Crane Creek Falls
Oconee County, South Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Oconee County, South Carolina
- Access status
- Partial guide: off-trail bushwhack of about half a mile; no trail
- The walk
- About half a mile one way off-trail, per the Oconee County waterfalls site
- Ground & access
- Steep off-trail slopes, brush, downed trees and creek crossings. The Oconee County waterfalls site says all Crane Creek falls except Lower Crane Creek Falls are extremely difficult to reach and need off-trail and map-reading experience.
Crane Creek Falls is a waterfall of about 30 to 35 feet on Crane Creek, upstream of Secret Falls and just below Yellow Jacket Falls, in Sumter National Forest. The Oconee County waterfalls site describes parking along Cheohee Road at 34.92439, -83.08881 and bushwhacking to the falls, about half a mile one way. There is no trail and no marked line. A visitor account reached the falls from the other direction, from the Winding Stairs Trail and Secret Falls, by climbing the steep bank on the right side of the creek, then crossing below the falls to view it from the left side. This partial guide is for experienced off-trail hikers with map skills.
Plan your visit
Pull-off on Cheohee Road (Winding Stairs Road, FS 710), then an off-trail bushwhack to Crane Creek Falls
The Oconee County waterfalls site gives approximately half a mile one way from its Cheohee Road parking point, depending on the route taken. There is no trail.
Steep off-trail slopes, brush, downed trees and creek crossings. The Oconee County waterfalls site says all Crane Creek falls except Lower Crane Creek Falls are extremely difficult to reach and need off-trail and map-reading experience.
Where to start
Pull-off along Cheohee Road (also called Winding Stairs Road, FS 710) at 34.92439, -83.08881, per the Oconee County waterfalls site.
Timing & water
Leaves off the trees make off-trail travel and the views easier. Yellow jackets were met on this stretch of creek in summer.
Before you go
No fee is mentioned.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Yellow Jacket FallsOconee County, SC0.0 miNW
- Prospector FallsOconee County, SC0.1 miNW
- Deadfall FallsOconee County, SC0.1 miNW
- Secret FallsPartial guide: final 300 yards are cross-country with no trail markingsOconee County, SC0.2 miSE
- Little Miuka FallsOconee County, SC0.4 miNE
- Lower Miuka FallsOconee County, SC0.5 miNE
- Crane FallsPartial guide: no published distance; informal creek pathOconee County, SC0.5 miE
- Miuka FallsNational forest trail from SC 107 near Cherry HillOconee County, SC0.5 miNE
- Upper Wash Branch FallsOconee County, SC0.5 miSW