American Travel Journal: Horseshoe Falls on Cedar Shoals Creek

Cedar Shoals Creek plunges 10 feet in a series of drops known as Horseshoe Falls. The waterfall is not named for its shape, but after a legendary 18th century blacksmith. Sergeant Galbraith "Horse-Shoe" Robinson is the main protagonist of the 1835 historical novel Horse-Shoe Robinson: A Tale of the Tory Ascendancy by John Pendleton Kennedy. Due to his trade as a blacksmith, the sergeant is nicknamed Horse-Shoe. Robinson was a Patriot and the legend is told that he hid in the small cave at the falls to spy on the Loyalists encamped across the Enoree River at Musgrove Mill. The legend continues that Mary Musgrove provided food and intelligence to Robinson who then relayed the information to Patriot militia leaders. There is no way to prove or disprove the legend, but it made a good story in 1835 and still does today.

I visited Musgrove Mill State Historic Site in late April 2017. The site is north of I-26 between the towns of Clinton and Cross Anchor, South Carolina. I provided driving directions and a synopsis of the Revolutionary War battle here.

To reach the falls from the visitor center on the south side of the Enoree River, drive out the park road to SC 56. Turn left (north) and drive 2.1 miles crossing the river on the way. Make a sharp left onto Horseshoe Falls Road. Drive south for 1.4 miles. A large gravel parking area is located on the right before the road crosses the pony truss bridge over Cedar Shoals Creek. The trailhead and two handicap parking spaces are located across Horseshoe Falls Road. The 500 foot concrete trail is ADA accessible and provides a view of the falls obstructed by trees. A dirt side path leads down to the creek.