The newest tourist destination in Pickens County (and the Upstate, for that matter), is an 11-foot-tall observation tower on top of South Carolina’s highest mountain peak and you’re going to want to check it out.
Perched right on the highest point of Sassafras Mountain (elevation: 3,553), the new observation tower offers visitors unobstructed 360-degree views that stretch for 30-50 miles, depending on weather conditions. On a good day, visitors can see four states: South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia.
Unlike the old viewing platform at Sassafras, the new digs have a mobility-impaired ramp that extends from the parking lot all the way to (and including) the tower's huge platform.
Speaking of the platform: it's 44 feet in diameter and with a giant compass in the middle it gives visitors a definite idea of where things are in the field of vision.
Years ago, after the North Carolina former congressman who owned the North Carolina side of the mountain sold 8,000 acres to The Conservation Fund, the Fund then donated 4.8 acres at the top of the mountain to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (the overseer of the new tower attraction).
Once you reach the top of the tower, it's obvious where the state line crosses right through the center. Most visitors pick a side, while others enjoy having one foot in the North and another in the South of the Carolinas.
This new tourist spot in Pickens County is picking up some steam as the best mountaintop view in all of South Carolina. A few trails that pass over the top of the mountain can be seen/accessed from the Tower area, including the more than 70-mile Foothills Trail.
The new Tower park at the top of Sassafras Mountain currently has restroom facilities available in the parking area. Reportedly, plans are in the works to create more trails, add picnic tables, and even a picnic shelter. The tower is open from sunrise to just past sunset.
When it comes to views in South Carolina, from the mountains to the sea, you’ll find some outstanding landscapes and waterscapes with overlooks that place you in a prime position for the best views. We love the new Sassafras Tower overlook! Have you explored it yet?
Address: 1399 F. Van Clayton Memorial Highway, Sunset, SC, 29685
