This was a hard day of almost 12 miles. The southern/western portion of the trail is fairly gentle, but dont let that fool you. In fact, its not unlike a condensed version of the southern Appalachian Trail, and many prospective hikers have tackled the Foothills Trail as a shakedown for a future AT hike. Maybe even us. The Foothills Trail is a fun, challenging traipse through classic southern Appalachian terrain. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. I tackled the Foothills Trail during a three day two night fastpack in early January. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. 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. 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'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. It looks like a small pool of water but it is the top of the falls. The Toxaway River flows into Lake Jocassee along the Foothills Trail. Thankfully volunteers have put steps into the dirt and rock to enable hikers to negotiate the steep trail. We arrived at camp by 3:30 and explored the Cliffs and the Lighthouse. Im much more inclined to fall going down one of these steep descents. Cold nights in 30s and pleasant days in 50s. This mornings highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. I have thru-hiked it, speed hiked it and section hiked it. Click on any map and youll see what Im talking about. This is a week that will stay with me forever. Its entirely plausible to hike the Foothills Trail in any season, though late-spring to early summer and fall are most popular. Thx Often one can hike for an entire day and not encounter another person. Scott Lynchs pocket guide, Hiking South Carolinas Foothills Trail, is another popular option. I can usually will myself to keep going but not in this case. Along this extended spur lies views of the East Fork of the French Broad River, as well as the sheer rock faces of Raven Cliff Falls. Living in Greenville, the FHT is just a few miles away. The Star Gap Trail is a great short trail for hikers and bikers alike! Id like to make that connection to the Bartram and hike it to the AT sometime. Hikers can fly into Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. It offers multiple distance choices with a challenging hill climb and scenic views of surrounding . The Foothills Trail: A 77-Mile Taste of the Southern Appalachians 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. Oconee is about 2.5 hours and Table Rock is about three hours from Atlanta. Insects can be bothersome in warmer months. We camped at Bear Creek (not bear camp creek) and actually did have a bear sighting. We parked the truck at a red gate and began hiking down the service road. 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. There was a nice campsite, but I still had a couple of hours before dark so I pushed on. 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. 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. From Bear den campsite to Cane Brake boat access, not flat, Great hike! This alleviates the headache of spotting cars or finding rides back to original trailheads after completing sections. 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. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans photo. I can usually will myself to keep going but not in this case. But theres more to love about this trail than the wilderness it passes through. Table Rock State Park is about an hours drive from both Asheville, North Carolina and Spartanburg, SC. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 8 h 58 min to complete. My most recent books are "Bones of My Grandfather: Reclaiming a Lost Hero of World War II," "The Trail is the Teacher: Living and Learning on the Appalachian Trail," and "I See by Your Outfit: An Unexpected Cowboy Odyssey.". Want to report conditions for this trail? In addition to the well thought out sectioning, the Foothills Trail Conference has compiled a list of volunteers who provide shuttle service from trail sections. This route was very challenging, but worth it in the end, when you are back home with your feet up :), Laurel Fork Falls to Canebrake Point-to-point using boat shuttle. The trail goes between Table Rock State Park and Oconee State Park. 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 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. Loved the wild rivers! It was a short 5 mile hike to finish up our journey, and the majority of that was downhill. That said, its hard to think of a better trail to help newbies figure out if they are going to enjoy the AT. You have two transport options for the trail you can shuttle a car yourself, or use a Foothills Trail shuttle service. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. 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. Foothills Trail Conservancy Lots of Stairs. Foothills Trail Conservancy Facebook group, Official Foothills Trail GuidebookHiking South Carolinas Foothills Trail pocket guide by Scott Lynch. Great weather with clear cool nights. I had both time to be alone and reflect and time with great company to share in my experience. Heartbreak Ridge Half Marathon. The day started with "heartbreak ridge". Trail is well maintained - thanks. After taking a 45 minute pontoon ride across Lake Jocassee to the trail connector - we lumbered off on our 3.5 hour hike. The FTC website lists shuttle services that cater to long-distance hikers. So beautiful! NC 28762, http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/1368860/heartbreak-ridge. Cars can be left at both state parks. 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! 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 part we loved most about the trail was how desolate it was. Did the 5 day plan. The Art Loeb Trail is a 30-mile point-to-point trail in North Carolina that offers jaw-dropping 360- degree views of the Southern Appalachians. may be obscured by the longer and more well known trails in the southeast. Explore this 11.0-mile out-and-back trail near Montreat, North Carolina. Unlike the tall and unforgiving crests of the great range, the foothills are alive and lush. At the top is an observation platform which afforded me a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains. This mornings highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. 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. This has been by far my favorite hike Ive done in recent years. I hiked solo from Maine to Georgia in 2014 and from Denver to Durango in 2015. Sign up for our email newsletter. Fee camping is allowed only in designated areas in Oconee and Table Rock state parks. Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. The trail begins along the top ridge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, accessed from either Curtis Creek Road or from the Old Toll Road, outside the Ridgecrest Conference center. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. This was one of the few instances I saw wildlife along my hike. Our family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers did these sections over 2 days. If anyone finds it please message me 8644096466. I traveled west>east (or, sort of, south>north) and water was never an issue. This is a great "beginner" long-distance trail, as you're always close enough to bail out, if need be. The FTC could improve their map by adding to it some trails that intersect or at least some labels/notes regarding the other trails. Heartbreak's tread is narrow, and often constricted even more by Laurel and Rhododendron encroaching into the corridor. The Foothills Trail is a point-to-point hike, and it's on the longer side, especially if you're not used to big-mile days with a pack. Its unfair to reduce the Foothills Trail to a warm-up for the Appalachian Trail. I have participated for the last 4 years great event!! Insects can be troublesome, especially mosquitoes and biting flies in warmer months. The Foothills Trail is a dream for section hikers. Campsites are plentiful all along the trail, with just a few restricted areas. Be careful, be safe, be hiking!!! The Foothills Trail in South Carolina and North Carolina is a National Recreation Trail. The largest climb of the hike begins at mile 62 and gains 1,839 feetin 4.4 miles before topping out at Sassafrass Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. A trail corridor linkingTable Rock State Park in the north/east toOconee State Park to the south/west, was completed in 1981. 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. We were hiking by 10 till 10 and our first stop was Hilliard Falls. We were always close to Lake Jocassee but we couldn't see it. At the top is an observation platform which afforded me a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains. 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! Fork Mountain Trail (S5) - (S6) Eastatoe Gorge Spur (S3) - (S4) Sassafras Mountain (S1) to Caesar's Head State Park (S2) . There is abundant wildlife and hikers have a good chance of seeing deer, snakes, toads, frogs, raccoons, waterfowl, raptors, and even black bears.While youll find people around popular features such as Whitewater Falls and Lake Jocassee, the full trail offers plenty of solitude, including your choice of quiet, secluded sites available for dispersed camping on all but a few miles. The Bartram Trail can be found (somewhere, I havent done it yet) on the other side of the Chattooga crossing the road bridge just up stream of the Burrells Ford campground, which leads to the AT in the Wayah Bald area. 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. 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