The best hidden gem waterfalls in South Carolina are Kings Creek Falls, Rainbow Falls, Gordons Mill Falls and 2 more. Highly rated falls that few people review: 4.6 stars or better from 75 or fewer Google reviews.
See every waterfall on the South Carolina waterfalls page or the South Carolina waterfall map, or browse by town: Walhalla, Slater-Marietta, Clinton.
How we picked: We took the 5 publicly accessible South Carolina waterfalls rated 4.6 stars or higher on Google by between 5 and 75 reviewers, then ranked them by a weighted rating that gives more credit to ratings backed by more reviews.
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1. Kings Creek Falls
Kings Creek Falls near Walhalla takes the top spot, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 68 reviews.
Oconee County, SC 29664 (GPS 34.9662, -83.1113)
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Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 68 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 366 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Walhalla, about 14 miles to the south. The nearest other named waterfall is Spoonauger Falls, about 0.6 miles to the north.
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2. Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls, near Slater-Marietta, is next up, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 51 reviews.
Greenville County, SC 29635 (GPS 35.1346, -82.5882)
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Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 51 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 208 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Slater-Marietta, about 8.8 miles to the southeast. The nearest other named waterfall is Bridal Veil Falls, about 3.5 miles to the northwest.
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3. Gordons Mill Falls
Gordons Mill Falls, near Clinton, is next up, rated 4.9 out of 5 from 9 reviews.
Laurens County, SC 29325 (GPS 34.5935, -81.8548)
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Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 9 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 16 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Clinton, about 8.5 miles to the south. The nearest other named waterfall is Hendricks Falls, about 15.7 miles to the east.
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4. Spoonauger Falls
Head to Spoonauger Falls near Walhalla, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 23 reviews.
Oconee County, SC 29664 (GPS 34.9745, -83.1096)
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Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 23 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 123 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Walhalla, about 15 miles to the south. The nearest other named waterfall is Kings Creek Falls, about 0.6 miles to the south.
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5. Raven Cliff Falls
Raven Cliff Falls near Slater-Marietta rounds out this stretch of the list, rated 4.7 out of 5 from 67 reviews.
Greenville County, SC 29635 (GPS 35.1057, -82.6610)
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Visitors rate it 4.7 stars across 67 Google reviews. Visitors have shared 1,973 photos of it on Google Maps. The nearest town is Slater-Marietta, about 11 miles to the southeast. The nearest other named waterfall is Slicking Falls, about 3.2 miles to the southwest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best hidden gem waterfall in South Carolina?
Kings Creek Falls tops our 2026 list. Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 68 Google reviews. It is near Walhalla in Oconee County.
How many hidden gem waterfalls are in South Carolina?
5 of the 27 waterfalls we track in South Carolina qualify. This page ranks the top 5; every waterfall in the state is on the South Carolina waterfalls page.
How was this list made?
We took the 5 publicly accessible South Carolina waterfalls rated 4.6 stars or higher on Google by between 5 and 75 reviewers, then ranked them by a weighted rating that gives more credit to ratings backed by more reviews.
Which counties are they in?
The 5 on this list are in Oconee County, Greenville County, and Laurens County.
More South Carolina Waterfalls by Type
- 7 Best Historic Waterfalls in South Carolina 2026
- 5 Best Waterfall Hiking Locations in South Carolina
- 10 Most Beautiful Waterfalls in South Carolina
- 5 Most Visited Waterfalls in South Carolina
- 5 Must-See Waterfalls in South Carolina
Or browse every type on the hidden gem waterfalls by state page and the waterfall types hub.