Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. Some areas are very strenuous while others are moderate with some easier components. Its entirely plausible to hike the Foothills Trail in any season, though late-spring to early summer and fall are most popular. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 15 h 5 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 rest of the SALT follows the AT to the MST to Art Loeb Trail, from there south is the part that is still in development. 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. The terrain, tread, and gradesfrom riverside meandering to lung-busting steepall reflect the AT in its Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina incarnations. If not, then I will assess what my body tells me it will do. Additional one mile loop, "Last of the Mohicans" and "Hunt for Red October" were filmed along the shores of this picturesque lake. Flowers, and other Flora abound, birds aplenty, There are even plants that only exist in this part of the world. What an experience! The Foothills Trail, though steep in places, is not especially rugged, so trail runners are more than adequate. 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 alleviates the headache of spotting cars or finding rides back to original trailheads after completing sections. 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. It wasnt that bad going east to west but it definitely doesnt look fun the opposite direction. As always, take care of our trail angels! A wonderful weekend hike. Day 5s goal was to get to Canebrake and finish the section. Percent of the course on un-paved trails: 90%. This is a week that will stay with me forever. 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. Find us on Facebook! Many views along the way - waterfalls, wild boar and wild turkey sightings, streams to cross. 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 Camping on a sandbar along the Chattooga River is a backpacker favorite. This mornings highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. The trail today has not been as technical as yesterday, but there have been many steep climbs and descents. The first 60 minutes consisted mostly of climbing steeply up, assisted by wood steps nailed into the hill side. Greenville SC 29602. Region: Deep South, Lower Appalachians (South Carolina) Length: 76.2 miles (5-8 days) Physical Difficulty: Moderate We briefly paused at bald rock to take in the spectacular views and snap a few more pics. 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. So it requires some advance planning. We decided to climb to the ridge and found the perfect site for the evening atop the ridge. 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 can usually will myself to keep going but not in this case. Our family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers did these sections over 2 days. Description. 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. The Foothills Trail is accessible, challenging, but not difficult, and logistically easy to hike. Foothills Trail Conservancy PO Box 3041 Greenville SC 29602. info@foothillstrail.org. This is classified as a strenuous section of trail which includes Heartbreak Ridge. Oconee State Park is about two hours from both cities. A bear canister is probably overkill. The tread on most of the trail is largely free of rocks and roots, except for a few limited areas, making for pleasant hiking. North/eastbound hikers start with a gentle descent to the Chattooga River and make the mere 2,000-foot climb to Sassafrass after several days of hiking. Volunteers should be reimbursed fairly for their generous donations of time and gasoline. Its a great trail! 4/8-10/22. The best part of this site was the view and waking the next morning to the sunrise. This trail is in South Carolina and North Carolina. With the exception of the winter months, chances are that weather will be warm and often extremely hot and humid. The Bartram Trail is a 102-mile trek through the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Hikers should plan ahead for shuttle transport. Waterfalls abound at mile 16.3 via a side trail at King Creek Falls, and another at mile 23.2. Hikers can expect to find blue line trout waters, suspension bridges, wildflowers, and star-filled nights from peaceful campsites which are numerous enough to . Moderate to strenuous on the eastern/northern portion of the trail. Thx We decided not to have lunch there and push on another mile to the old Cantrell home site. Oconee is about 2.5 hours and Table Rock is about three hours from Atlanta. 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. more. Day 4 was going to be all back tracking since we had to hike back to Bad Creek to meet my friend. There I set up camp. Heartbreak Hill Trail This hike offers a condensed workout, shooting up a ridge to a panoramic crest above Agoura Hills in the Santa Monica Mountains. PO Box 3041 The incidence of Lyme disease is very low in South and North Carolina (less than .5 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents), but the black-legged (or deer tick) is present, so be diligent about tick checks. Hard to find online is specific locations of good water stops. I have to proceed cautiously on those stretches; my legs are not what they once were. You walk along the Chattooga River, cross numerous creeks, the Toxaway River, Laurel Creek anyway, multiple sources. 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). Day 7 was going to be one of our shorter and easier days! We planned on hiking to Drawbar Cliffs and making camp there so we would only have a 5 mile hike on our final day. Jessica Lane. We logged over 32 miles. I continue to log miles and slay summits in Asheville North Carolina. