Caesars Head State Park
Fast facts
- Setting: part of the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area with Jones Gap State Park
- Overlook: Caesars Head, a granite outcrop on the Blue Ridge Escarpment
- Waterfall: Raven Cliff Falls, about 420 feet (128 m)
- Overnight: primitive backcountry campsites
- Gateway: Greenville and Cleveland
- Managed by: South Carolina State Parks
The landscape
Caesars Head sits where the Blue Ridge Mountains drop sharply to the Piedmont, with granite cliffs, deep river gorges and waterfalls. The overlook gives views across the escarpment and, in fall, a front-row seat for thousands of migrating hawks. Hardwood and hemlock forest covers the slopes. Black bears, peregrine falcons and many salamanders live here.
Best time to go
Fall brings colour and hawk migration, peaking in late September. Spring brings wildflowers and strong waterfalls. Summer is warm; winter is quiet.
Getting there and around
US 276 climbs to the overlook and visitor area. Trailheads lead into the Mountain Bridge Wilderness toward Raven Cliff Falls and connect with Jones Gap State Park below.
Things to do
The Raven Cliff Falls trail leads to a view of the falls and a suspension bridge above them. Longer routes cross the wilderness to Jones Gap, and backpackers use primitive backcountry campsites. Hawk watching at the overlook is a fall tradition.
Staying safe
Stay behind barriers at the overlook and away from the edges of falls. Trails are steep and rocky, and hiking is at your own risk; trails close an hour before sunset, so plan to be out in time. Store food from bears, watch for snakes, and leave a trip plan.
Know before you go
This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm current conditions and permits with South Carolina State Parks before you go.
- Coordinates
- 35.1063, -82.6261
- Magnetic declination
- 6.9° W (2026)
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass
A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.
Getting there 2
Park entrances
On the trail 2
Routes
Sights 17
Viewpoint
Waterfalls
Point of interest
Peak
Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).
Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →
- Best seasons
- Spring, Fall (foliage and hawk migration), Winter
- Difficulty
- Moderate to strenuous
- Access / trailheads
- US Highway 276 north of Greenville, near the North Carolina line.
- Water
- Streams; treat all water.
- Cell / satellite coverage
- Fair at the overlook, patchy on trails.
- Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
- Emergencies: 911.
- Permits & regulations
- Backcountry campsites are by permit only; register before heading out. Trails close one hour before sunset.
- Leave No Trace
- Stay behind barriers at cliffs and falls, camp only at permitted sites, and pack out all waste.
January
- Below-freezing nights
February
- Below-freezing nights
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October This month
November
December
- Below-freezing nights
What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.
Plan a trip here →Averages for 1991–2020 from NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, measured at the Caesars Head station at 3,200 feet (975 m)975 m (3,200 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.
Nearby parks
-
Jones Gap State Park
A deep mountain cove on the Middle Saluda River, with Rainbow Falls and trails into the Mountain Bridge Wilderness.
-
Table Rock State Park
A granite dome above the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, with a tough summit climb and the 76-mile (122 km) Foothills Trail.
-
Gorges State Park
Temperate rainforest on the Blue Ridge Escarpment, with 26 waterfalls, deep river gorges and the Foothills Trail.
-
Tallulah Gorge State Park
A gorge two miles (3 km) long and nearly 1,000 feet (300 m) deep in the north Georgia mountains, with rim overlooks, a suspension bridge and a permit hike to the floor.
Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.
Looking for somewhere closer to home?
See every park and monument within a day’s drive of where you are.