Big Bend Falls

Worth a detour

Is it plungeworthy?

20feet tall

A waterfall on Chattooga River.

Scale32/60

Documentation20/20

Character8/20

The details

Watercourse: Chattooga River
Coordinates: 34.95315, -83.11864

Get directions →

About Big Bend Falls

Big Bend Falls is a 20-foot waterfall in South Carolina, on Chattooga River.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Big Bend Falls 6/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

The biggest single drop on the whole Chattooga — a river-wide ledge at the great bend, three backcountry miles down the Foothills Trail from Burrells Ford. Nobody stumbles onto Big Bend; you go on purpose, and you usually have it alone.

Getting there

Trailhead: Chattooga River / Foothills Trail south from Burrells Ford
Parking: Burrells Ford lot
Road: Gravel FS-708
Hike: 6.4 mi round trip (strenuous — distance and remoteness)
Heads up: The river keeps you company the whole way; side paths to the ledge are informal.

When to go

Spring for the ledge at full push; fall for solitude in color.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: None
Dogs: Under control
Camping: Backcountry camping along the corridor
Warnings: Remote, no cell service, and the Chattooga's drowning history applies double at the biggest drop.

Researched from USFS — Sumter National Forest · SC Trails. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Big Bend Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Planning a visit? We want your photo.

Big Bend Falls doesn't have a photo yet. If you make the trip, send one to hello@plungeworthy.com and we'll publish it here with credit to you.

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.