10 Country Roads In South Carolina That Are Pure Bliss In The Fall

Autumn in South Carolina. Oh the colors and the smell of drying leaves and cooler crisp air! Yes, please. I'll take all of the above. A great way to experience some or even all of those things is to take a drive on a scenic road during the fall season. Here are some great suggestions for roads to travel in fall in the Palmetto State.

1. Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway, a.k.a. SC-11

Get deep into fall foliage along the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway in the upstate. This 112-mile national scenic byway drives right past Table Rock State Park, among other scenic places of interest. Directions.

2. Edisto Island National Scenic Byway

The last 16.8 miles of SC-174 heading to Edisto Beach may not dole out a vivid leaf-changing landscape, but there's no better time to enjoy this ride with the top or windows down than in the fall. The air is cooler, it's less humid and the salty breeze is amazing! Nice. Directions.

3. Savannah River Scenic Byway

The 110-mile beautiful Savannah River Scenic Byway begins just northwest of Interstate 85 in the upstate and runs basically parallel to the Savannah River nearly all the way to Interstate 20. You'll travel through the small towns of Iva, McCormick and Calhoun Falls, to name just a few. You could call this the "small town scenic byway" and the name would fit. You'll also pass by Calhoun Falls State Park (shown here) near the town of Calhoun Falls. Directions.

4. Ashley River Road National Scenic Byway

In the South Carolina Lowcountry, fall is more a state of mind than a colorful foliage thing. Still, a fall drive on Ashley River Road yields plenty of eye candy, including big moss-covered oaks seen here at Middleton Plantation. Directions.

5. Cowpens National Battlefield Scenic Byway

Highway 110 is nine miles of pure color in the fall. It runs from the Town of Cowpens north to the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway. Along the way, you'll find a nice stopover at Cowpens National Battlefield. You'll find a map here.

6. Falling Waters Scenic Byway

Just north of Walhalla, SC is the start of SC-107, also known as Falling Waters Scenic Byway. It's mostly rural and passes through Oconee State Park, shown here. It's 13 miles long and features many trails and activities along the way. You'll find a map here.

7. Old Sheldon Church Road Scenic Byway

Old Sheldon Church Road is lined with mature oak trees covered in dangling spanish moss. The grounds of the Old Sheldon Church ruins are adorned with the same. In the fall, you get a different almost empty feeling after the leaves fall from the oaks in what seems like an overnight transformation, leaving only the moss on their winter skeletons. Autumn is definitely a great season to take a drive on Old Sheldon Church Road Scenic Byway! You'll find a map here.

8. Western York Scenic Byway

This beautiful 66-mile journey carries you through downtown York and into Historic Brattonsville. You'll find a map here.

9. Plantersville Scenic Byway

The newest addition to the South Carolina Scenic Byway family is this 12 mile scenic road in upper Georgetown County. Aside from the sheer bliss of taking a scenic drive without stoplights, there are some very interesting things to see along this route. You'll find a map here.

10. May River Scenic Byway

Take the May River Scenic Byway through South Carolina's Lowcountry from Bluffton, located along the May River, to Brighton Beach. This beautiful drive winds through some gorgeous marsh and water views so have your camera on the ready. You'll find a map here

Fall is the perfect time in South Carolina to take a drive in the country. We're blessed to have so many options in the Palmetto State.

If you love fall, then you'll love the South Carolina Fall Foliage Road Trip!