Thankfully volunteers have put steps into the dirt and rock to enable hikers to negotiate the steep trail. Trail. The Foothills Trail Conservancy website lists local shuttle services. 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 Foothills Trail Conservancy has a detailed, informative website, including maps, elevations profiles, shuttle information and more. If not, then I will assess what my body tells me it will do. Will Hike this in a few weeks. 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. PO Box 3041 To learn more, please visit the About This Site page. virtually impossible to get lost. We camped at the site right next to the Laurel Valley parking lot. Want to report conditions for this trail? Oh, and theres the little matter of more than 500 steep steps up Heartbreak Ridge as you leave Lake Jocassee. Length 11.0 miElevation gain 3,188 ftRoute type Out & back. I dread the descents more than the climbs. Clay Bonnyman Evans is a freelance writer living in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and his hometown, Boulder, Colorado. Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. 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). I started my hike on Sunday February 16th from Oconee State Park. A footbridge across the Horsepasture River on the Foothills Trail. . 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. I was so overheated and exhausted at this point that I was having dry heaves. That night as we slept we were entertained by a wild thunderstorm. 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 trail is clearly marked throughout. The Toxaway River flows into Lake Jocassee along the Foothills Trail. 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. Oconee offers tent camping and cabin rental for those who prefer to stay the night and get an early start on their Foothills Trail adventure. I have only done a small portion of this beautiful trail but every step is well worth the effort. Cross the bridge and turn left at the Laurel Valley Lodge sign. Greenville SC 29602. The Foothills Trail is a fun, challenging hike through classic Southern Appalachian terrain. From there we pushed on towards Laurel Valley. There plenty of beautiful campsites all along the trial. The suspension bridge was amazing! Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. This was one of the few instances I saw wildlife along my hike. I actually JUST FINISHED the Bartram Trail. Im investigating as we speak! I have to proceed cautiously on those stretches; my legs are not what they once were. The Foothills Trail Conference Divides the trail into thirteenaccessible sections. We finished up with 9.4 miles for the day. This is classified as a strenuous section of trail which includes Heartbreak Ridge. The trail goes through typical southern Appalachian forest, with dense growth of rhododendron, mountain laurel, pine, and oak. Day 5s goal was to get to Canebrake and finish the section. At mile 28.9 there is a side trail to Whitewater Falls, at mile 30.1 Corbin Creek Falls, a small waterfall at mile 35.5 and a blue blaze to Hillard Falls at mile marker 36.5. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Exposure is minimal, and many climbs feature artificial, wood-block steps. As always, take care of our trail angels! Mountain Bike Trails Play Young's Ridge Mill Creek Road and Old US Hwy. Streams, creeks, and engorged rivers mark the land with deep gorges and sandy beaches. Day 8, my final day on the trail, started early. Primitive trail connects Woods Mountain & Armstrong Creek Trails. This is a lovely hiking area with lots of camping spots and scenic views. We finished with 13.2 hard miles for the day and ate dinner then took our aching feet to bed. Cold nights in 30s and pleasant days in 50s. Oconee State Park is about an hour and a half drive from Greenville, while Table Rock State Park is about 45 minutes away. Be prepared. And many a Foothills Trail hiker has found herself sprinting away from the occasional swarm of irritable hornets, especially in fall. You do need to watch for bears and bees, although the bees seem very tame. The plan is to make a full loop of about 375 miles (I think). Fitness Trail consists of 7 stations, two exercises per station on a 1/4 mile jogging path. 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. Living in Greenville, the FHT is just a few miles away. What a great way to fall asleep, as the rain pattered against my tarp and the thunder boomed and lightning lit up the evening sky! We logged over 32 miles. But while the Blue Ridge Mountain Balds may be a highlight of the southern Appalachians, they encompass a far greater range of beauty than the view from the tops of the six thousand foot range. We took our time breaking camp and were on the trail by 11am. 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. The Guidebook rated these sections as moderate to easy, I assume because of the short distance. Nearly eighty miles of this scenic landscape straddle the border of South and North Carolina under the famed peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The climate is mild due to lower elevations, which usually means oppressive heat and humidity in late spring, summer, and early fallgood training for the ATs mid-Atlantic in July. 54.36.118.98 Woke up to the popping of the same campfire. Day 4 was a short 3 miles but much of it was uphill. I began at the southern terminus, Oconee State Park in Mountains Rest, South Carolina. I am very proud to have accomplished this feat and Im already looking forward to my next journey along the trail. There are plenty of non-thru options, as well, including the so-called crown jewel route, southbound from Laurel Valley to just below Whitewater Falls. Exclusive to the state of Florida, its dirt and paved paths can be hiked in 60-90 days. An off-road running race held in the northwestern foothills of your Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. First . Length: 80.0 miles Type: One Way Surface: Various Difficulty: Difficult Trail Features: t Parking Trail Head Scenic Observation Waterfall Camping Point of Interest Water Launch Pets Fee Camping Summary: Whether you're looking for a day hike or planning a multi-day through-hike, the Foothills Trail offers adventures of every length and difficulty. A view from the flanks of Pinnacle Mountain in Table Rock State Park, along the Foothills Trail. Go to Join Now to join for the first time or to renew your membership. (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. For safety's sake, you can almost always get a cell phone signal with Verizon also. It got our heart rates elevated but it failed to break us! 