Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 14.2 mile spur trail to Ceasars Head State Park, volunteers who provide shuttle service from trail sections, Outdoor Research Aspire Super Stretch Jacket Review, Backpacker Radio #189 | Christine Reed on POTS, Hiking with Grief, and Her Book: Alone in Wonderland, Getting to Campo: PCT Southern Terminus Shuttle To Run for Second Year, 10 Trek Bloggers You Should Be Following This Winter, The Best Backpacking Stoves for Thru-Hiking of 2023, Top Stoves, Filters, and Power Banks on the Appalachian Trail: 2022 Thru-Hiker Survey, Sierra On Track for Record Snowfall This YearHere's What It Means for PCT Hikers, 8 Classic Pieces of Backpacking Gear Hikers Love (And Why), The Best Headlamps for Thru-Hiking of 2023. Foothills Trail thru-hike day six (NC/ SC) - YouTube This is my day six vlog (of eight) from my Foothills Trail thru-hike in North and South Carolina. As a result, the web page can not be displayed. Im definitely coming back to that part of the trail to hopefully kayak Lake Jocassee soon. Hikers can expect to find blue line trout waters, suspension bridges, wildflowers, and star-filled nights from peaceful campsites which are numerous enough to . Overall, south/westbound hikers (SWOBOs?) Your IP: We reached the end of the section by 5:30 PM. The Foothills Trail Conservancy website lists local shuttle services. 54.36.118.98 The Trail joins the Chattooga River Trail at mile 10.6 and winds along the Chattooga Rivers sandy beaches for miles. Its a great trail! 4/8-10/22. On our first day we hiked 8.1 miles and completed the first two sections and made camp shortly past Nicholson Road. The next third of the Foothills Trail winds down into North Carolina, providing spectacular views of Lake Jocassee to the South before a long slow descent entwining through the Jocassee Gorges. I am considering running the entire trial over three days. Thankfully volunteers have put steps into the dirt and rock to enable hikers to negotiate the steep trail. Good views at spots along the trail as well. Foothills Trail Conservancy Sassafras Mountain, South Carolina's highest peak, Obeservation Tower atop Sassafras Mountain, For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. Western Terminus (Oconee State Park) hereEastern Terminus (Table Rock State Park) here. What I had failed to realize it that the next mile of the trail is know as Heart Break Ridge. We parked the truck at a red gate and began hiking down the service road. Absolutely beautiful with all the waterfalls.But you earn the views. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 8 h 58 min to complete. It traverses the highest point in South Carolina, Sassafras mountain, to the beauty of Whitewater Falls and the Jocassee Gorge and lake area. The Foothills Trail is a 76-mile point-to-point hike in the Appalachian Mountains of western South Carolina best hiked in fall, winter, or spring. Below is more information about our experience. Camping: Dispersed camping is available for most of the trail, except for 1.7 miles along the Whitewater River on Duke Energy property. I had many great campsites along the trail but this one would prove to be the best. Think of this as a heatmap, more rides = more kinetic energy = warmer colors. Thru hiked with a buddy and my dog. Some shuttle drivers also will do food drops for a fee. Head West on The Foothills Trail towards Lake Jocassee. There I set up camp. We were on the trail by 8:05, not bad! more. There is abundant wildlife and hikers have a good chance of seeing deer, snakes, toads, frogs, raccoons, waterfowl, raptors, and more. Our family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers did these sections over 2 days. Since we only had about 3.5 miles left to camp, we lounged around after eating basking in the warm sun. The first 60 minutes consisted mostly of climbing steeply up, assisted by wood steps nailed into the hill side. The afternoon left me completely exhausted. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. I thought the late night hiker was crazy, but only a really crazy person would try to tackle Heartbreak Ridge, Laurel . The trail is well-marked and well-graded. So beautiful! On top of Heartbreak Ridge, we heard 4 large birds . Navigation: The trail is well-marked with white blazes and easily navigable, though as always, you can get off track if you arent paying attention. The trail is blazed and is normally hiked in 10 days. It was breathtaking to be able to turn all the way around and see the smoky mist below me in every direction. PARKING (Laurel Valley Parking Area) - From the intersection of US 178 and SC 11, drive north on US 178 to the bridge over Eastatoe Creek (approximately one mile past the community of Rocky Bottom). The Foothills Trail proper ends at Table Rock State Park, about ten miles from Sassafras Mountain. Heartbreak's tread is narrow, and often constricted even more by Laurel and Rhododendron encroaching into the corridor. Insects can be troublesome, especially mosquitoes and biting flies in warmer months. