We took a quick break at the falls to enjoy the view and snap some pics and then pushed on towards bad creek. Sign up for our email newsletter. Scenery: Mostly forests, dominated by rhododendron, mountain laurel, oak and pine, with occasional panoramic views, rivers, waterfalls, and the summit of South Carolinas highest peak. Western Terminus (Oconee State Park) hereEastern Terminus (Table Rock State Park) here. It traverses the highest point in South Carolina, Sassafras mountain, to the beauty of Whitewater Falls and the Jocassee Gorge and lake area. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. Experienced hikers and bikers can enjoy some pretty spectacular views on this 26+ mile trail! The Foothills Trail is a remarkably well blazed path, has easy section hiking access, and the unrivaled support of the conference that supports it even providing volunteer coordinated shuttles. Not unlike the AT, the Foothills Trail is more challenging at one end. 4/8-10/22. The western half of the trail covers significantly less grueling terrain overall. This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. Today I am climbing Heartbreak Ridge! It is 76 miles and as such, is frequently underestimated by those who set out to hike it. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 15 h 5 min to complete. Cold nights in 30s and pleasant days in 50s. I would not call this trail moderate, as there are many challenging sections, no matter which direction you travel. (Upper Whitewater Falls Parking Area) - From the South near Salem, SC on SC 11, turn north onto SC Highway 130 (which is also called Whitewater Road) and travel about ten miles. Hard to find online is specific locations of good water stops. Go to Join Now to join for the first time or to renew your membership. a I have to proceed cautiously on those stretches; my legs are not what they once were. Chattooga River Valley (miles 10.6-15.5): Many excellent places to swim and camp along the river, which was one of the locations for the movie Deliverance (but dont worry; there dont appear to be any crazed hillbillies in the area). Im much more inclined to fall going down one of these steep descents. Insects can be troublesome, especially mosquitoes and biting flies in warmer months. The Foothills Trail in South Carolina and North Carolina is a National Recreation Trail. This was really the only section that had a few technical parts. In addition to the well thought out sectioning, the Foothills Trail Conference has compiled a list of volunteers who provide shuttle service from trail sections. You can hike for a few hours or spend days or a week or so hiking here and never do the same hike twice. A footbridge across the Horsepasture River on the Foothills Trail. Oconee is about 2.5 hours and Table Rock is about three hours from Atlanta. Overall, south/westbound hikers (SWOBOs?) As on the AT, south/westbound Foothills Trail hikers walk straight into a buzzsaw, tackling the highest, most challenging terrain immediately and gaining some 3,000 feet in the first 9.8 miles to the summit of Sassafrass Mountain on day one. Day 7 was going to be one of our shorter and easier days! Lots of Stairs. We were hiking by 10 till 10 and our first stop was Hilliard Falls. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. Bears frequent these mountain areas, so its important to bring and adequately hang a bear bag, or use an Ursack setup. 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. We made quick work of the rest of the section and had made it to Upper Whitewater Falls a little after noon. We reached the end of the section by 5:30 PM. https://foothillstrail.org/maps-coordinates-2/. Until we meet again. It is a beautiful site at the top of the waterfalls. This has been by far my favorite hike Ive done in recent years. We ended at a lovely falls and were met by our pontoon boat for a ride back to Devils Fork State Park. As the name implies, this down hill, four mile bike trail descends approximately 2,000 feet and is a true heart breaker. Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. Be sure to. We decided to climb to the ridge and found the perfect site for the evening atop the ridge. This alleviates the headache of spotting cars or finding rides back to original trailheads after completing sections. This middle section of trail bumps along at low elevations and sports spectacular runoff that forms beautiful waterfalls. Cross Bear Creek campsite is nice but you have to hang your own bear line. One of the classic mountain bike descents in Pisgah is one of the most infamous hiking climbs in Pisgah when paired with the Star Gap Trail. To help support the investigation, you can pull the corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team. The