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. Laurel Fork Falls (mile 54.3): A scenic cascade with several streamside campsites just one-tenth of a mile to the east. People love campfires. The trail crosses several roads leading to nearby small towns. Click link for details and directions. The Foothills Trail is a fun, challenging traipse through classic southern Appalachian terrain. Great camping areas. Oconee is about 2.5 hours and Table Rock is about three hours from Atlanta. 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. Fortunately, once I got to the lake I came upon a perfect hammock site on a cliff overlooking Lake Jocassee. Stairs. If not, then I will assess what my body tells me it will do. After a week on the trail I had made it to my last night. Steep Steps (Heart Break Ridge) Longest Suspension Bridge on the Foothills Trail Crosses the Toxaway River Hiking along Lake Jocassee Shoreline Trail Head: Cane Brake Trail to Frozen Creek Access All orders over $60 receive FREE shipping! Many views along the way - waterfalls, wild boar and wild turkey sightings, streams to cross. Around 4:15 we started the hike to the Bad Creek parking lot. There I set up camp. Click on any map and youll see what Im talking about. We completed this section then broke for lunch at Laurel Fork Falls. Today I am climbing Heartbreak Ridge! Heartbreak Ridge - 19.10 Miles - From Cantrell Campsite To Lake Jocasse - This morning's highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. It was a short 5 mile hike to finish up our journey, and the majority of that was downhill. There are no shelters along the trail, and rain is frequent, so hikers should have a good shelter such as a tent, tarp, or hammock. There I set up camp. I was very impressed by the size and power of this waterfall! Unlike the tall and unforgiving crests of the great range, the foothills are alive and lush. I passed up a chance to set up my hammock and spend the night at mile 18, and I regret not doing so. The Trail joins the Chattooga River Trail at mile 10.6 and winds along the Chattooga Rivers sandy beaches for miles. Immediately bear right onto the unpaved fork and continue to the Foothills Trail parking area about 0.3 mile on the left. Lots of climbing and switchbacks. Region: Deep South, Lower Appalachians (South Carolina) Length: 76.2 miles (5-8 days) Physical Difficulty: Moderate For the full 4x4 trail guide please visit:https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/812-2n61y-heartbreak-ridgeHidden on the east side of Big Bear in Southern Cali. Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. Permits: No permit is required to hike the Foothills Trail. Overall Id say its moderate to difficult, but I was cruising at 2.5 miles per hour each day to get it down before work on the third evening. Moderate to strenuous on the eastern/northern portion of the trail. Additional troubleshooting resources. Its unfair to reduce the Foothills Trail to a warm-up for the Appalachian Trail. The park also has a store and gift shop with limited groceries to fuel your post thru hike hunger. A very special place to wander and enjoy!!! At the top is an observation platform which afforded me a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains. 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. 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. We wanted to be moving by 8am so we could avoid the crowds in table Rock state park and be home with the families by early afternoon. A solid and steady climb with a few short downhills just to give you a quick break. 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. In summer and early fall, the heat and humidity can be a killerhikers who can tolerate walking in gear literally soaked with sweat will avail themselves of frequent opportunities to swim and wash off chafe-inducing salt and grime. This was a hard day of almost 12 miles. Thanks for your support! This is a four-season trail, hikeable even in winter. Maybe even us. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Check out this page at the Foothills Trail Conservancy. Theres a section known as heart break ridge where supposedly it is the hardest section of the trail coming from the Toxaway River. Im much more inclined to fall going down one of these steep descents. We started with two short sections to Chimney Gap and then to Sassafras. Hikers can expect to find blue line trout waters, suspension bridges, wildflowers, and star-filled nights from peaceful campsites which are numerous enough to . The Foothills Trail is a dream for section hikers. As the name implies, this down hill, four mile bike trail descends approximately 2,000 feet and is a true heart breaker. 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. Hikers get a neat patch, a membership with the Foothills Trail Conference and a subscription to Backpacker Magazine. Great review. It looks like a small pool of water but it is the top of the falls. 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. You can hike for a few hours or spend days or a week or so hiking here and never do the same hike twice. 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. It was a great trip. Our family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers did these sections over 2 days. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. 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. Elevation is 3,165, Mail me Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around South Carolina. To help support the investigation, you can pull the corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team. Terms under which this service is provided to you. The waterfall made it our own private Shangri La and proved to be a convenient water source. The trail is well-marked and well-graded. Start and stop your timer on the first wooden step heading into Laurel Valley . The afternoon left me completely exhausted. Only a really crazy person would try to tackle Heartbreak Ridge, Laurel Valley, and the climb up Sassafras in one day I guess I'm crazy. 