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. I was meeting a friend Wednesday evening at the Bad Creek access area so we had planned to take our time hiking those 33 miles so we would arrive there on Wednesday. The Star Gap Trail is a great short trail for hikers and bikers alike! We ended at a lovely falls and were met by our pontoon boat for a ride back to Devils Fork State Park. I can usually will myself to keep going but not in this case. I really need to recover tonight. There is an issue between Cloudflare's cache and your origin web server. That night as we slept we were entertained by a wild thunderstorm. Beginning at mile 50 the trail slowly gains elevation, passing Laurel Falls (54.30) and Virginia Hawkins Falls (57.3) on the way up. I did it with my fianc and dog in three days and it was fantastic. 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. And many a Foothills Trail hiker has found herself sprinting away from the occasional swarm of irritable hornets, especially in fall. We switched to the trail because it had nice footbridges to cross the streams. For the next 0.7 miles, we ascended and descended over 400 steps! This is a 30 mile one day hike on the trail that is a fundraising event for CureSearch for Childrens Cancer. Day 1 we hiked to Laurel Fork Falls campsite. No permits are required, but if you camp in either Oconee or Table Rock state parks, there is a fee. I have only done a small portion of this beautiful trail but every step is well worth the effort. And they were indeed smoky this morning. 6.6 - 13.6 miles 2,350 feet: 34.266172,-117.62684: 740 The heat and humidity can be intense from mid-May through September. The trail is well-marked and well-graded. Put in at Frozen Creek Access then hiked to Canebrake. Any suggestions. During this middle section of trail, the hiker will also get their first introduction to another essential attribute on the Foothills Trail. Overall, we hiked around 6 miles to and from. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. The Foothills Trail climbs gently out of Oconee State Park on a wide, flat trail that becomes increasingly tight before transforming into traditional single track. Beginning at mile 50 the trail slowly gains elevation, passing Laurel Falls (54.30) and Virginia Hawkins Falls (57.3) on the way up. I hiked solo from Maine to Georgia in 2014 and from Denver to Durango in 2015. At the top is an observation platform which afforded me a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains. Loved the wild rivers! 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. 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. Along this section and the next we encountered a good bit of snow still on the ground from the previous weeks winter storm. It was a short 5 mile hike to finish up our journey, and the majority of that was downhill. People love campfires. The Trail joins the Chattooga River Trail at mile 10.6 and winds along the Chattooga Rivers sandy beaches for miles. 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 thought the late night hiker was crazy, but only a really crazy person would try to tackle Heartbreak Ridge, Laurel . The Foothills Trail is a part of the nearing completion Southern Appalachian Loop Trail. 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. What were the generally areas where you made camp each night? The trail is well-marked and well-graded. 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). Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 8 h 58 min to complete. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Want to report conditions for this trail? Insects can be troublesome, especially mosquitoes and biting flies in warmer months. Resupply: The trail is short enough that it can be easily hiked without resupply. Jan 11, 2021; PART 5 - Solo on the Foothills Trail. gain about 10,000 feet (the Foothills Trail Conservancy does not offer exact totals; approximations are based on an overall elevation profile). It was an evening of mixed emotion for me. Cold nights in 30s and pleasant days in 50s. At the top is an observation platform which afforded me a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains. 24 miles backpacking. Death Valley Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop, CA, Smoky Mountains National Park Loop, NC / TN, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, Total elevation gain is 10,000-11,000 feet, depending on direction, Sustained climbs of more than 2,000 feet; some short, very steep sections, Heat and humidity can be a challenge from late spring through early fall, Dispersed camping allowed along most of the trail. We were on the trail by 9am on day 2. We parked the truck at a red gate and began hiking down the service road. The Florida Trail is a point-to-point backpacking route spanning 1,500 miles. We started with two short sections to Chimney Gap and then to Sassafras. Today I am climbing Heartbreak Ridge! It's Day 5 on the . It got our heart rates elevated but it failed to break us! . But theres more to love about this trail than the wilderness it passes through. I have thru-hiked it, speed hiked it and section hiked it. Be careful! 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. But from its well blazed path to its active trail conservancy, it is a trail well worth the walk. Great review. The Blue Ridge Mountains are well known for their three hundred sixty degree views from their bare summits. 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. We had gotten to the more strenuous sections of trail and it was quite noticeable. Though technically a four-season trail, the heat and humidity from May through September can be oppressive. 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. 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