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. This trail is awesome . It was a great trip. The trail goes between Table Rock State Park and Oconee State Park. Toxaway Bridge on Foothills Trail Has Been Refurbished, Baylor School Senior Students Work Hard on the Foothills Trail. The last 2.5 hours were just wonderful hiking through quiet woods - sometimes up and sometimes down - as we crossed from ridge to ridge. gain about 10,000 feet (the Foothills Trail Conservancy does not offer exact totals; approximations are based on an overall elevation profile). Bears frequent these mountain areas, so its important to bring and adequately hang a bear bag, or use an Ursack setup. Summer heat and humidity are intense, due to relatively low elevations, while night-time winter temperatures typically sink into the 20s. I can usually will myself to keep going but not in this case. This was really the only section that had a few technical parts. Oconee State Park is about two hours from both cities. In fact, its not unlike a condensed version of the southern Appalachian Trail, and many prospective hikers have tackled the Foothills Trail as a shakedown for a future AT hike. Perhaps it was because we were hiking West to East, but it turned out to be not nearly as bad as we were expecting. Trail is well maintained - thanks. Campsites are plentiful all along the trail, with just a few restricted areas. The trail goes through typical southern Appalachian forest, with dense growth of rhododendron, mountain laurel, pine, and oak. Hard to find online is specific locations of good water stops. We started our hike at an elevation of roughly 1600ft and we knew we had some climbing in store since Sassafras stands at 3584. PO Box 3041 The Foothills Trail - A 76-mile journey into the wilderness The Foothills Trail is a 76 mile long collection of trails that run through 3 state parks, through North and South Carolina, and within view of the Georgia border. Photos (139) Directions. Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around South Carolina. A footbridge across the Horsepasture River on the Foothills Trail. The suspension bridge was amazing! Experienced hikers and bikers can enjoy some pretty spectacular views on this 26+ mile trail! I was sad to see the simple existence I had while in the woods coming to an end but at the same time I was excited to be accomplishing this thru-hike and going home to see my wife. Check out more trails in the Asheville area here. We would maintain about a 2.5 mile per hour pace for the day. I have participated for the last 4 years great event!! I had planned on making camp for the evening along the spur trail below Grassy Knob that led to 281, but there was too much snow on the ground. Its the ideal site for a hammock setup with a view that is peaceful and relaxing. Really cool to se that engineering out in the wilderness and seamlessly blend it in. The Foothills Trail is a fun, challenging traipse through classic southern Appalachian terrain. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. The Foothills Trail Conference Divides the trail into thirteenaccessible sections. Great camping areas. I hiked solo from Maine to Georgia in 2014 and from Denver to Durango in 2015. We had reached Burrells Ford by 1pm and pushed on towards Fish Hatchery Road. Check out the Foothills Trail, we're sure you'll love it. Tougher than expected but had a great time. To learn more, please visit the About This Site page. The trail epitomizes the green tunnel phenomenon, but that just makes its periodic panoramic views even more rewarding. While there are often more people around features such as Whitewater Falls and Lake Jocassee, hikers will find plenty of solitude on most of the trail, including quiet, secluded campsites. Oconee State Park is about an hour and a half drive from Greenville, while Table Rock State Park is about 45 minutes away. Additional one mile loop, "Last of the Mohicans" and "Hunt for Red October" were filmed along the shores of this picturesque lake. The steps are so long that in the middle there is a bench for folks to rest before they tackle the remainder of the climb. Additional Bridge over Whitewater River now complete! Elevation is 3,165, Mail me If you are approaching this parking area from the North, it is 8.5 miles south of the junction of US 64 and NC 281 in Sapphire, North Carolina. Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. Trailhead begins inside the Old Fort Picnic Area with incredible views of Kitsuma Peak at trail end. Trail. This was an awesome site and from atop the giant rocks we could see for miles and got the privilege of watching a beautiful sunset. Oh, and theres the little matter of more than 500 steep steps up Heartbreak Ridge as you leave Lake Jocassee. If not, then I will assess what my body tells me it will do. I was very impressed by the size and power of this waterfall! Check out this 19.1-mile point-to-point trail near Lake Toxaway, North Carolina. If you like water, the trail offers constant swimming opportunities, waterfalls, and flowing rivers to lull hikers to sleep. It was breathtaking to be able to turn all the way around and see the smoky mist below me in every