Riley Moore Falls: One of the Best Waterfalls near Westminster SC
Plan a day out at Riley Moore Falls to combine a beautiful hike with a gorgeous swimming hole!
This kid-friendly hike will take you through the pine forests of Upstate South Carolina before ending at a wide, shallow pool at the base of a waterfall.
Thanks to its easy access from Westminster and Walhalla, and its alluring water activities, Riley Moore Falls ranks among the best waterfalls near Westminster SC.
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Visting Riley Moore Falls: A Complete Guide
How to Get to Riley Moore Falls
The waterfalls are about 25 miles outside of Westminster, South Carolina, make this an easy day trip while you’re in Upstate SC.
PIN ME!
For those unfamiliar with South Carolina, Westminster is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, not far from the South Carolina border with Georgia and North Carolina.
The town of Westminster in Oconee County is a great place to base your adventures if you’re planning a longer stay to the area.
Head northwest out of Westminster on Route 76, also known as Long Creek Highway.
Once you pass Holly Springs Baptist Church on the left of the road, you’ll want to start looking for the turnoff to Cobb Bridge Road on the right. If you see the Rider Mountain Cemetery, you’ve gone too far.
Stay on Cobb Bridge Road for 1.4 miles, then turn right onto State Road 37-748. While the state road is paved, it is narrow, so go slowly if you’re in a larger truck or SUV.
Follow the state road for 1.8 miles. The one-lane, unpaved road to the trailhead will be to your right.
I’d suggest parking on the side of the paved state road and walking in, especially if there’s been a lot of rainy weather near your visit.
NOTE: The falls aren’t too far (about 40 minutes) from one of our favorite SC state parks. Click here to read my full Oconee State Park camping review.
Parking at Riley Moore Falls
For regular cars, you’ll need to park on the side of the paved road near the mouth of the gravel path.
If your car has high clearance and 4x4, you’ll be able to make it down the gravel path to the lower (very small) parking lot.
The grade is quite steep in places, so be sure of your vehicle’s abilities before attempting this.
Other than the small parking lot at the end of the gravel road, there aren’t any places to turn around once you start.
There isn’t a road shoulder to speak of, and what little that is there often washes out after a rain.
When in doubt, park on the paved section and walk the gravel road.
Hiking to Riley Moore Falls
The first part of the trail is covered in gravel and has quite a steep incline.
The hiking path is mostly wide and covered.
Of all of the parts of the fairly short hike, this gravel section was the hardest for my kids to navigate since the road wasn’t particularly even.
At the end of the gravel section, you’ll enter a small parking area.
Continue through here to the true trailhead, which is marked with a small sign.
From here, you’ll enter the cool, quiet forest.
Our kids love to look for birds, butterflies, and lizards while we’re hiking in the Upstate.
While it’s not likely, you may see bears.
Use proper precautions when hiking: staying alert, talking or singing loudly, and making your presence known in the woods.
(If you have kids, though, I doubt that being too quiet is ever the problem!)
The hike gently slopes downward throughout as you head to the falls.
To get to the falls, the last stretch is quite steep, and you will need to help young kids over the roots and rocks.
Overall, my young kids (2 and 5 at the time of our visit) were able to do this hike without any major issues, so I’d recommend this hike for all ages.
Hiking is for the entire family! Get ALL of my tips and tricks on hiking with a toddler in this blog post.
Swimming at Riley Moore Falls
Our junior hiker pauses for a snack riverside.
You’re here!
When you step out of the forest into the sunlight again, you’ll be on a small, sandy beach.
If you’ve brought a picnic, this is a great place to spread out and enjoy a snack.
However, if your kids are anything like mine, they’ll want to do nothing but get into the water.
Keep in mind that the water isn’t ever truly warm, so if you’re attempting this hike in early spring or late fall, the water will be very chilly.
If you’re doing this as a summer hike, the water will be refreshing after your hike through the woods!
The water is shallow enough for little kids to splash around in it for several feet out, though it deepens considerably the closer you get to the falls.
When we were there last, a large tree had fallen in the water parallel to the falls, which made for a fun photo opp.
