Bust Your Butt Falls: The Mountain Waterslide Worth the Drive
Just outside Highlands, North Carolina, Bust Your Butt Falls is a natural waterslide, swimming hole, and one of the most popular summer destinations in the Southern Appalachians.
Just outside Highlands, North Carolina, Bust Your Butt Falls is a natural waterslide, swimming hole, and one of the most popular summer destinations in the Southern Appalachians.
The drive between Cashiers and Franklin may be only 12 miles long, but it passes through one of the most beautiful mountain gorges in North Carolina. Discover waterfalls, swimming holes, scenic overlooks, and the rushing waters of the Cullasaja River along this unforgettable stretch of Highway 64.
Discover one of the most unique waterfalls in the Southeast. Located near Highlands, North Carolina, Bridal Veil Falls allows visitors to walk behind the cascading water without a hike. This scenic roadside stop is a perfect addition to any mountain adventure and one of the region’s most memorable hidden gems.
Discover one of Pickens County’s most overlooked scenic destinations. Glassy Mountain offers sweeping Upstate views, a unique granite summit, rich local history, and a family-friendly Kids in Parks TRACK Trail adventure that makes exploring nature fun for all ages.
Passport to Pickens is entering its final days before the June 15 deadline. Explore 48 local businesses, collect stamps, support small businesses, and enter for a chance to win a $500 shopping certificate, gift cards, gift baskets, and more.
Long days, hard work, and strong faith shaped everyday life for the families who called these mountains home. Many balanced mill jobs with farming, built homes with their own hands, raised large gardens, and relied on neighbors when times were tough. From gravel roads and country churches to front porches where stories were shared at sunset, life moved at a different pace. Take a step back in time and discover how a generation of hardworking South Carolinians helped build the communities we know today.
Some of the most beautiful views in the South Carolina foothills happen before sunrise. Discover where to find the best morning fog around Table Rock and Pumpkintown, learn why these magical conditions form, and explore scenic overlooks, quiet backroads, and hidden valleys where mist-filled landscapes create unforgettable sunrise experiences. Whether you’re a photographer, hiker, or simply an early riser, these peaceful mornings reveal a side of the Upstate that many visitors never see.
Before Lake Keowee became one of South Carolina’s most beautiful lakes, the valley below was home to Cherokee towns, frontier history, family farms, and generations of local residents. Discover the forgotten world that still rests beneath the water.
Founded by formerly enslaved families in 1865, Soapstone Baptist Church and the historic Liberia Community preserve one of the most remarkable stories in Upstate South Carolina. Discover the church, schoolhouse, cemeteries, and legacy hidden near Table Rock and Highway 11.
Before Lake Jocassee covered the valley with deep blue water, four wild mountain rivers joined together to create the Keowee River. Discover the waterfalls, communities, farms, and natural wonders that once filled the lost Jocassee Valley beneath the lake.