To help support the investigation, you can pull the corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team. Day 4 was a short 3 miles but much of it was uphill. 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. Day 7 was going to be one of our shorter and easier days! This trail is awesome . Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1237b0ae472c2f 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. Will Hike this in a few weeks. Many views along the way - waterfalls, wild boar and wild turkey sightings, streams to cross. Some shuttle drivers also will do food drops for a fee. Though technically a four-season trail, the heat and humidity from May through September can be oppressive. Mountain Streams, Suspension Bridges, Waterfalls Put in at Frozen Creek Access then hiked to Canebrake. Often one can hike for an entire day and not encounter another person. Thx Maybe even us. Exclusive to the state of Florida, its dirt and paved paths can be hiked in 60-90 days. It is a beautiful site at the top of the waterfalls. We took our time breaking camp and were on the trail by 11am. 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. There I set up camp. Sept of 2014. The park also has a store and gift shop with limited groceries to fuel your post thru hike hunger. But the eastern/northern third of the trail, in particular, is as steep and rugged as the southern Appalachian Trail. Its a great trail! Trailhead begins inside the Old Fort Picnic Area with incredible views of Kitsuma Peak at trail end. Campsites are plentiful all along the trail, with just a few restricted areas. Lots of Stairs. Great review. The Foothills Trail proper ends at Table Rock State Park, about ten miles from Sassafras Mountain. Check out more trails in the Asheville area here. 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. https://foothillstrail.org/maps-coordinates-2/. Since we only had about 3.5 miles left to camp, we lounged around after eating basking in the warm sun. 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. Not unlike the AT, the Foothills Trail is more challenging at one end. Im investigating as we speak! Click link for details and directions. We started our hike at an elevation of roughly 1600ft and we knew we had some climbing in store since Sassafras stands at 3584. The trail crosses several roads leading to nearby small towns. It was breathtaking to be able to turn all the way around and see the smoky mist below me in every direction. We started with two short sections to Chimney Gap and then to Sassafras. It is very close to civilization but seems like you are in the middle of nowhere when on it. Exited at Bad Creek parking lot access. Additional Bridge over Whitewater River now complete! Bears frequent these mountain areas, so its important to bring and adequately hang a bear bag, or use an Ursack setup. Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. Jan 11, 2021; PART 5 - Solo on the Foothills Trail. The route, which features miles of blueberry bushes and campsites with perfect sunrise views, can be hiked in 2-4 days. What I had failed to realize it that the next mile of the trail is know as Heart Break Ridge. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 15 h 5 min to complete. 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. This is a 30 mile one day hike on the trail that is a fundraising event for CureSearch for Childrens Cancer. 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. Thank you to Heyword Douglass, Executive Director of the Foothills Conference, for your encouraging emails and photographs! A very special place to wander and enjoy!!! There was a nice campsite, but I still had a couple of hours before dark so I pushed on. Theres a section known as heart break ridge where supposedly it is the hardest section of the trail coming from the Toxaway River. Hikers can expect to find blue line trout waters, suspension bridges, wildflowers, and star-filled nights from peaceful campsites which are numerous enough to . These sections provided us with some really nice views of the surrounding peaks. I actually JUST FINISHED the Bartram Trail. A trail corridor linkingTable Rock State Park in the north/east toOconee State Park to the south/west, was completed in 1981. Summer heat and humidity are intense, due to relatively low elevations, while night-time winter temperatures typically sink into the 20s. I traveled west>east (or, sort of, south>north) and water was never an issue. We had the overlook to ourselves and time to kill, so we broke for lunch and I read while Spencer napped in the sun. We had reached Burrells Ford by 1pm and pushed on towards Fish Hatchery Road. Region: Deep South, Lower Appalachians (South Carolina) Length: 76.2 miles (5-8 days) Physical Difficulty: Moderate Mountain Bike Trails Play Young's Ridge Mill Creek Road and Old US Hwy. Sometimes we would not see anybody for a day or two, which was just what we were looking for. This was a relatively easy day at about 8 miles. Cross Bear Creek campsite is nice but you have to hang your own bear line. From Bear den campsite to Cane Brake boat access, not flat, Great hike! If anyone finds it please message me 8644096466. Flowers, and other Flora abound, birds aplenty, There are even plants that only exist in this part of the world. However, for many people the, A Thru-Hike for Everyone: 5 Trails Under 200 Miles, 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, https://foothillstrail.org/maps-coordinates-2/. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. The trail epitomizes the green tunnel phenomenon, but that just makes its periodic panoramic views even more rewarding. Along the sandy banks of the Chattooga River and just above Laurel Fork Falls are two of many excellent camping spots on the trail. Head West on The Foothills Trail towards Lake Jocassee. I began at the southern terminus, Oconee State Park in Mountains Rest, South Carolina. We were on the trail by 9am on day 2. The afternoon left me completely exhausted. Please include the Ray ID (which is at the bottom of this error page). Did the 5 day plan. It traverses the highest point in South Carolina, Sassafras mountain, to the beauty of Whitewater Falls and the Jocassee Gorge and lake area. Crossing the Toxaway River and Ascending Heartbreak Ridge - 12.30 Miles - From Campsite at mile 47.6 To Campsite at mile 59.9 - We were up at 6:40 am. This was one of the few instances I saw wildlife along my hike. 