If you and your kids plan to do this swim, know that the water will be over their heads for a few yards before they get to the tree.
Less confident swimmers will also want to avoid the other end of the swimming area, where the water begins a less intense decent to lower areas of the river.
Stay in the middle of the swimming area for the calmest water, and always put your kids in life jackets.
What to Bring on This Hike
Whenever we go on a hike—even a short one—I bring my Osprey Skimmer 28 along.
This is a larger than average day pack, and you might think it’s overkill, but I’d struggle with anything much smaller as I’m usually carrying snacks, emergency bivys, my water bladder, and more.
For a waterfall like the one at Riley Moore Falls, that extra space is needed for towels and other swimming necessities.
My Osprey has a big central pocket for my gear, a smaller belt pockets, a place to clip in jackets or wet towels, and a built in water bladder.
Food and water. There aren’t any facilities anywhere along the trail or at the trailhead, so be self-sufficient. Plus, the sandy beach next to the waterfall is perfect for a picnic.
Trash bag. You won’t find any trash cans here, so remember to pack it in and pack it out.
Water shoes. Instead of bringing both hiking shoes AND flip flops for the water, I’d strongly suggest investing in a pair of shoes like my beloved Keens Newports. The kids and I live in these things during half of the year!
Bathing suits or quick dry clothing. We all wore our bathing suits under our hiking shirts and shorts, so we didn’t need to worry about changing at the falls. (There aren’t any truly private areas around there, so plan ahead with your clothing choices.) Once we were done swimming, it was easy to dry off, layer up again, and head back.
Quick dry towels. We have this set of Turkish towels in our camper that are super quick drying. I love being able to use them, hang them up for a few minutes, then stuff them back in my bag when they’re dry.
Bug spray. It’s South Carolina. You’re going to want to do whatever you can to fight the omnipresent gnats and mosquitoes.
Sunscreen. While you’ll be covered during the hike, the falls and swimming area aren’t shaded at all. Lather up as soon as you get down to the waterfall area.
Picnic blanket. Other than a few fallen logs, there aren’t many places to sit. Your picnic and time relaxing by the falls will be much more enjoyable with a designated blanket.
Riley Moore Falls FAQs
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Riley Moore Falls doesn’t have any associated fees or pass requirements, making this a cheap day out for your family.
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I spent about half of my childhood in Oconee County, and then went to Clemson University in the next county over, so I’ve had the chance to explore all over this area!
There’s so much to do: I’ve gone scuba diving in nearby Lake Jocassee, gone cliff jumping in Lake Keowee, done the Yellow Branch Falls hike, and gone whitewater rafting on the Chattooga River.
There are plenty of things to do in Walhalla, South Carolina, for the entire family, including antiquing, hiking, and swimming!
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Yes, the Riley Moore Falls hike is one of the best hikes for kids in Oconee County.
The trail is well marked with a gentle slope, there aren’t any difficult areas to scramble over or through, and there’s the promise of swimming at the end of the trail!
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If you’re hiking with little kids, plan to spend at least 40 minutes or so getting to the waterfall.
If you’ve got older kids or you’re hiking with adults, you could easily reach the falls in under 30 minutes as the hike isn’t long, difficult, or strenuous.
In fact, the hike to the waterfalls is nearly all downhill.
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Yes! Oconee County has dozens of waterfalls besides Riley Moore Falls.
Try and mark off as many of the Oconee County waterfalls as you can on your next trip!
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The late summer is the best time to visit Riley Moore Falls, thanks to the longer, warmer days in the South Carolina mountains.
The water stays chilly year-round, but that chill will be welcomed after the hike in 80 or 90 degree heat.
Definitely try the hike in other times of the year, but you likely won’t want to get into the water until the weather warms up.
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Even when we’ve been in the summer—definitely the most popular time to visit—we’ve only seen a handful of other people on the trail and at the swimming hole.
Riley Moore Falls is much less crowded than other waterfalls in the area, probably due to the lack of overall signage to the waterfall, and the 1 way road to the trailhead.
Explore more of Upstate South Carolina with this list of the best hikes near Greenville SC!