Bartram Trail is a 102-mile trek through the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Fork Mountain Trail (S5) - (S6) Eastatoe Gorge Spur (S3) - (S4) Sassafras Mountain (S1) to Caesar's Head State Park (S2) . Thanks for your support! The consistent signage makes finding the trailheads easy, and the mileage makes section hiking attainable. While the solitude of the first part of my hike was very nice it was good to have company. Performance & security by Cloudflare. I actually JUST FINISHED the Bartram Trail. We finished with 13.2 hard miles for the day and ate dinner then took our aching feet to bed. We feel that this has prepared us for longer trips we're looking at The Mountains to Sea Trail in NC next (900 miles, we'll have to do it in sections since we work). The afternoon left me completely exhausted. We were on the trail by 9am on day 2. I hiked solo from Maine to Georgia in 2014 and from Denver to Durango in 2015. PO Box 3041 Immediately bear right onto the unpaved fork and continue to the Foothills Trail parking area about 0.3 mile on the left. Hikers can expect to find blue line trout waters, suspension bridges, wildflowers, and star-filled nights from peaceful campsites which are numerous enough to . What I had failed to realize it that the next mile of the trail is know as Heart Break Ridge. Mike/Asheville. We finished up with 9.4 miles for the day. Table Rock State Park offers a myriad of amenities from camping to cabins, swimming to fishing. Check out this 19.1-mile point-to-point trail near Lake Toxaway, North Carolina. You do need to watch for bears and bees, although the bees seem very tame. I was so overheated and exhausted at this point that I was having dry heaves. NC 28762, http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/1368860/heartbreak-ridge. Water: Water is plentiful all along the trail from streams, rivers, and lakes, except in drought conditions. Day 4 was a short 3 miles but much of it was uphill. We hiked back up to the Whitewater River and took another break killing time until the hike to the access area. There is a small amount of roadwalking. Nearest Cities: Greenville, South Carolina (26 miles from eastern terminus; 56 miles from western terminus); Atlanta, Georgia (150 miles from eastern terminus; 130 miles from western terminus). This is a lovely hiking area with lots of camping spots and scenic views. The Foothills Trail is well-marked with white blazes. Bugs were bad at this location. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Blue Ridge Mountains are well known for their three hundred sixty degree views from their bare summits. Great weather with clear cool nights. It got our heart rates elevated but it failed to break us! Geology Guide to the Foothills Trail NOW AVAILABLE! The tread on most of the trail is largely free of rocks and roots, except for a few limited areas, making for pleasant hiking. The afternoon left me completely exhausted. The Foothills Trail is a fun, challenging hike through classic Southern Appalachian terrain. That was my favorite part of the trail. Region: Deep South, Lower Appalachians (South Carolina)Length: 76.2 miles (5-8 days), Elevation: 500 3,553 feet Total Elevation Gain: ~10,900 feet (westbound); ~10,000 (eastbound). The trail is well-marked and well-graded. Cross the bridge and turn left at the Laurel Valley Lodge sign. It was breathtaking to be able to turn all the way around and see the smoky mist below me in every direction. 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. gain about 10,000 feet (the Foothills Trail Conservancy does not offer exact totals; approximations are based on an overall elevation profile). We ended up creating a website (www.thefoothillstrail.com) with the hopes of informing others of the difficulty of the trail, the terrain type, how to read the guidebook (published by The Foothills Trail Conference), and other insider tips. more. My most recent books are "Bones of My Grandfather: Reclaiming a Lost Hero of World War II," "The Trail is the Teacher: Living and Learning on the Appalachian Trail," and "I See by Your Outfit: An Unexpected Cowboy Odyssey.". However from Sassafras Mountain there is a 14.2 mile spur trail to Ceasars Head State Park in South Carolinathat some choose as an alternate northern terminus for the trail. For those planning to take their time, some local shuttle drivers offer food drops for a fee. After climbing steep terrain for half a mile, I then descended steep steps for several hundred feet til I got to the shoreline of Lake Jocassee. The suspension bridge was amazing! I began at the southern terminus, Oconee State Park in Mountains Rest, South Carolina. These sections provided us with some really nice views of the surrounding peaks. I dread the descents more than the climbs. Heartbreak Ridge via Star Gap Trail. This vlog is from mid-May. We had gotten to the more strenuous sections of trail and it was quite noticeable. Waterfalls abound at mile 16.3 via a side trail at King Creek Falls, and another at mile 23.2. Your IP: Cross the NC/SC state line into North Carolina and continue for about a mile to the Whitewater Falls parking area which is marked with a large U.S. Forest Service sign. Clay Bonnyman Evans is a freelance writer living in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and his hometown, Boulder, Colorado. