pass the Cherry Hill Rec parking on your left, a few short feet past it on still your left you will see the pull off and your GPS will kindly and loyally alert you of your arrival. There is a small marked post declaring this is the orange blazed "winding stairs trail." There you go! Get started! It will be 1.3 miles to the falls. The trail is quite narrow but quite simple. 

At about .25 a mile in, you come to a stop in the trail where you have two choices, turn left towards cherry hill recreation area OR turn right towards the sign marked "Tamassee Rd 3.4 miles." Well, when I first came to this juncture I was like, "Well which way?!" I figured left towards cherry hill was wrong considering I had passed the parking for it that direction. So, I considered the right turn and looked at the sign again a moment when suddenly, I noticed some saint of a soul had etched upon the bottom of the metal post, "WF ---> 1.5 mi." WF = Water Fall. Bingo, hallelujah! So friends, take the right turn towards the Tamassee Rd. Post. And, now that I think of it.....if I used my brain more efficiently....the left turn towards Cherry Hill Rec had two orange blazes upon it meaning do not go this way if you are following the orange blazes. I just wasn't prepared for this abrupt choice in the trail but now I know and so do you. Go right towards Tamassee Rd. 

Ok so back on track...keep following the trail. It's pretty straight, a gradual decline, a few switchbacks, some trees down but nothing you can't navigate easily around. Then, soon, you will arrive to Miuka Falls! You will hear it first, then see it peeking out on the left. You can approach it and view it upon a large boulder there but if you want a closer look then you are gonna have to do a little work. This is your choice to do so, this would be when the trail becomes moderate...difficult for some, but manageable for all. Here, you can look down and see a steep narrow woodsy path that others before have wiggled their way down. It clears out at the bottom and you can get right upon the falls. Ellie came down the whole way on her booty sliding carefully. I stayed low and worked the tree branches. 

I had read where a mom said this trail was not kid friendly and her 4 and 7 year old couldn't handle it....non judgement but, please don't read something like that and think your child would be incapable. No. My 3 year old can do it, so can yours. Just take your time, its really just a few feet down and back up...and again the entire trail is super simple. People are just too uptight and can't dare let their kid get muddy or take a tumble every once in a while. Don't be that mom. It's good for the kids to get dirty and learn their boundaries. It makes them really strong, confident, independent and healthy. This trail is really quite simple and a lovely spot for a pic-nic. 

There is no swimming safely I would say...there is no place for that. But there are a lot of places to climb, read, relax, and dig in the dirt with your kids. Take your time and play, find treasures, read books, eat snacks, make beautiful nature creations! 

When you hike back out, go back the way you came. Warning! Reminder that this trail actually goes on further, remember the post said 3.4 miles to Tamassee Rd.? You only went 1.3 to get to the falls. So go back the way you came unless you just want to walk unnecessarily to a road you are not parked on. I always recommend paying close attention and being observant as for which way you go and how you go back. I'll include a photo to help you but you should be fine, just use your common senses and pay attention to your surroundings any time you take a turn or go slightly off path (which would have been the case if you, like me, went down the way to the bottom/edge of the falls.) This isn't difficult to go back from where you came, just want you to be aware. Always be aware and observant. That's just the general rule. 

1.3 miles back to the car! 

Enjoy!