Raven Cliff Falls is a 345-foot tiered waterfall on Matthews Creek in Caesars Head State Park, Greenville County, South Carolina, spilling off the Blue Ridge Escarpment into a wooded gorge. The walk to its viewing platform is a favorite hike at Caesars Head.
The falls
Matthews Creek drops in six steps, the tallest about 80 feet, down a long cliff face. A lidar measurement puts the total at about 345 feet; earlier surveys listed 320 feet, and the park and many guides give 400 to 420 feet.
Getting there
The trailhead is on US 276 about a mile north of the Caesars Head visitor center, with parking on the opposite side of the highway; there is no roadside parking. The trail drops steeply for the first quarter mile, runs mostly level through the forest, then descends again for the last three-quarters of a mile to a shelter and the observation platform facing the falls: 2.2 miles each way, rated moderate. A longer loop via the Gum Gap and Foothills trails leads to a suspension bridge over the creek just above the falls.
Park admission is $3 for adults, $1.50 for South Carolina seniors and $1 for ages 6 to 15; under 6 is free. The park is open from 9 am to 6 pm, until sunset during daylight saving time, and trails close an hour before dark.
When to go
The falls are fullest in spring and after rain. From September through November the park runs its Hawk Watch, when thousands of migrating hawks pass Caesars Head, and fall color peaks; parking often fills on October and November weekends, so weekdays are easier.
On site
The platform gives a distant view across the gorge; the creek and cliffs around the falls are steep and slippery, and people who left the trail have needed rescue, including an injured hiker carried out by helicopter in 2021. Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
History and name
Caesars Head State Park covers 7,467 acres, assembled by the state between 1976 and 1986. The headland itself was most probably named for an early mountaineer's dog.
Nearby
Slicking Falls is about 3.2 miles away, and Rainbow Falls about 4.6 miles.
Distances are straight-line.