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). Exposure is minimal, and many climbs feature artificial, wood-block steps. Length 11.0 miElevation gain 3,188 ftRoute type Out & back. Foothills Trail Conservancy PO Box 3041 Greenville SC 29602. info@foothillstrail.org. We would maintain about a 2.5 mile per hour pace for the day. It was a short 5 mile hike to finish up our journey, and the majority of that was downhill. Location: The trail runs slightly northeast-southwest in far western South Carolina, with several crossings into North Carolina. I started my hike on Sunday February 16th from Oconee State Park. An awe inspiring trek from Table Rock State Park through the foothills of the Southeastern Appalachian Mountains to Oconee State Park which features the Jocassee River gorges, Sassafras Mountain, and the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Hikers get a neat patch, a membership with the Foothills Trail Conference and a subscription to Backpacker Magazine. Tougher than expected but had a great time. In a normal season, there is plentiful water all along the trail. 13.1 miles total for the day! It features frequent stream crossings, numerous waterfalls, and skirts around Lake Jocassee, a major recreation destination. 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. We hiked during the week (6 days actually) and most of the time we were the only people on the trail! We finished with 13.2 hard miles for the day and ate dinner then took our aching feet to bed. What were the generally areas where you made camp each night? 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. Today I am climbing Heartbreak Ridge! My wife dropped me, and my dog Spencer, off at 10:45am and after our goodbyes and a few pictures, we set off on our journey. There are many bridges and water crossings, including several long suspension bridges. Toxaway Bridge on Foothills Trail Has Been Refurbished, Baylor School Senior Students Work Hard on the Foothills Trail. This vlog is from mid-May. And they were indeed smoky this morning. 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. The idea for the Foothills Trail, a National Recreation Trail located in far western South Carolina, began in the 1960s as an effort to preserve and protect the beauty of the Appalachian Foothills. gain approximately 10,900 feet of elevation, while north/eastbounders (NEBOs?) About an hour later we put the packs back on and headed toward the Cliffs. Great one night trip. We counted down the miles as we moved down the mountain towards the nature center. Im much more inclined to fall going down one of these steep descents. There plenty of beautiful campsites all along the trial. The service rd has many creek crossings but eventually crosses the actual Foothills Trail. Photos (139) Directions. We decided to climb to the ridge and found the perfect site for the evening atop the ridge. Thru hiked with a buddy and my dog. Its unfair to reduce the Foothills Trail to a warm-up for the Appalachian Trail. This presented the perfect opportunity to make the hike to Lower Whitewater. Additional troubleshooting resources. After taking a 45 minute pontoon ride across Lake Jocassee to the trail connector - we lumbered off on our 3.5 hour hike. Geology Guide to the Foothills Trail NOW AVAILABLE! Terms under which this service is provided to you. 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). It's possible drive to within a few miles of our trail section and hike in - but the pontoon boat ride to the trail was a pleasure in its self. With the exception of the winter months, chances are that weather will be warm and often extremely hot and humid. What an experience! Mother Nature entertained us again with another mighty thunderstorm and downpour. The southern/western portion of the trail is fairly gentle, but dont let that fool you. Nantahala National Forest - (828) 526-3765. Thru-hikers travel both north/eastbound and south/westbound, but theres no question that those who travel south/westbound have it a bit tougher. Cloudflare monitors for these errors and automatically investigates the cause. The Star Gap Trail is a great short trail for hikers and bikers alike! Check out the Foothills Trail, we're sure you'll love it. The group will go by boat to Laurel Fork and hike the Foothills Trail to Canebrake, a distance of about 5.8 miles. Heart Break Ridge Ballater Circular route near Ballater Overview Photos Videos Reports Map 3D Tour Add / Edit 10.7 miles Distance 1,604 ft Climb -1,615 ft Descent 1,960 ft High Point 1950ft 1300ft 650ft 0ft 0.00miles 3.50miles 7.00miles 10.50miles A circular ride from Ballater taking in Heart Break Ridge Detailed Description Local Trail Association The Foothills Trail is accessible, challenging, but not difficult, and logistically easy to hike. In 2016, I hiked the Appalachian Trail; 2018, Foothills Trail and Alabama Pinhoti Trail; 2019, Great Plains Trail pilot trail in South Dakota and Nebraska; on April 7, 2021 I will start the Pacific Crest Trail. The Foothills Trail Conservancy has a detailed, informative website, including maps, elevations profiles, shuttle information and more. 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. As always, take care of our trail angels! The consistent signage makes finding the trailheads easy, and the mileage makes section hiking attainable. Waterfalls abound, their distinctive rush mixes with sounds of wind and wildlife. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. For the next 0.7 miles, we ascended and descended over 400 steps! Insects can be bothersome in warmer months. 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