Bald Rock Heritage Preserve
Want to elope in the mountains in South Carolina?
Even though South Carolina is mostly known for beaches, there’s a tiny little corner of the state that is known for mountains and waterfalls. Our tallest mountain is Sassafras Mountain, which is on the border with North Carolina, and is 3,554 feet high.
Highway 11, or the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, is an alternative to taking I-85 in South Carolina, starting and ending in the same places. The highway goes through the mountains in South Carolina, through Cherokee, Spartanburg, Greenville, Pickens, and Oconee Counties.
While there aren’t a lot of summits in South Carolina that are easy to access, there are plenty of places in South Carolina with mountain views. Here are some of my favorite spots!
Note: Take into account that certain weather conditions might affect how well you can see the scenery. Read more about cloudy days here.
Pretty Place Chapel
This is one of the most popular wedding venues in South Carolina and one of the biggest attractions in the upstate. Since planning for a visit to Pretty Place is a little more complex, it has its own blog post.
Caesars Head State Park
Lots of people come across this park on the way to or from Pretty Place Chapel. Caesars Head is one of two state parks in Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. It’s one of my favorites, with a beautiful view of the mountains to the west, and it gets its own blog post. This is also where you can read about Bald Rock Heritage Preserve and Wildcat Wayside, which are also part of Mountain Bridge Wilderness and right along the road if you’re coming from Greenville.
Table Rock State Park
This is where you can access the trailhead for Pinnacle Mountain, the tallest mountain that’s entirely in South Carolina. It’s also one of the end points of the 77-mile Foothills Trail. Even if you don’t hike at all, you can still get some of the best views of the mountains in South Carolina here, like in this photo taken at the visitor center. Read more about Table Rock here.
Devils Fork State Park
When people tell me they like mountains and water, I tell them that Devils Fork State Park is is the best place in South Carolina to see both. Devils Fork is the only public access point to Lake Jocassee, but there are houses along the lake to rent. Even though the views from the shore are amazing, it’s even better from a boat. You’ll be able to get closer to the mountains, and you’ll see some waterfalls that you can’t reach from any road or trail. Read more about Devils Fork here.
Red Horse Inn
This is in Landrum, one of the best places in Spartanburg County to see the mountains. If you elope here, you can have your own cottage, where your dogs can stay until it’s time to take pictures with them. I couldn’t believe this view when I walked up the stairs to the patio! See more from this elopement here.
View Point at Buckhorn Creek
The ceremony site here has a view of the mountains in the distance. It’s best for weddings under 100 people, and there’s no shortage of beautiful garden scenery. It’s also right down the road from Paris Mountain State Park, which is one of the best places in South Carolina to see fall colors.
Side note: Paris Mountain State Park does not have views of mountains or a view from a summit.
Ballenger Bridge
If you like mountains AND water, and you also want a rain plan, Ballenger Bridge is a great option for you! They offer packages for elopements and small weddings, and you can even stay in the AirBNB on their property! This is located in Landrum, about 45 minutes from downtown Greenville.
Lake Robinson
The mountains at Lake Robinson are smaller than the mountains at Lake Jocassee, but this lake is less remote. Lake Robinson is on the Greenville County side of Greer. This is just a few minutes away from Skylight Chapel, but it would also be a great secondary location if you’re eloping at Red Horse Inn or Campbell’s Covered Bridge.
Sassafras Mountain
South Carolina’s tallest peak is actually shared with North Carolina. There’s a dividing line at the observation platform, so you and your partner can stand in different states during your wedding ceremony! The drive to Sassafras is one of the windiest I’ve encountered in South Carolina, so I recommend driving a taller vehicle and taking motion sickness into consideration. On the plus side, there’s a 360-degree view from the observation deck, so sunrise and sunset both have their time to shine here.
Other places to see the mountains in South Carolina:
View from the overlook next to Pretty Place Chapel at sunrise
These are some places with mountains in South Carolina that I don’t have example photos of yet:
Chattooga Belle Farm (Oconee County)
Cliffs at Glassy Chapel (Greenville County)
Jumping Off Rock (Pickens County)
Hotel Domestique (Greenville County)
Song Hill Reserve (Greenville County)
Famoda Farm (Greenville County)
Caesars Head on a rainy day when the haze covered the view of the mountains
Thanks for reading about places to see the mountains in South Carolina! Check out some of the work I’ve done in the mountains of South Carolina, then read about my elopement and engagement photo services!
More from the Mountains of South Carolina
Ready for the best day ever?
Photo by Shehzad Ziaee
My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 48 of our state parks. We love finding new outdoor places to visit, but we also love hanging out on the couch and watching Pixar movies.
One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.
I can’t wait to meet you!
