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. 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. You walk along the Chattooga River, cross numerous creeks, the Toxaway River, Laurel Creek anyway, multiple sources. Perhaps it was because we were hiking West to East, but it turned out to be not nearly as bad as we were expecting. Turn right into the parking area and pay your nominal parking fee. We camped at Bear Creek (not bear camp creek) and actually did have a bear sighting. I continue to log miles and slay summits in Asheville North Carolina. 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. Go to Join Now to join for the first time or to renew your membership. Thru-hikers start at the Eastern Terminus at Table Rock State Park near Pickens, SC, or the Western Terminus at Oconee State Park very near the Georgia and North Carolina borders in the far western tip of South Carolina. Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. Around 4:15 we started the hike to the Bad Creek parking lot. Unlike the tall and unforgiving crests of the great range, the foothills are alive and lush. I could not have asked or hoped for anything better. Living in Greenville, the FHT is just a few miles away. Please include the Ray ID (which is at the bottom of this error page). And many a Foothills Trail hiker has found herself sprinting away from the occasional swarm of irritable hornets, especially in fall. There were plenty of views and beautiful streams and waterfalls this time of year. If you like water, the trail offers constant swimming opportunities, waterfalls, and flowing rivers to lull hikers to sleep. We camped at the site right next to the Laurel Valley parking lot. The Toxaway River flows into Lake Jocassee along the Foothills Trail. Did the 5 day plan. Trail. 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. 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 group will go by boat to Laurel Fork and hike the Foothills Trail to Canebrake, a distance of about 5.8 miles. Fortunately, once I got to the lake I came upon a perfect hammock site on a cliff overlooking Lake Jocassee. Cross Bear Creek campsite is nice but you have to hang your own bear line. 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. 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. This self supported marathon begins in the Laurel Valley Parking Lot off HWY 178 . 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. We had reached Burrells Ford by 1pm and pushed on towards Fish Hatchery Road. It got our heart rates elevated but it failed to break us! Bugs were bad at this location. We switched to the trail because it had nice footbridges to cross the streams. Click on any map and youll see what Im talking about. Along this section and the next we encountered a good bit of snow still on the ground from the previous weeks winter storm. 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. 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. About an hour later we put the packs back on and headed toward the Cliffs. Easy and downhill. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. What I had failed to realize it that the next mile of the trail is know as Heart Break Ridge. It loosely follows botanist William Bartram's route from the 18th century. Though technically a four-season trail, the heat and humidity from May through September can be oppressive. Well maintained trail. This is a 30 mile one day hike on the trail that is a fundraising event for CureSearch for Childrens Cancer. Log In. As always, take care of our trail angels! The afternoon left me completely exhausted. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. a Two park, At the base of Linville Gorge you will find a 6,812 acre lake with more than 150 miles of shoreline.. From Bear den campsite to Cane Brake boat access, not flat, Great hike! 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. Come take a hike with me at Blue Ridge Hiking Company! 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. Tougher than expected but had a great time. Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. The Foothills Trail Conservancy has a detailed, informative website, including maps, elevations profiles, shuttle information and more. Some shuttle drivers also will do food drops for a fee. Cloudflare monitors for these errors and automatically investigates the cause. We really enjoyed the short hike to Hidden Falls. Elevation is 3,165, Mail me It wasnt that bad going east to west but it definitely doesnt look fun the opposite direction. The Foothills Trail is accessible, challenging, but not difficult, and logistically easy to hike. We were exhausted by the time we set up camp so we ate dinner and then hit the sack. I also absolutely dig the suspension bridges out there. You do need to watch for bears and bees, although the bees seem very tame. Login to Update Event. 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. Experience this 30.4-mile point-to-point trail near Sunset, South Carolina. Thank you to Heyword Douglass, Executive Director of the Foothills Conference, for your encouraging emails and photographs! Table Rock State Park offers a myriad of amenities from camping to cabins, swimming to fishing. This mornings highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. I tackled the Foothills Trail during a three day two night fastpack in early January. Thanks for your support! Print/PDF map. This is a great "beginner" long-distance trail, as you're always close enough to bail out, if need be. 