High Falls Trailhead – Dupont State Forest

Waterfall Stop no 1 on our hike, High Falls
Beautiful, Boyfriend and I stopped for a while to enjoy the moment and to take a few pics with the selfie stick (this was definitely his favorite part). Then we headed down the hill to hike towards High Falls base.
This is my second favorite waterfall in DuPont State Forest.

Hiked up to Triple Falls from this lot. A gorgeous park and trail. This area has a nice visitor center and restrooms.

This is a great place for family hiking. The paths are well maintained and wide and easy. Beautiful countryside, and nature.

I have a story I want to share involving this waterfall, so sit with me for a spell as I take you back to a very special hiking trip.
THE SCENE
I am a strong believer in helping others. We as a family are by no means rich, but we do what we can for people. ‘Silver and Gold I have not’, but caring for others doesn’t always involve the exchange of money. Your time, knowledge and resources can also be of great value.
A few years ago, a single mom with 4 children needed a place to stay and moved into our home. Shortly after they moved in we took a planned road trip to Greenville SC without them. Upon returning, they were very eager to hear all about the trip and view our pictures. Nature pics are awesome so there were lots of oooh’s and ahhh’s, but there was also a sadness I detected. I made up my mind in that moment to do two things:
1) scale back our vacationing during their 8-​month stay with us and
2) make sure those kids went on a similar adventure. So, the following weekend I made time to take the boys on a ‘guys only’ getaway.
I’ve been complimented in the past by fellow Unilocalers for being so active with my kids. But the real truth of the matter is simple. I usually don’t allow video games to travel with us (unless we will be in cold climates), so I have to be very creative in entertaining my children on a modest budget. Waterfalls and hiking are the perfect way to spend quality time as a family for little to no money. South & North Carolina have hundreds if not thousands of waterfalls within 3 hours drive of my home, so we take every opportunity we can to leave the city for weekend of healthy outdoor activity.
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THREE FALLS — ONE HIKE
The best part about visiting High Falls is the accessibility to two other waterfalls from the trailhead — Triple Falls and Hooker Falls. Although Triple Falls is about the same height, it’s size is spread out over three shelves while High Falls is one huge 125′ drop. The hike is short, (about 1.5 miles) with access steps leading to the base of the falls. My small group of boys spent a lot of time at the base climbing rocks and jumping from boulder to boulder pretending to be action heroes. It thrilled me to see them playing and using their imaginations instead of gathered around a video game.
If you have the time and energy, these three waterfalls are part of a larger 6 waterfall tour. I highly recommend continuing along the trail past High Falls to the covered bridge at the top of the falls. Riders frequently water their horses in the river that feeds the falls and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to pet them.
TIP: Continue a mile or so past the bridge to find a beautiful and serene mountain lake.
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THE EXPERIENCE
I got to be a weekend dad to these three boys and give them an adventure they may not have otherwise experienced. Along with my 11 year old, we spent all of Saturday and most of Sunday touring the mountains and forests surrounding the City of Greenville SC. We toured a total of 6 waterfalls, 7 points of interest and hiked about 9 miles of trails. Our base camp was Holiday Inn Express near Greenville, which allowed us to also spent time eating and having fun in the beautiful downtown district.
The smiles on their faces would have been enough for me, but my most heart felt moment came after we returned home. They were so excited to share this adventure with their mom that the conversation was barely understandable as they each spoke over the other about the trip. They told of the view from the highest point in South Carolina (Sassafras Mountain) as well as the old historic bridges we found like Poinsett bridge and Campbell’s covered bridge. Their mom’s eyes swelled with tears and it was indeed a moment I will not forget. Doing something to make another persons life better is a good feeling.
POINT OF MY STORY
This is not a tale of self promotion, it is a hope that through being open, others may be inspired to step out of their comfort zones.
Men, we’ve got to find time to ensure the next generation of men will be better than ourselves. So many of us look back and wish we’d had strong male guidance. If you know of a single mother with boys, make plans to give her a day or weekend free of kids and take her boys on an adventure. I don’t know of a single mother that wouldn’t be thrilled to have a man (she knows) step up and do this for her sons. It could be hiking, a baseball game, a fishing trip or even helping you build a shed. Showing them someone cares and creating a positive life experience will mean more than you or I will ever know in the long run.
Trail Location: Dupont State Forest
Roundtrip Length: 3.0 Miles
Total Elevation Gain: 340 feet
Waterfall Height: 125’
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