Cooling off on a warm day in the Palmetto State isn't always easy to accomplish, unless you elect to stay indoors with the air conditioner turned way down. However, there are places to get outside and play in the sun while still cooling off, including a dreamy swimming hole located a mere one-tenth of a mile from the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway.

Long Shoals Wayside Park is a favorite for locals in and around Pickens.

The fun, and sometimes busy, swimming hole is located at a small roadside park that you'd probably drive right on by if you didn't know about this secret swimming hole awaiting at the bottom of the one trail in the park.

At the top of the trail, you'll find a clear marker indicating which direction you should head to get to Little Eastatoe Creek.

And that's precisely where you'll find this awesome swimming hole. The start of the trail begins on the edge of the parking area, where you'll also find the only vault toilets for this little park. Pop onto the trail and be prepared to go down some stairs and walk a short one-tenth of a mile to get to the creek.

This stretch of Little Eastatoe Creek contains a shoal (a long shoal, in fact), where the water pushes gracefully over a very long and smooth rocky shoal.

In this aerial image, you'll see the shoal is an impressive length. Along its surface are indents that get filled with water, creating a series of swimming holes perfect for enjoying the cool waters of Little Eastatoe Creek on a hot day.

The creek's natural rocky shores create an ideal place to set up a base camp for the family.

Just remember to take everything with you when you leave. South Carolinians are very serious about keeping our natural wonders as pristine as possible, and you'll want to follow suit when you see just how amazing this secret little spot is.

Most visitors end up using the natural waterslide at Long Shoals Wayside Park.

Some choose to go down without a raft. But we recommend you bring a tube along for maximum speed and a little extra padding as you pass over the slippery, but hard surface.

You can also use your tube to float in the shallows and enjoy soaking up some warmth from the sun on a cooler day.

When you're ready to check out this hidden spot for yourself, you'll likely be making some new friends. It seems when the temps rise in South Carolina, everyone wants to get in on the action when there's a free, natural water slide involved!

The hike down to the swimming hole at Long Shoals Wayside Park is approximately 1/10 mile. Part of the trail follows a wide path, and part of the trail involves a long set of stairs. Come prepared to carry items for a short distance as you make your way to this fun natural swimming pool.

Long Shoals Wayside Park is a free swimming hole in South Carolina located along the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway near Pickens. Click here for a Google map to the precise location.

GPS Coordinates / Address: 34.9481392,-82.8521048