Best Practices for Hiking / Adventuring

1. Make sure to have plenty of water / snacks.  A good rule of thumb is 1 liter / ¼ gallon / quart of water per 1 hour / 2 miles of hiking.
2. Make sure to have appropriate footwear.
3. Make sure to bring clothing options for potential weather changes.  Light / rain jackets, towels, changes of clothes can all be helpful.
4. Be aware of activity risks and help potential.  The further away you are from the parking lot, the longer it takes help to arrive, so take fewer risks.  Even turning an ankle at a waterfall can increase time to help by hours.
5. Have a plan for bathroom emergencies.  Peeing can be done in the woods and needs to be away from trails and water sources.  Defecation needs to be done in a hole that you dig and the toilet paper needs to be carried out in a trash bag.  Please cover the hole once finished.
6. Please carry out ALL of your trash and at least 1 piece of trash found on the trail.  Use your spare grocery bags as trash bags for hikes.

Option 1: Hike / Picnic / Swim (Opossum Creek Falls)

-After a leisurely breakfast, pack a lunch for the hike.

-Drive to the trailhead on Turkey Ridge Rd., be sure to park out of the way.

-Follow the Opossum Creek Falls Trail.

-Once at the Chattooga River, turn left just before Opossum Creek and follow the trail an additional ¼ mile to the Falls.  Please be aware that hiking in the creek can be dangerous (rocks are loose and slick and the current is swift).

-Eat lunch either at Opossum Creek Falls or come back to the Chattooga River.

-The beach at the Chattooga is used by rafting companies for lunch, so please be aware that they have right-of-way. Instead, we suggest hanging out near the rocks to the right; they are great for sun-bathing / hanging out.

-After swimming / hanging out, follow the trail back to your car.  Please give extra time on your way out as the trail is steep and takes more time going out than in.

Option 2: Two Waterfalls and A Historic Railroad Tunnel (Yellowbranch Falls, Issaqueena Falls, Stumphouse Tunnel)

-Yellowbranch Falls and Stumphouse Falls are on Hwy 28, directly across from each other.

-The picnic area at Issaqueena Falls is a perfect place to hang out if you don’t want to hike with lunch into Yellowbranch Falls.

-If you are getting a late start, we recommend Issaqueena Falls and Stumphouse Tunnel first.  After spending time at both, hang out at the picnic area and have lunch or a pre-hike snack.  

-You have to drive from one parking area to the other.

-The Yellowbranch Hike takes about 1 hour each way hiking at a moderate to quick pace.  Please plan accordingly and make sure to have appropriate water / snacks.