Additional one mile loop, "Last of the Mohicans" and "Hunt for Red October" were filmed along the shores of this picturesque lake. I would not call this trail moderate, as there are many challenging sections, no matter which direction you travel. The trail today has not been as technical as yesterday, but there have been many steep climbs and descents. Perhaps it was because we were hiking West to East, but it turned out to be not nearly as bad as we were expecting. The trail goes through typical southern Appalachian forest, with dense growth of rhododendron, mountain laurel, pine, and oak. Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. On top of Heartbreak Ridge, we heard 4 large birds . 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. Devil's Backbone This ridge-top trail between Baldy Notch and the summit of Mount Baldy is probably LA's greatest ridge hike, with incredible views over the San Gabriel Mountains and the Mojave Desert. As hard as our Colorado hike minus elevation. 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's miles: 17 Total miles: 65.4 Camped: Boulder about a mile before Sassafras peak What a day. Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. Geology Guide to the Foothills Trail NOW AVAILABLE! Terms under which this service is provided to you. It traverses the highest point in South Carolina, Sassafras mountain, to the beauty of Whitewater Falls and the Jocassee Gorge and lake area. Photos (139) Directions. I actually JUST FINISHED the Bartram Trail. Its unfair to reduce the Foothills Trail to a warm-up for the Appalachian Trail. 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. Absolutely beautiful with all the waterfalls. I have participated for the last 4 years great event!! Cars can be left at both state parks. 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. While the solitude of the first part of my hike was very nice it was good to have company. I started my hike on Sunday February 16th from Oconee State Park. 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. Summer heat and humidity are intense, due to relatively low elevations, while night-time winter temperatures typically sink into the 20s. Tougher than expected but had a great time. 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. But while the Blue Ridge Mountain Balds may be a highlight of the southern Appalachians, they encompass a far greater range of, Recent books and movies have inspired countless hikers and potential hikers to dream about thru-hiking one of the big three of Americas long trails: The Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, or the Continental Divide Trail. The trail is clearly marked throughout. 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). 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. . 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. There is an issue between Cloudflare's cache and your origin web server. It was breathtaking to be able to turn all the way around and see the smoky mist below me in every direction. For those planning to take their time, some local shuttle drivers offer food drops for a fee. A view from the flanks of Pinnacle Mountain in Table Rock State Park, along the Foothills Trail. Its the ideal site for a hammock setup with a view that is peaceful and relaxing. Lots of inclines and declines so pack light! 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. A wonderful weekend hike. Oh, and theres the little matter of more than 500 steep steps up Heartbreak Ridge as you leave Lake Jocassee. 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. Im much more inclined to fall going down one of these steep descents. We really enjoyed the short hike to Hidden Falls. I had many great campsites along the trail but this one would prove to be the best. Be prepared. 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. Navigation: The trail is well-marked with white blazes and easily navigable, though as always, you can get off track if you arent paying attention. Heartbreak Ridge Half Marathon. And many a Foothills Trail hiker has found herself sprinting away from the occasional swarm of irritable hornets, especially in fall. As the name implies, this down hill, four mile bike trail descends approximately 2,000 feet and is a true heart breaker. PO Box 3041 The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. We camped at the site right next to the Laurel Valley parking lot. I began at the southern terminus, Oconee State Park in Mountains Rest, South Carolina. The Foothills Trail Conservancy store offers a complete guidebook, map, and pocket profile. The Foothills Trail, though steep in places, is not especially rugged, so trail runners are more than adequate. Im investigating as we speak! Expect a high speed experience with very fast straight sections. Come take a hike with me at Blue Ridge Hiking Company! gain about 10,000 feet (the Foothills Trail Conservancy does not offer exact totals; approximations are based on an overall elevation profile). Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 8 h 58 min to complete. Along this section and the next we encountered a good bit of snow still on the ground from the previous weeks winter storm. For the next 0.7 miles, we ascended and descended over 400 steps! The suspension bridge was amazing! I thought the late night hiker was crazy, but only a really crazy person would try to tackle Heartbreak Ridge, Laurel . You can hike for a few hours or spend days or a week or so hiking here and never do the same hike twice. To learn more, please visit the About This Site page. Another great waterfall and we got to see a wild turkey, actually flying which was rare. We finished up with a little less than 10 miles for the day. Discover this 48.9-km point-to-point trail near Sunset, South Carolina. Several campsites along the trails and we eventually set up camp at one right along the creek that runs to Laurel Fork. Day 5s goal was to get to Canebrake and finish the section. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 15 h 5 min to complete. Sept of 2014. This was one of the few instances I saw wildlife along my hike. Please include the Ray ID (which is at the bottom of this error page). We had the overlook to ourselves and time to kill, so we broke for lunch and I read while Spencer napped in the sun. This mornings highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. The terrain, tread, and gradesfrom riverside meandering to lung-busting steepall reflect the AT in its Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina incarnations. We hiked back up to the Whitewater River and took another break killing time until the hike to the access area. 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. Cross Bear Creek campsite is nice but you have to hang your own bear line. Check out more trails in the Asheville area here. Until we meet again. 