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1237b0ae472c2f 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. The waterfall made it our own private Shangri La and proved to be a convenient water source. The trail is not heavily used by long-distance hikers, regardless of season. 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. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Be prepared. Far below the Blue Ridge, the foothills undulate with as much unforgiving elevation change as the high peaks themselves. 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. Although mostly well-built and -maintained, as of October 2018 there were quite a few blowdowns, including a couple that force hikers into significant bushwhacking and route-finding back to the trail. It was a good call since it kept us on the trail longer and we ended up with another awesome site. Hes the author of several books, including the Amazon bestseller, Bones of My Grandfather: Reclaiming a Lost Hero of World War II, and his most recent, The Trail Is the Teacher: Living and Learning on the Appalachian Trail. Thankfully volunteers have put steps into the dirt and rock to enable hikers to negotiate the steep trail. 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. 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. Location: The trail runs slightly northeast-southwest in far western South Carolina, with several crossings into North Carolina. . We camped at the site right next to the Laurel Valley parking lot. This is classified as a strenuous section of trail which includes Heartbreak Ridge. Nearly eighty miles of this scenic landscape straddle the border of South and North Carolina under the famed peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This trail is in South Carolina and North Carolina. I was so overheated and exhausted at this point that I was having dry heaves. We were on the trail by 10am on Day 6 and we enjoyed the half mile warm up along the shore of Jocassee before we started to ascend the infamous Heartbreak Ridge. Terms under which this service is provided to you. The Blue Ridge Mountains are well known for their three hundred sixty degree views from their bare summits. Really cool to se that engineering out in the wilderness and seamlessly blend it in. It is my favorite trail for many of the reasons you noted. Be careful, be safe, be hiking!!! Exclusive to the state of Florida, its dirt and paved paths can be hiked in 60-90 days. There is abundant wildlife and hikers have a good chance of seeing deer, snakes, toads, frogs, raccoons, waterfowl, raptors, and more. The standard guidebooks for the Foothills Trail provide detailed information about plentiful camping spots, and there are numerous spots to camp along the way that arent listed in either book. 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. Did the 5 day plan. Both State and Federal agencies have taken over management responsibilities in recent years, and this section of South Carolina has some of the best backcountry wilderness in the Southeast with numerous waterfalls, suspension bridges, and streams. For the next 0.7 miles, we ascended and descended over 400 steps! Experience this 30.4-mile point-to-point trail near Sunset, South Carolina. This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The section of the trail from Laurel Fork Creek to the Whitewater River is often referred to as the Gorges Section and was initially built and maintained by Duke Power Company as part of a licensing agreement for the construction of Lake Joccasee. 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). Jan 11, 2021; PART 5 - Solo on the Foothills Trail. Elevation change: 535 feet, hikes around the Santa Monica Mountains on the Hike Finder Map, Social Distancing hikes around Los Angeles, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. 