direction. Along the sandy banks of the Chattooga River and just above Laurel Fork Falls are two of many excellent camping spots on the trail. We planned on hiking to Drawbar Cliffs and making camp there so we would only have a 5 mile hike on our final day. It is my favorite trail for many of the reasons you noted. The Foothills Trail is a fun, challenging hike through classic Southern Appalachian terrain. Another great waterfall and we got to see a wild turkey, actually flying which was rare. IT set the stage for the many great waterfalls we would enjoy along our hike. Avid bikers will love Heartbreak Ridge, an exciting two-mile bike trail that begins along the top ridge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and descends 2,000 feet! We arrived at camp by 3:30 and explored the Cliffs and the Lighthouse. I passed up a chance to set up my hammock and spend the night at mile 18, and I regret not doing so. The Foothills Trail, though steep in places, is not especially rugged, so trail runners are more than adequate. We completed this section then broke for lunch at Laurel Fork Falls. Thankfully volunteers have put steps into the dirt and rock to enable hikers to negotiate the steep trail. Whitewater Falls (miles 30-31.7): Six different falls that tumble a total of 800 feet, making it the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi River. Hikers should fill up before ascending Sassafrass Mountain, particularly northbound; the climb is long and steep, and there are no water sources for 4.5 miles. I got to meet several interesting and nice people that were making the short hike to Lick Falls. That said, its hard to think of a better trail to help newbies figure out if they are going to enjoy the AT. We actually drove past the designated parking lot on Horsepasture Rd (in a truck) to the intersection of Horsepasture and Laurel Fork Valley Rd (marked by a road sign on a fallen tree. I suppose the guidebooks will have that and will purchase soon But theres more to love about this trail than the wilderness it passes through. Mother Nature entertained us again with another mighty thunderstorm and downpour. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. There is an unknown connection issue between Cloudflare and the origin web server. Day 1 we hiked to Laurel Fork Falls campsite. Living in Greenville, the FHT is just a few miles away. Mother Nature smiled upon me with great weather! The largest climb of the hike begins at mile 62 and gains 1,839 feetin 4.4 miles before topping out at Sassafrass Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. Mountain Bike Trails Play Young's Ridge Mill Creek Road and Old US Hwy. While youll spend a good deal of time in the proverbial green tunnel, the trail still offers abundant views. Fork Mountain Trail (S5) - (S6) Eastatoe Gorge Spur (S3) - (S4) Sassafras Mountain (S1) to Caesar's Head State Park (S2) . The FTC could improve their map by adding to it some trails that intersect or at least some labels/notes regarding the other trails. Moderate to strenuous on the eastern/northern portion of the trail. The trail is clearly marked throughout. Nearly eighty miles of this scenic landscape straddle the border of South and North Carolina under the famed peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A solid and steady climb with a few short downhills just to give you a quick break. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. We were exhausted by the time we set up camp so we ate dinner and then hit the sack. We had reached the access area by 2:30 that afternoon so I decided to push on past to the Thompson River and grab one of those sites. Expect a high speed experience with very fast straight sections. To help support the investigation, you can pull the corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team. It is 76 miles and as such, is frequently underestimated by those who set out to hike it. Jan 11, 2021; PART 5 - Solo on the Foothills Trail. We switched to the trail because it had nice footbridges to cross the streams. Continue on an old road to your left after entering a field to . There are also ten other easy access points between the two termini for non-thru-hikers. Great weather with clear cool nights. Heartbreak Ridge Curtis Creek Road, Old Fort, NC, 28762 Avid bikers will love Heartbreak Ridge, an exciting two-mile bike trail that begins along the top ridge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and descends 2,000 feet! Scott Lynchs pocket guide, Hiking South Carolinas Foothills Trail, is another popular option. Especially in warm weather, the slog out of Laurel Valley, up Sassafrass, over Pinnacle Mountain, and down, down into Table Rock will tax many a hikers glutes and quads. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Great campsites, I went off roading Sunday and I left my Sony nex-6 camera. For those who wish to follow the white blazes of the Foothills Trail, the trail continues down Sassafras Mountain, makes one last climb to up Pinnacle Mountain, and winds its way down to Table Rock State Park. 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