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! Jan 11, 2021; PART 5 - Solo on the Foothills Trail. A bear canister is probably overkill. We made camp around 5:30 that evening and finished with a total of 20.5 miles for day 2. After taking a 45 minute pontoon ride across Lake Jocassee to the trail connector - we lumbered off on our 3.5 hour hike. By Clay Bonnyman Evans, 2019 Foothills Trail Thru-Hiker. Volunteers should be reimbursed fairly for their generous donations of time and gasoline. Difficult at times but worth it. Overall, we hiked around 6 miles to and from. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. The last 2.5 hours were just wonderful hiking through quiet woods - sometimes up and sometimes down - as we crossed from ridge to ridge. Turn right into the parking area and pay your nominal parking fee. Dismiss. He has hiked the Colorado Trail, Appalachian Trail, Foothills Trail, Pinhoti Trail, Centennial Trail, and the Great Plains Trail Pilot Trail, and will start hiking the Pacific Crest Trail on April 7, 2021. We finished up with a little less than 10 miles for the day. 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. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1237b0ae472c2f The trail today has not been as technical as yesterday, but there have been many steep climbs and descents. This trail is awesome . NC 226-A to Armstrong Fish Hatchery Rd.. instead, 91 South Catawba Avenue, Old Fort, Far below the Blue Ridge, the foothills undulate with as much unforgiving elevation change as the high peaks themselves. 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. Day 1 we hiked to Laurel Fork Falls campsite. Trail is well maintained - thanks. These wooden stairs make appearances at many points on the Foothills Trail most notably on Heartbreak Ridge, where 302 stairs ascend the ridge and 294 stairs descend the ridge. My friend arrived at 5:30 and I restocked my food and we decided to night hike to the site on the ridge above the Thompson River. The trail features sturdy bridges crossing over numerous rivers, beautiful waterfalls, a jaunt around a corner of Lake Jocassee, and, on the eastern half of the trail, steep climbs of up to 2,000 feet that rival anything on the southern Appalachian 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. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Not unlike the AT, the Foothills Trail is more challenging at one end. I continue to log miles and slay summits in Asheville North Carolina. 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. Great weather with clear cool nights. Easy and downhill. Print/PDF map. 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. I have participated for the last 4 years great event!! 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). Along the sandy banks of the Chattooga River and just above Laurel Fork Falls are two of many excellent camping spots on the trail. I tackled the Foothills Trail during a three day two night fastpack in early January. Around 13 miles into the run touch the bench on top of Heart Break Ridge at Lake Jocassee and return back to the parking lot. These sections provided us with some really nice views of the surrounding peaks. It was very strenuous and not for the out-of-shape. Sept of 2014. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. . Beginning at mile 50 the trail slowly gains elevation, passing Laurel Falls (54.30) and Virginia Hawkins Falls (57.3) on the way up. It was breathtaking to be able to turn all the way around and see the smoky mist below me in every direction. Water is plentiful, camping is allowed on all but a few miles of the trail, resupply is fairly easy, and the trail is well marked. The route, which features miles of blueberry bushes and campsites with perfect sunrise views, can be hiked in 2-4 days. This alleviates the headache of spotting cars or finding rides back to original trailheads after completing sections. Day 2 we hiked to Cross Bear Creek campsite. Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. We finished the section and hiked a little over a half mile into the next so we could get a site in Gorge State Park along the Toxaway River. 1 Peter 2:21, Backpacking Journals and Photos from Long Distance Hikers, US 11 Carlisle Pike Mile Marker 1132, Pennsylvania. There were plenty of views and beautiful streams and waterfalls this time of year. And they were indeed smoky this morning. But the eastern/northern third of the trail, in particular, is as steep and rugged as the southern Appalachian Trail. Water: Water is plentiful all along the trail from streams, rivers, and lakes, except in drought conditions. 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). We were hiking by 10 till 10 and our first stop was Hilliard Falls. 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. The service rd has many creek crossings but eventually crosses the actual Foothills Trail. 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). Slept well, heard the popping of the campfire a few sites over for awhile. We would maintain about a 2.5 mile per hour pace for the day. The Foothills Trail Conservancy store offers a complete guidebook, map, and pocket profile. 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. Hikers spend a good deal of time in the green tunneljust like the ATbut ample opportunities to swim, gorgeous waterfalls, and occasional vistas to the south make this a truly enjoyable trail. It is just under three miles long, beginning at the Old Fort picnic area. Performance & security by Cloudflare. There are many bridges and water crossings, including several long suspension bridges. Well maintained trail. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. As a result, the web page can not be displayed. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. This middle section of trail bumps along at low elevations and sports spectacular runoff that forms beautiful waterfalls. The Star Gap Trail is a great short trail for hikers and bikers alike! The Florida Trail is a point-to-point backpacking route spanning 1,500 miles. It was a good call since it kept us on the trail longer and we ended up with another awesome site. Really cool to se that engineering out in the wilderness and seamlessly blend it in. Bugs were bad at this location. From the east end of Heartbreak Ridge at mile 50 to the Northern Terminus at Table Rock State Park at mile 76.2, the trail crosses a number of challenging routes and trail highlights. I also absolutely dig the suspension bridges out there. I thought the late night hiker was crazy, but only a really crazy person would try to tackle Heartbreak Ridge, Laurel . The western half of the trail covers significantly less grueling terrain overall. 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