The Shamrock House
Sunset, South Carolina
814 Moorefield Memorial Hwy., Sunset, SC 29685
From Atlanta
(~ 3 hrs): Take I-85 North to Anderson, SC. Follow Hwy 178 North for approx 40 miles
From Charlotte
(~ 2.5 hrs): Take I-85 South to Anderson, SC. Follow Hwy 178 North for approx 40 miles
From Asheville
(~ 1 hr): Take I-26 South to Hwy 25 South, then right onto Hwy 11 (Cherokee Foothills Scenic Pkwy)
Things to Do
Relax and do nothing! Or, as an alternative, you could:
- Hike along The Foothills Trail; two access points are within a mile of the cabin.
- Visit Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. Follow Van Clayton Highway across Highway 178 from cabin, about 5 miles to parking lot and short walk, about 200 yards, to marker.
- More views: See for miles from Ceasar’s Head. Find peace at Pretty Place Chapel. Hike some awesome trails and find your spot at Table Rock State Park. You can make a wonderful day trip following this sequence of vista’s.
- Waterfalls: There’s an abundance of waterfalls to visit in both South and North Carolina, all within easy driving distance, so many that it would take several weeks to visit all of them. We try to keep waterfall maps and books in the cabins, or you will be able to find them at the Holly Springs Country Store or over in Brevard. Some waterfalls are just off various highways and most are but a short walk from a parking area.
- Take a short drive over to Transylvania County (known as the Land of Waterfalls). You’ll find breath-taking falls where you can sit in awe of nature’s beauty!
- Just down the road from the cabin is Twin Falls: Drive south down Hwy 178, turn right at Bob’s place, right again after the bridge over river, then right at the sign for the falls. You will cross the river again on a wooden bridge and follow the gravel road to the parking lot. It’s then a short walk (~1/4 mile) to Twin Falls (aka Reedy Cove Falls). It is well worth the drive and walk.
- Swimming: Swim in Rocky Bottom creek, the lakes, or scores of other natural swimming holes and waterfalls close by. The very popular Sliding Rock is about 40 minutes from The Shamrock House and is great fun for adults and kids!
- Biking: Dupont State Park (about 30 minutes away) is home to miles and miles of off-road mountain biking adventures for all skill levels. If you’re a roadie, try your legs on the twists, turns, climbs, and descents of Hwy 178.
- Fishing: Try Rocky Bottom creek along the edge of our property (not our trout pond!), or other nearby trout streams. For serious trout fishermen, the Davison River (over the hill just past Brevard) is considered by many to be one of the worlds best native trout streams. Lake Jocassee has record sized trout and good small mouth bass fishing. Lake Keowee is known for its large mouth bass fishing.
- Hunting: Close access to large and small game hunting in the Jocassee Gorges Wilderness. The Laurel Valley access point is less than two miles from cabin. Check with the DNR for permitting/access before your visit.
- Golf: Follow Highway 178 to riding stables just before Highway 11 to the Rock, a picturesque mountain golf course with a spectacular waterfall on one of its holes.
- Bob’s Place: Unfortunately, Bob’s Place burned down in the summer of 2017 due to an unhappy patron. It was the oldest continuously operating beer joint in South Carolina. It looked rough but Mrs. Johnson, the proprietor, is a delight. Bob’s was the primary location used for the filming of the award winning film, The Long Journey Home, a Big Foot Movie. Mrs. Johnson and her patrons made up most of the cast of characters. As of this writing, the family is planning to rebuild.
- Dining: Several fine dining establishments can be found in Brevard. The Jordan Street Café, The Falls Landing, Hob Nob Restaurant and Dugan’s Pub are all worth the drive. You can enjoy a good country breakfast or lunch at the Holly Springs store at the intersection of Hwy 178 & 11 or further on up Hwy 11, near Table Rock at Aunt Sue’s.
- Brevard: There is always something to do in Brevard and it is a fun place to visit and shop. The easiest way to get there is to follow Highway 178 to Rosman and Highway 64 to Brevard.
- Blue Ridge Parkway: The premier scenic parkway East of the Mississippi. An enjoyable day trip is to follow Highway 178 thru Rosman, turn left on Highway 64, then right on Highway 215 up through Balsam Grove to the parkway. At that point you could go left toward Cherokee and the Great Smoky Mountains, right toward Ashville or continue straight over the mountain to Waynesville, have lunch, shop and then travel back over the mountain to Brevard and back to the cabin.
- Moonshining: There are several distillers of high quality shine alleged to operate in the area; however we are not permitted to give out their names (and most especially their product). Sorry about that!
