Wildcat Falls – Greenville, South Carolina

Wildcat Falls, also called Wildcat Wayside Falls and Wildcat Branch Falls, can be seen right off of the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway in Greenville County. There is no hiking required to enjoy this waterfall, which means anyone can go and visit!

The falls are fed by Wildcat Branch Creek, one of the tributaries of the South Saluda River. The upper section provides a beautiful 10-foot free fall, while the lower section cascades 20 feet down an exposed slab of granite into a shallow pool. Wildcat Falls is located between two extremely popular state parks, Caesar’s Head and Jones Gap, which have many waterfalls and cascades within their boundaries as well.

Another site not to be missed when visiting Wildcat Falls is the unmarked scenic overlook, known as the Bald Rock Heritage Preserve and sometimes Shining Rock, pictured below.

SCIWAY contributor Barry Gooch says that the easiest way to find the Bald Rock Heritage Preserve is to “head south from Caesar’s Head on US 276 (Greer Highway). Drive about four miles and you will pass a road to the left called Persimmon Ridge Road. Drive another 0.5 miles, and Club Terrace Drive will be on the right. I don’t know if either of these roads are marked. The overlook will be another 0.1 miles on the left. It isn’t marked and the bald is obscured by trees. There is no parking lot, though enough people stop at the overlook that a makeshift parking area exists on the left side of the highway near the path to the bald. It’s an easy 50 yard walk from the highway and is well worth the time and effort. Be careful though, the rocks can be slippery!”