I had discovered this trail a week ago by chance and set it aside to research later. But to my luck, some friends invited me and Ellie along to find it and check it out.
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: Well...Alltrails tells you 5.5 miles out and back. However; we clocked 8.5 miles total out and back. This included going down to confusion falls and exploring a little around the area. So, I would actually say prepare for 8.5 miles. It would be great to take your GPS watch or tracker with you and see how much you go. Another friend having gone another time clocked 7.2 miles. But this trail is definitely more than 5.5 miles. My 3 year old did the entire trail solo with the exception of a CABLE CROSSING over a wide and deep creek. We shared a baby carrier to carry the kids across on our back as we crossed the cable. I'll show you this when we get to it chronologically.
Moonshine Falls and Confusion Falls are located within Asbury Hills Camp & Retreat Center. The address is 150 Asbury Dr. Cleveland, SC 29635. It is recommended that you call before you go with your group to make sure they are open. Winter seems to not be as pressing a time nor are they crowded as this is a summer camp. However; in warmer weather months, there may be a group of campers out and about and you will need to call ahead to make sure they are open and you can go.
When you arrive at the Camp, you will drive on a paved road through a gate into the camp grounds passing many houses/lodges and going over a few small speed bumps. Drive until you come to the end of the road and on the left is a gravel lot at the trail head.
This is the trailhead. You will park and begin here.
You will start your hike following RED blazes. The blaze colors will change eventually as you progress; I'll tell you when. You start here at the trailhead and soon you will come to the lake which is elevated to the left with an amphitheater. Walk past it and you will see in the woods the blazes continue marked both red and blue and a wooden sign pointing to the "Asbury Trail.". Follow the trail. You again are following the red blazes. Blue just happens to start here too.
So, you are following red on a rocky, dirt, leaf covered trail. Eventually you first come to the cable crossing still on the red blazes. You'll know you've approached it when you reach the rushing creek bed straight ahead, if you pause and look a bit left, you will see the red blazes continue and a wooden post with a sign reading, "Cable Bridge."
Now to cross the cable!! Such fun! Pretty much all kids are going to need to be carried piggyback or in a carrier across due to their lack of height more than anything else. So, feel free to let the kids try, but be prepared for a way to get them across just in case. I do believe in summer, it would be fine to cross without using the cable if you preferred. Water would be about thigh deep. But the cable is so fun!
Now after you are on the other side, go right for a short distance until you come to a post marker labeled "14." The wooden post labeled 14 will also have a pink blaze on it now. Go RIGHT here. You are now following pink blazes.
Keep following the pink blazes. Keep a close eye on them as the trail itself will now be quite covered in foliage, narrow, and covered in a lot of downed trees. But the blazes are easy to spot if you pause and look. Once you turn right at this post, you will continue on shortly taking a right continuing to follow pink blazes. After another while, you get to what will be the most confusing part of the hike so be paying attention, the pink blazes continue at an upward incline to the left. when you see a double pink blaze and a mess of trees down, this is your confusing spot. Go left up the incline here and soon you will see the trail clearly.
You will clearly see the blazes but the trail is a little difficult to see laid out in the ground at first. Just keep following pink. If you see pink blazes on the trees you're good. It's not difficult, you just need to watch and pay attention. After about a half mile of going up this incline following pink, you will come to a fork in the trail where you have the option to go left or right. Go RIGHT where you will pass a HOTSPOT wooden kiosk on your right. You are now following ORANGE blazes. And you are also very close to the falls!
Here is the fork where pink stops and you go RIGHT following orange. Actually pink may continue left, but you GO RIGHT.
Follow orange and pass the HOTSPOT kiosk and soon you will see a sign declaring "Moonshine Falls ---->"
Follow the orange blazes for a short distance and soon you will see the falls where you will steeply descend down to them! You will see old moonshine making barrels underneath the falls and rocks. There is so much space to sit and eat, play, view. If you walk downstream for .2 of a mile you will cross over the water and come to Confusion Falls which is fed by Moonshine Falls. Both have great spots for swimming and playing in summer!
Moonshine falls seen above
&
Confusion Falls seen below
Above: Moonshine barrels
On the way out you will have a quick climb back up. Just keep on the trail following orange, to pink, to Red. It is mostly downhill the way back!
Take plenty of water, snacks, and remember a baby carrier for little ones for carrying them across the cable bridge.
Start early enough to give yourself time. The gates of the park open at 8am and close at 5 pm. So be in and out by 5. They are currently closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Again, reminder to call ahead before you go.
Have a great adventure! It's a beautiful place!
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