Rainbow Falls is a 165-foot plunge waterfall on Cox Camp Creek in Greenville County, South Carolina. It stands on YMCA Camp Greenville property but is reached by trail from Jones Gap State Park, in the Blue Ridge mountains.
The falls
Cox Camp Creek pours over the cliff in a single drop. The World Waterfall Database gives about 165 feet based on lidar data. A separate measurement describes a 120-foot wall of water. The cliff is streaked black and tan by alternating layers of amphibolite gneiss, granitic gneiss and mica schist.
Getting there
The hike starts at Jones Gap State Park on the blue-blazed Jones Gap Trail, then turns onto the red-blazed Rainbow Falls Trail. The route is a 2.2-mile, 1,200-foot climb to the base of the falls, rated strenuous. The falls are on private YMCA Camp Greenville land, with access through the state park.
Admission is $6 for adults, $3.75 for South Carolina seniors, $3.50 for ages 6–15, and free for younger children. The park is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., until 8 p.m. during daylight saving time, and trails close one hour before dark. Hikers must fill out a registration card at the trailhead. Parking reservations guarantee entry on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; roadside parking is prohibited. As of September 2026 all official trails in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness are open.
When to go
The park warns of heavy visitation and limited parking in October and November. A photographer who visited in May 2010 reached the falls before sunlight crossed the ridge and found an early arrival worthwhile.
On site
The trail ends at the base of the falls, which is soaked by spray. The park classifies its wilderness trails as advanced. Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet.
History and name
The Jones Gap Trail follows the route of Solomon Jones's toll road, used from the 1850s until 1925. The origin of the falls' name isn't documented.
Nearby
Big Falls is about 2.9 miles away, Bridal Veil Falls about 3.6 miles across the North Carolina line, and Raven Cliff Falls about 4.6 miles.
Distances are straight-line.