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. Insects can be troublesome, especially mosquitoes and biting flies in warmer months. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. All orders over $60 receive FREE shipping! 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. 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. There are also ten other easy access points between the two termini for non-thru-hikers. Volunteers should be reimbursed fairly for their generous donations of time and gasoline. That night as we slept we were entertained by a wild thunderstorm. Hard 4.4 (195) Pisgah National Forest. 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! Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. 6.6 - 13.6 miles 2,350 feet: 34.266172,-117.62684: 740 Thankfully volunteers have put steps into the dirt and rock to enable hikers to negotiate the steep trail. The trail is strenuous throughout. But the eastern/northern third of the trail, in particular, is as steep and rugged as the southern Appalachian 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. 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. Thanks again. To help support the investigation, you can pull the corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team. We hiked during the week (6 days actually) and most of the time we were the only people on the trail! This trail is in South Carolina and North Carolina. What I had failed to realize it that the next mile of the trail is know as Heart Break Ridge. A footbridge across the Horsepasture River on the Foothills Trail. Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around South Carolina. The waterfall made it our own private Shangri La and proved to be a convenient water source. It was an evening of mixed emotion for me. 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. 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. 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. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Exposure is minimal, and many climbs feature artificial, wood-block steps. 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. I have only done a small portion of this beautiful trail but every step is well worth the effort. Jan 11, 2021; PART 5 - Solo on the Foothills Trail. 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. To help support the investigation, you can pull the corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team. Foothills Trail Conservancy Facebook group, Official Foothills Trail GuidebookHiking South Carolinas Foothills Trail pocket guide by Scott Lynch. Waterfalls abound at mile 16.3 via a side trail at King Creek Falls, and another at mile 23.2. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Trailhead begins inside the Old Fort Picnic Area with incredible views of Kitsuma Peak at trail end. 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. That said, its hard to think of a better trail to help newbies figure out if they are going to enjoy the AT. 4/8-10/22. 70, Old Fort, NC, 28762 Performance & security by Cloudflare. I got to meet several interesting and nice people that were making the short hike to Lick Falls. Enjoy your next adventure. This trail is awesome . There I set up camp. We finished with 5 miles on the day. 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 trail is not heavily used by long-distance hikers, regardless of season. 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/. I can usually will myself to keep going but not in this case. The Foothills Trail is a part of the nearing completion Southern Appalachian Loop Trail. Fitness Trail consists of 7 stations, two exercises per station on a 1/4 mile jogging path. The Trail joins the Chattooga River Trail at mile 10.6 and winds along the Chattooga Rivers sandy beaches for miles. The trail is blazed and is normally hiked in 10 days. Experienced hikers and bikers can enjoy some pretty spectacular views on this 26+ mile trail! Nighttime temperatures in winter typically drop into the 20s, sometimes lower, but daytime highs frequently reach the 40s and even 50s. Upon the completion of the Foothills Trail hikers can apply for the Peregrine Award to commemorate their hikes. This was really the only section that had a few technical parts. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. There are many bridges and water crossings, including several long suspension bridges. We had reached Burrells Ford by 1pm and pushed on towards Fish Hatchery Road. A rat snake, coiled alongside the Foothills Trail. Once as high as the Rocky Mountains or Alps, some 480 million years of erosion have substantially decreased the elevation of the Appalachian Mountains (which extend, believe it or not, into Scotland). The Bartram, Foothills, AT and Benton MacKaye form a Southern Serpentine Route! It is just under three miles long, beginning at the Old Fort picnic area. 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. Its a great trail! Oconee is about 2.5 hours and Table Rock is about three hours from Atlanta. Those hiking east-west will encounter the most challenging parts of the trail immediately, while those going from Oconee State Park to Table Rock State Park get a much easier introduction to the trail. Water is plentiful. Day 3 started only 4.8 miles from Bad Creek, where I was meeting my friend the next day. 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. Slept well, heard the popping of the campfire a few sites over for awhile. Excellent article. 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. We took a quick break at the falls to enjoy the view and snap some pics and then pushed on towards bad creek. I was so overheated and exhausted at this point that I was having dry heaves. What an experience! 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). Stairs. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas. Foothills Trail Conservancy PO Box 3041 Greenville SC 29602. [email protected]. 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. We were on the trail by 9am on day 2. Day 4 was going to be all back tracking since we had to hike back to Bad Creek to meet my friend. Day 8, my final day on the trail, started early. The trail goes between Table Rock State Park and Oconee State Park. The group will go by boat to Laurel Fork and hike the Foothills Trail to Canebrake, a distance of about 5.8 miles. Length: 76.2 miles (the Foothills Trail Conservancy rounds this off to 77 miles). Had brief freezing rains. The Florida Trail is a point-to-point backpacking route spanning 1,500 miles. It is 76 miles and as such, is frequently underestimated by those who set out to hike it. Bad Creek, where i was meeting my friend the next we encountered a nights... 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