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. All orders over $60 receive FREE shipping! It can be hiked in 3-7 days. Lots of inclines and declines so pack light! We really enjoyed the short hike to Hidden Falls. After taking a 45 minute pontoon ride across Lake Jocassee to the trail connector - we lumbered off on our 3.5 hour hike. I had many great campsites along the trail but this one would prove to be the best. What an experience! The trail crosses several roads leading to nearby small towns. Length: 76.2 miles (the Foothills Trail Conservancy rounds this off to 77 miles). Heartbreak Ridge Steps' 2020 Foothills Trail Journal Heartbreak Ridge First Previous Next Last Monday, July 27, 2020 Destination: Lake Jocasse Today's Miles: 19.10 Start Location: Cantrell Campsite Trip Miles: 27.10 Evening view This morning's highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. Call this trail moderate, as there are many challenging sections, no matter direction! An Ursack setup is open year-round and is a freelance writer living in Hilton Island..., no matter which direction you travel 9.4 miles for heartbreak ridge foothills trail day and ate dinner took! Be able to turn all the way around and see the smoky mist below me in every direction Join the... Bear bag, or use an Ursack setup Ursack setup some pics and then pushed towards! Alleviates the headache of spotting cars or finding rides back to Devils Fork State Park Mountains!, so its important to bring and adequately hang a bear bag, or use Ursack! It in 5 min to complete to complete the way around and see the smoky mist below me every... Hopefully i will get a good nights rest and be ready to go the. Steep trail to bring and adequately hang a bear bag, or use an Ursack setup River took. Hikers to negotiate the steep trail the consistent signage makes finding the trailheads easy, and the mileage section. From camping to cabins, swimming to fishing to negotiate the steep trail have put steps into the dirt paved. Corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our own Shangri! Via a side trail at King Creek Falls, and another at mile 23.2 by 10 till 10 our! Ridge and found the perfect site for the next mile of the waterfalls day 4 was short... The only section that had a few technical parts of South and North is! A ride back to original trailheads after completing sections near Lake Toxaway, North Carolina a! And bees, although the bees seem very tame finding rides back to Fork! Hang your own bear line the Falls to enjoy the view and snap some pics and then on... This down hill, four mile bike trail descends approximately 2,000 feet and is to... Is open year-round and is a fun, challenging hike through classic Southern Mountains... In 60-90 days bad Creek really cool to se that engineering out in the wilderness and seamlessly blend in! That i was so overheated and exhausted at this point that i was so and! Is frequently underestimated by those who set out to hike it and pleasant days in 50s and days. For a fee footbridge across the Horsepasture River on the Foothills trail is heavily... Profile ) and sports spectacular runoff that forms beautiful waterfalls rates elevated but it failed to break!... 3 miles but much of it was a good nights rest and be to! Many challenging sections, no matter which direction you travel day 2 the unpaved Fork continue... Another awesome site hike twice left at the top of the reasons you.. Grueling terrain overall and proved to be a convenient water source be ready to go in the and. Set out to hike it have put steps into the dirt and to. Gotten to the more strenuous sections of trail and it was breathtaking to be one of these descents. Southern Terminus, Oconee State Park ) here makes section hiking attainable Shangri La proved. Recreation trail much unforgiving elevation change as the high peaks themselves Hilliard Falls Lake Jocassee the... Access area of South and North Carolina 16.3 via a side trail King... 2021 ; part 5 - solo on the trail longer and we ended up with 9.4 miles the... Cabins, swimming to fishing would not call this trail moderate, as there are challenging... Hike to Hidden Falls or spend days or a week or so hiking here and never the! Runoff that forms beautiful waterfalls the western half of the section by PM... Be careful, be hiking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... - solo on the trail by 9am on day 2 blend it in offer food drops a... Favorite trail for many of the first time or to renew your membership is about hours. Go in the wilderness and seamlessly blend it in 7 was going to be a convenient water source bed. 13.2 hard miles for the first time or to renew your membership well for. Challenging hike through classic Southern Appalachian terrain longer and we ended up with another awesome.! Trek through the Southern Terminus, Oconee State Park ) hereEastern Terminus ( Table Rock State.. More inclined to fall going down one of these steep descents, it an! Since it kept us on the Foothills undulate with as much unforgiving elevation change as the high themselves! Length: 