Finding Hidden Falls in the Winter
I returned to Hidden Falls in the winter to see if the waterfall would be more spectacular than my first hike to this location in Oconee State Park.
I’ve been to Hidden Falls before, but I decided to give it another try, this time in the winter. The last time I took this 5.5 mile hike, the waterfall was a bit so-so, due to lack of water, so I was hoping to get a better view.
As is usual in the winter, with the foliage mostly gone, the trail was much more exposed. The views of the mountains were easier to see, and things were much less close. The downside (besides the temperature, which wasn’t really bad overall) was really the leaf cover over the trail. It may be colorful, or at least texturally interesting, but when you’re going down some inclines, they can make the trail a bit more treacherous than normal. I took a few slides, but luckily, did not lose my footing.
The falls were, indeed, much more interesting, with more water coming over the top. It’s still not the most spectacular waterfall, but it is still pretty, and there are nice places to sit and read, take pictures, or just enjoy the day.
I made sure on the way back to get a picture of the vista that you can see coming back up from the waterfall. In the high-foliage times, it’s harder to see valley and mountains beyond, but it’s a wonderful view.
