You’ll Find a Challenging Hike and a Gorgeous Waterfall at Little Bradley Falls


Looking for an adventure including a good hike and a breathtaking waterfall? KAG Contributor Liene has the scoop on Little Bradley Falls in Saluda, North Carolina. Due to lack of signs and the degree of difficulty, the Little Bradley Falls and (Big) Bradley Falls hikes are usually left to those ‘in the know’; however, judging by the amount of traffic on Liene’s visit, these gorgeous waterfall hikes have been discovered and are quickly gaining popularity as short, but challenging and rewarding hikes in western North Carolina.

As of July 2022, the trail to Little Bradley Falls is closed to the public for maintenance.

Little Bradley Falls Feature

This article was originally published on Femme au Foyer as “Little Bradley Falls in Saluda, NC“.

For more amazing waterfalls, don’t miss Waterfalls of the Southeast. We have waterfall hikes in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee.

What to expect at Little Bradley Falls

The Green River Game Lands are a relatively undisturbed wilderness area containing narrow gorges, steep ravines, coves, old-growth & mixed hardwood forests, and are managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. The area is named after the Green River, which runs through a rugged gorge on the Blue Ridge escarpment, at one point dropping 400 feet in 1 ½ miles through a six-foot wide crevice known as “the Narrows.” Cove Creek, which originates near Saluda (and Pearson’s Falls) flows north and into the Green River, but first flows under I-26 and over two waterfalls, Little Bradley and Bradley Falls.

Parking and the Trail to Little Bradley Falls

To reach the falls, hikers can park at a gravel pull-off on State Road 1142 (also known as Holbert Cove Road), which is a hair over three miles from exit 59 on I-26. There are no signs, but the trail for Bradley Falls departs to the north from the parking area, while the hike to Little Bradley starts on the opposite side of the road, across the bridge on the east side of Cove Creek.

Hikers must immediately climb a steep section of trail away from the creek; the second trail that leads alongside the creek is a popular wading and picnic area, and although you can plainly see where hikers have attempted to reach the trail up the steep mountainside, there is consequently significant erosion and damage. It’s simple – follow the red blazes in the two or three places that the trail splits, and you’ll reach the falls.

The boys love this hike as there are several creek crossings, making water shoes a good idea if taking off/putting shoes back on or attempting to rock-hop isn’t your idea of fun. But these crossings and a couple rather dicey sections of trail also bring the degree of difficulty up to moderate, meaning that the older boys require assistance in several spots and my youngest spends time in the backpack carrier.

The trail ends upon reaching Little Bradley Falls; you’ll know you’re close when you pass the old chimney ruins. The 35-foot, triple-tiered waterfall feeds into a large pool at the bottom, perfect for wading and cooling off on a hot summer day.

Exercise extreme caution on the slippery boulders, and don’t attempt to climb to the top of the falls; just as with most other scenic falls in the area, dozens of people have been injured, and even killed in their attempt to photograph and explore the treacherous terrain. On our visit a professional rappelling team was practicing waterfall rescue operations up and down the side of the waterfall, and just this May a 20-year-old man fell about 50 feet from the top of Bradley Falls and ended up in the hospital in critical condition.

We retraced our steps to the bridge on Holbert Cove Road completing this 2-mile hike. On our way to the car I stared down the trail that leads to Bradley Falls. Although I long for the day that I’ll be able to hike the 1.5 mile there-and-back to the 100 footfalls, I realize that it might still be some years before the boys can join me, due to the 30-foot rappel to reach the base of the waterfall. Until then, I’ll be more than happy with Little Bradley Falls! We reached the car, grabbed our lunch, and spent another hour in Cove Creek wading, splashing and catching crawdads before heading into Saluda for ice cream on Main Street. Summer in the Blue Ridge Mountains doesn’t get much better than this!

Plan your own trip to Little Bradley Falls

Little Bradley Falls
Holbert Cove Road, Saluda, NC

Read the original article on my personal blog Femme au Foyer as “Little Bradley Falls in Saluda, NC“.

See the video tour of the hike.

Could your kids handle the challenge at Little Bradley Falls?

About the Author
Mother of four young boys, Liene is constantly on the move since returning to Greenville in 2012. Whether she’s exploring the state parks and natural areas of the Carolinas or teaming up with other moms to organize activities for the kids, she’s always searching for the next adventure in the Upstate. For everything from hiking, travel, cooking and crafts to multicultural & global education posts, visit her blog, http://FemmeauFoyer2011.blogspot.com.

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