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. There I set up camp. A wonderful weekend hike. It is my favorite trail for many of the reasons you noted. 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. I began at the southern terminus, Oconee State Park in Mountains Rest, South Carolina. There I set up camp. This trail is awesome . Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. 24 miles backpacking. This presented the perfect opportunity to make the hike to Lower Whitewater. Cross the bridge and turn left at the Laurel Valley Lodge sign. Mother Nature entertained us again with another mighty thunderstorm and downpour. But from its well blazed path to its active trail conservancy, it is a trail well worth the walk. 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. As hard as our Colorado hike minus elevation. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. The Foothills Trail is a dream for section hikers. Day 3 started only 4.8 miles from Bad Creek, where I was meeting my friend the next day. Hikers who travel westbound from Table Rock State Park face the challenge of 3,553-foot Sassafras Mountain, the high point of South Carolina, right out of the gate, while those who start at Oconee State Park get a much gentler introduction to the trail along the banks of the Chattooga. Photos (139) Directions. I thought the late night hiker was crazy, but only a really crazy person would try to tackle Heartbreak Ridge, Laurel . Did the 5 day plan. I have thru-hiked it, speed hiked it and section hiked it. gain about 10,000 feet (the Foothills Trail Conservancy does not offer exact totals; approximations are based on an overall elevation profile). Its a great trail! 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. 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. 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. But theres more to love about this trail than the wilderness it passes through. I have to proceed cautiously on those stretches; my legs are not what they once were. With the exception of the winter months, chances are that weather will be warm and often extremely hot and humid. Put in at Frozen Creek Access then hiked to Canebrake. 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. It was a great trip. A trail corridor linkingTable Rock State Park in the north/east toOconee State Park to the south/west, was completed in 1981. There are numerous road crossings, and hitching into small towns such as Salem, SC, or Sapphire, NC, isnt too difficult. This was a relatively easy day at about 8 miles. The Guidebook rated these sections as moderate to easy, I assume because of the short distance. Moderate to strenuous on the eastern/northern portion of the trail. This is a worthy trail in its own right, but many hikers use the Foothills Trail as a kind of shakedown, warm-up, or training-wheel expedition for an AT thru-hike. 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. 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). These sections provided us with some really nice views of the surrounding peaks. 'Heartbreak Ridge,' Foothills Trail, SC - YouTube AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest new features 2022 Google LLC Location: The trail runs slightly northeast-southwest in far western South Carolina, with several crossings into North Carolina. Excellent article. From there we pushed on towards Laurel Valley. The Foothills Trail is well-marked with white blazes. Insects can be bothersome in warmer months. Be careful! It was very strenuous and not for the out-of-shape. There is an unknown connection issue between Cloudflare and the origin web server. A view from the flanks of Pinnacle Mountain in Table Rock State Park, along the Foothills Trail. 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. Im investigating as we speak! We had the overlook to ourselves and time to kill, so we broke for lunch and I read while Spencer napped in the sun. Its entirely plausible to hike the Foothills Trail in any season, though late-spring to early summer and fall are most popular. We had reached my car by 10:30 am and my journey was complete! To learn more, please visit the About This Site page. The route, which features miles of blueberry bushes and campsites with perfect sunrise views, can be hiked in 2-4 days. I had both time to be alone and reflect and time with great company to share in my experience. I started my hike on Sunday February 16th from Oconee State Park. There were no bugs and it got down to the low 40s one night After a brief rain during the 65 degree weather. Oconee is about 2.5 hours and Table Rock is about three hours from Atlanta. Thru hiked with a buddy and my dog. 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. Heartbreak's tread is narrow, and often constricted even more by Laurel and Rhododendron encroaching into the corridor. The FTC could improve their map by adding to it some trails that intersect or at least some labels/notes regarding the other trails. I got my trail name, Pony, in 2015 when I hiked the Colorado Trail. The eastern end of the trail includes some strenuous climbing, including the infamous 500 steps up Heartbreak Ridge and the summit of Sassafras Mountain, but there are also long stretches of easy strolling. 2022 Foothills Trail Conservancy | An Engenius website. If not, then I will assess what my body tells me it will do. The hiker is treated to their first of many waterfalls at mile 8.2 at Lick Log Creek. 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