Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway

State: South Carolina
Length: 112 miles / 179.2 km
Time to Allow: Allow at least 3 hours to tour this Byway.

In northwestern South Carolina sits the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway close to the borders of Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The byway takes up 112 miles spanning miles and the “Great Blue Hills of God,” as coined by the Cherokees. Furthermore, the route goes over beautiful two-lane road arches through peach orchards and smaller towns making for a gorgeous destination. Take three hours to drive the byway or a few days to see all the sights along the way.

The byway begins in Lake Hartwell State Park, where you can fish or take a boat out on the water. Moreover, the park offers camping options, including RV’s and tents. The gigantic campground includes comfort stations, restrooms, showers, a playground, water, and electricity. Next, stop in the vintage town Walhalla for a charming experience. Visit the Oconee History Museum for history about Native Americans and early settlers.

From there, head to the Stumphouse Tunnel, a hidden gem in the state built as a railroad connection before lack of money brought construction to a halt. Next is the Issaqueena Falls, a gorgeous waterfall in the Oconee region of the state with a small roundtrip hike to the viewing deck of the fall. Move to the Oconee State Park after for remote camping sites or rustic cabins. The park even offers laundry facilities, hot showers, and over 70 miles of trails.

Check out the Oconee Station State Historic Site for a series of military compound buildings from the late 1800s. Another waterfall sits just beyond the station, and it’s been well maintained over the years. Follow the route to the Lower Whitewater Falls that crosses a river with a slightly difficult trail. A few more waterfalls dot the trail on the way to Devil’s Fork State Park. Take another night camping here at a lakeside cabin or in a tent. It’s one of two state parks in South Carolina accessible by boat.

Several more state parks pepper the gorgeous landscape, including the Keoweek Toxaway State Park and the Sassafrass Mountain at Table Rock State Park. Each offers camping, making this an RV paradise. From there, go to the Bald Rock Heritage Preserve but be careful not to miss this as there are no signs. A ginormous rocky outcropping as big as a football field offers incredible views of Table Rock Mountain and the surrounding landscape.

Next is Caesar’s Head State Park that overlooks the entire state where the Appalachian mountains end. While this park does not have camping, it does have another waterfall called the Raven Cliff Falls. Visit the Jones Gap State park next along the Middle Saluda River before stopping for the night in Greenville with activities for the entire family.

Continue east toward the Poinsett Bridge and Campbell’s Covered Bridge, both with quaint charm. Follow to Strawberry Hill for acres of peaches and strawberries and stop for a lovely breakfast. End in Gaffney, a quiet little town at the Cherokee Foothills. Make sure to visit the Cherokee Country History and Arts Museum with exhibits covering American wars. Lastly, check out the Gaffney Peachoid built in the early 80s as a quirky side attraction as the largest peach in the form of a water tower.

More South Carolina Byways

You can check out additional Byways in South Carolina by clicking on the list of byways below, or by going to the South Carolina Byways home section. To find even more of scenic byways in the United States, visit our scenic byways map.