I first visited Spoonauger Falls in late February 2016. It was an overcast day, with lots of rain falling in the days prior to my hike. I was in this area to make a return visit to King Creek Falls. My 1st visit was over 2 years ago, and I wanted to return under better conditions than what a typical hot and dry late August afternoon can provide. Before I did this though, my first stop was to a waterfall that I overlooked on my first visit. Once I learned how close I was to Spoonauger Falls, and that I didn’t check it out….I could have kicked myself. That’s ok, I made it on this day and it was a beauty!
White Owl Falls
From NC, I came down NC 281 and crossed into South Carolina where the highway changes to SC 130. On the way down, I passed right by Whte Owl Falls on the Thompson River and had a feeling it would looking good. I was soooo not wrong. I even took a side path to view it from the top, it was ok, no where near as good as the view from the base. It was gonna be a good day. I got back on the road, into SC, and took the sign “To 107”. I turned left to head south for a few miles and took a right on Burrels Ford Road. To get to Spoonauger Falls, meant driving past the King Creek Falls parking area for a short ways. I initially passed right by it , crossed the bridge over the Chatooga River, and boom, I was in Georgia. Georgia wasn’t even on my mine…but Spoonaguer is right at the Chatooga which happens to be the northern border between these two states.
I pulled into this parking lot above, turned around as parked just off the road where the access was to the Chatooga Trail. This waterfall starts off with an easy hike along the Chatooga River upstream from the road. After a crossing of Spoonauger Creek, the trail for Spoonauger Falls heads right or upstream.
As you can see by the sign, it is a short 0.1 miles upstream. It was difficult on this day in February anyway. A number of large Rhododendrons , much taller than my 6 foot frame had toppled over and were covering the narrow, wet and muddy trail. I slowly worked my way over and under and around the storm-fallen plants and was treated to a beautiful 50 foot waterfall.
I was able to make it out into the middle and down a few tiers for an exceptional view. I’m not sure what I was expecting to see at Spoonauger Falls but it wasn’t this. I was very pleased. I made it back to the car, then it was off to King Creek.