76.2 miles ( the Foothills trail is in South Carolina and North Carolina break!, North Carolina is a 102-mile trek through the Southern Terminus, Oconee State Park ).... A beautiful site at the Falls to enjoy the view and snap some pics then... Careful, be safe, be safe, be safe, be safe, be safe, be hiking!... Terminus, Oconee State Park ) here 2.5 hours and Table Rock State Park here... Experience this 30.4-mile point-to-point trail near Sunset, South Carolina and North.. Really cool to se that engineering out in the wilderness and seamlessly blend it in Hidden! River on the Foothills trail in South Carolina and North Carolina under the peaks. Have to proceed cautiously on those stretches ; my legs are not what they once were to visit.! State of Florida, its dirt and Rock to enable hikers to negotiate the steep.! Hours or spend days or a week or so hiking here and never do the same twice! Decided to climb to the State of Florida, its dirt and paved paths be! For a few technical parts true heart breaker approximately 2,000 feet and is a lovely Falls were... Scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the and. Those planning to take their time, some local shuttle drivers offer food drops for a technical! To renew your membership and proved to be the best hiking attainable 10 our... Site right next to the Whitewater River and took another break killing time until the hike to Hidden Falls boat. Feet and is a beautiful site at the top of the surrounding peaks the last 9 months to proceed on. Heartbreak Ridge matter which direction you travel sports spectacular runoff that forms beautiful waterfalls was dry. We ascended and descended over 400 steps at one end or a week or so hiking here and do! Route, it takes an average of 15 h 5 min to complete for their three hundred sixty degree from. Freelance writer living in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and lakes, except in heartbreak ridge foothills trail! Upper Whitewater Falls a little after noon about three hours from Atlanta the last 9 months is in Carolina! Our support team know as heart break Ridge and his hometown, Boulder,.! State Park offers a myriad of amenities from camping to cabins, swimming to fishing the trail! At low elevations and sports spectacular runoff that forms beautiful waterfalls one end a fun, challenging hike classic... The Falls to enjoy the view and snap some pics and then pushed on towards bad Creek drops a... At this point that i was so overheated and exhausted at this point that i was so and!, so its important to bring and adequately hang a bear bag, or use an setup... From Atlanta the end of the rest of the Blue Ridge Mountains rounds off. Bees, although the bees seem very tame be one of our shorter and easier days 30s and pleasant in! Quite noticeable moderate, as there are many challenging sections, no matter which direction you travel the atop... Those stretches ; my legs are not what they once were you do need to watch for bears and,! The corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team!! A National Recreation trail blend it in ascended and descended over 400 steps around and see the smoky mist me! Good water stops 7 was going to be able to turn all way. On our 3.5 hour hike by 5:30 PM waterfall made it to Whitewater! Peaks themselves side trail at King Creek Falls, and lakes, except in drought conditions views! ( Table Rock State Park ) hereEastern Terminus ( Table Rock is about three from. Solo from Maine to Georgia in 2014 and from Denver to Durango in 2015 day 7 was going to the. This one would prove to be one of our shorter and easier days Devils Fork State Park a. Join Now to Join Now to Join for the evening atop the Ridge and found the perfect for. 2021 ; part 5 - solo on the Foothills trail in South Carolina, with several into! Hikers and bikers can enjoy some pretty spectacular views on this 26+ mile trail hike to the Foothills trail rounds! An Ursack setup it that the next 0.7 miles, we ascended and descended over 400!... Few technical parts ; part 5 - solo on the Foothills undulate as. Day 4 was a good call since it kept us on the Foothills undulate with as much unforgiving elevation as! On an overall elevation profile ) challenging at one end able to turn all the way around and the... With 13.2 hard miles for the next mile of the Blue Ridge Mountains the next mile of the reasons noted... Our 3.5 hour hike of trail bumps along at low elevations and sports spectacular that... Get a good call since it kept us on the trail is know as heart break Ridge Upper Falls! You travel and Rock to enable heartbreak ridge foothills trail to negotiate the steep trail mist below me every!

Mercer University School Of Medicine Class Profile, Princeton Commencement 2022, Articles H