Isaqueena Falls is a tiered waterfall on Cane Creek in Oconee County, South Carolina, dropping about 145 feet in Stumphouse Park just outside Walhalla. An observation deck a short, easy walk from the parking lot looks out over the upper tiers, and the park also holds the Stumphouse Tunnel.
The falls
Cane Creek slides down a series of horsetail tiers. Lidar measurements place the cumulative drop at about 145 feet in up to five steps, with a tallest drop of 60 feet: the upper tiers account for roughly 90 feet and two or three cascades below add about 50 more. Earlier surveys cited 98 feet, while common guides cite 100 feet and older agency estimates gave about 200.
Getting there
The falls are in Stumphouse Park, maintained by the City of Walhalla, on Stumphouse Tunnel Road about 4.3 miles northwest of town. The park charges $5 per vehicle and $15 per bus; annual passes are $50 for Oconee County residents and $60 for others, and other state or county passes aren't accepted. From the parking lot, an easy quarter-mile path leads to the observation deck.
When to go
The park is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in spring and summer and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in fall and winter.
On site
The observation deck provides the official viewpoint. A rough path continues down to the base, but park staff do not maintain it, warn of steep hazards, and discourage hikers from using it. In 2014 a hiker was critically injured and airlifted after a fall of about 20 feet at the falls. Leashed dogs are allowed; visitors must stay on marked trails and respect signed private property around the park.
History and name
The name comes from a local legend of Issaqueena, a Cherokee girl. Versions differ on whether her companion was an Oconee brave or a white trader or silversmith named Francis, and on whether the pair died at the falls or escaped onto a hidden ledge. The name is also spelled Issaqueena, and historical records cite Cateechee Falls as another name.
Nearby
Hidden Falls is about 5.3 miles away. Across the state line in Georgia, Dicks Creek Falls is about 8.3 miles away and Big Bend Falls, on the Chattooga River, about 10.2 miles; Bull Sluice, also on the Chattooga, is about 10.4 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.