Horse Bone Falls
Oconee County, South Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Oconee County, South Carolina
- Access status
- Partial guide: no trail; off-trail approach along or down to Horse Bone Branch
- The walk
- No trail; distance not published
- Ground & access
- Steep off-trail slopes and a creek with heavy downfall. Upcountry SC calls the hike fairly strenuous.
Horse Bone Falls is a waterfall of about 40 feet on Horse Bone Branch near Oconee State Park, largely covered in fallen trees. There is no trail. The Oconee County waterfalls site says it is much easier to reach from below, following Horse Bone Branch upstream, and gives parking at 34.88813, -83.08868. Upcountry SC gives the guidebook route from above: from the barricade at the end of a short road off FS 716, follow the old roadbed and Hidden Falls signs 0.3 miles, turn left between two trees onto a small overgrown trail, then bushwhack down to Horse Bone Branch about 550 feet below. This partial guide is for experienced off-trail hikers with map skills.
Plan your visit
Old Horse Bone Road area near Oconee State Park, then off-trail along or down to Horse Bone Branch to the falls
Neither source gives a total distance. Upcountry SC gives 0.3 miles on the Hidden Falls Trail and about 0.25 miles on an overgrown path before a bushwhack of about 550 feet down to the branch.
Steep off-trail slopes and a creek with heavy downfall. Upcountry SC calls the hike fairly strenuous.
Where to start
The Oconee County waterfalls site gives parking GPS 34.88813, -83.08868. Upcountry SC: from Oconee State Park entrance on SC 107 continue 0.5 miles to Old Horse Bone Road, turn right at State Park Estates and immediately right onto gravel FS 716; after 0.9 miles turn right onto a short road and park in front of the barricade.
Timing & water
No season is stated. Leaves off the trees make off-trail travel easier.
Before you go
No fee is mentioned.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Hidden FallsSigned state park trail and trailhead documentedOconee County, SC0.3 miS
- Disappearing FallsPartial guide: small falls beside the Hidden Falls Trail; the route source does not use this nameOconee County, SC0.4 miSW
- Lee FallsPartial guide: no official trail; old fields and an unofficial creekside pathOconee County, SC1.0 miNW
- Cheohee Road FallsPartial guide: roadside falls; no parking describedOconee County, SC2.3 miNW
- Crossland Creek FallsOconee County, SC2.3 miN
- Station Cove FallsResearched walking routeOconee County, SC2.4 miS
- Lower Wash Branch FallsOconee County, SC2.5 miN
- Upper Wash Branch FallsOconee County, SC2.6 miN
- Jim Lee FallsPartial guide: unmarked cross-country route next to private landOconee County, SC2.7 miS