Mike/Asheville. Absolutely beautiful with all the waterfalls. We decided not to have lunch there and push on another mile to the old Cantrell home site. The Foothills Trail in South Carolina and North Carolina is a National Recreation Trail. Additional Bridge over Whitewater River now complete! 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. This has been by far my favorite hike Ive done in recent years. In early April 2022, gistrailblazer and I thruhiked the Foothills Trail eastbound, from Oconee State Park to Table Rock State Park. 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. Loved the wild rivers! Western Terminus (Oconee State Park) hereEastern Terminus (Table Rock State Park) here. Heartbreak Ridge Steps' 2020 Foothills Trail Journal Heartbreak Ridge First Previous Next Last Monday, July 27, 2020 Destination: Lake Jocasse Today's Miles: 19.10 Start Location: Cantrell Campsite Trip Miles: 27.10 Evening view This morning's highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. 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. Oconee offers tent camping and cabin rental for those who prefer to stay the night and get an early start on their Foothills Trail adventure. Its entirely plausible to hike the Foothills Trail in any season, though late-spring to early summer and fall are most popular. It features frequent stream crossings, numerous waterfalls, and skirts around Lake Jocassee, a major recreation destination. 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 trail is blazed and is normally hiked in 10 days. Bears frequent these mountain areas, so its important to bring and adequately hang a bear bag, or use an Ursack setup. Nice article! 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. Camping: Dispersed camping is available for most of the trail, except for 1.7 miles along the Whitewater River on Duke Energy property. That night as we slept we were entertained by a wild thunderstorm. Head West on The Foothills Trail towards Lake Jocassee. This is considered d the most difficult section of the Foothills Trail. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Lake Jocassee (mile 48.5): The rocks beneath the bridge over the Toxaway River make an excellent spot for lunch, rest, or drying out your gear. That was my favorite part of the 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. 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. Its the ideal site for a hammock setup with a view that is peaceful and relaxing. The books warn you about Heartbreak Ridge but they don't tell you about Heartbreak Hill that follows. 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. Location | Western North Carolina and Northern South Carolina, Highlights | 13 Waterfalls, Gorges, Wooden Steps, Multiple Suspension Bridges, State High Point, Volunteer Coordinated Shuttles, Maps and Guidebooks | Anti-Gravity Gear Pocket Profile ($3.95), Foothills Trail Conference Trail Map ($15.00), Foothills Trail Conference Guidebook ($16.00). For safety's sake, you can almost always get a cell phone signal with Verizon also. Some shuttle drivers also will do food drops for a fee. There are also ten other easy access points between the two termini for non-thru-hikers. We finished with 5 miles on the day. 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. Today's miles: 17 Total miles: 65.4 Camped: Boulder about a mile before Sassafras peak What a day. We really enjoyed the short hike to Hidden Falls. Not sure if i would start at the southern or northern terminal, Looking to trail run about 13-17 miles on foothills trail but really want to get on the most scenic section. Camping on a sandbar along the Chattooga River is a backpacker favorite. It can be hiked in 3-7 days. PO Box 3041 Sassafrass Mountain (mile 66.4):At 3,553 feet, the highest point in South Carolina, with 360-degree views from the fire tower on top (note: the tower was closed for construction in late 2018). Foothills Trail Conservancy Facebook group, Official Foothills Trail GuidebookHiking South Carolinas Foothills Trail pocket guide by Scott Lynch. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. Hard to find online is specific locations of good water stops. I can usually will myself to keep going but not in this case. Difficult at times but worth it. Cars can be left at both state parks. Beginning at mile 50 the trail slowly gains elevation, passing Laurel Falls (54.30) and Virginia Hawkins Falls (57.3) on the way up. Day 4 was going to be all back tracking since we had to hike back to Bad Creek to meet my friend. To help support the investigation, you can pull the corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team. As always, take care of our trail angels! Exclusive to the state of Florida, its dirt and paved paths can be hiked in 60-90 days. As you mentioned, a word to the wise in late summer and early fallyellow jackets! For those who wish to follow the white blazes of the Foothills Trail, the trail continues down Sassafras Mountain, makes one last climb to up Pinnacle Mountain, and winds its way down to Table Rock State Park. This middle section of trail bumps along at low elevations and sports spectacular runoff that forms beautiful waterfalls. We made camp around 5:30 that evening and finished with a total of 20.5 miles for day 2. Exposure is minimal, and many climbs feature artificial, wood-block steps. What were the generally areas where you made camp each night? Whitewater falls is breathtaking, and the climb out will leave you breathless! This mornings highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. Ill have to download some gps coordinates for my favorites. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 15 h 5 min to complete. 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. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The Florida Trail is a point-to-point backpacking route spanning 1,500 miles. Primitive trail connects Woods Mountain & Armstrong Creek Trails. We decided to climb to the ridge and found the perfect site for the evening atop the ridge. The trail is clearly marked throughout. For those planning to take their time, some local shuttle drivers offer food drops for a fee. Oconee is about 2.5 hours and Table Rock is about three hours from Atlanta. 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. 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. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Put in at Frozen Creek Access then hiked to Canebrake. Find us on Facebook! 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. I could not have asked or hoped for anything better. http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/1368860/heartbreak-ridge, 2940 Ft. /8 Miles. Cold nights in 30s and pleasant days in 50s. A footbridge across the Horsepasture River on the Foothills Trail. 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. Print/PDF map. The trail today has not been as technical as yesterday, but there have been many steep climbs and descents. 24 miles backpacking. At the top is an observation platform which afforded me a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains. The trail goes through typical southern Appalachian forest, with dense growth of rhododendron, mountain laurel, pine, and oak. 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. Permits: No permit is required to hike the Foothills Trail. Whitewater Falls (miles 30-31.7): Six different falls that tumble a total of 800 feet, making it the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi River. 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 Stairs. Jessica Lane. Scott Lynchs pocket guide, Hiking South Carolinas Foothills Trail, is another popular option. 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. Great camping areas. . 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. If anyone finds it please message me 8644096466. 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. Cloudflare monitors for these errors and automatically investigates the cause. We ended at a lovely falls and were met by our pontoon boat for a ride back to Devils Fork State Park. Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. Discover this 48.9-km point-to-point trail near Sunset, South Carolina. We were always close to Lake Jocassee but we couldn't see it. I really need to recover tonight. Overall Id say its moderate to difficult, but I was cruising at 2.5 miles per hour each day to get it down before work on the third evening. For the next 0.7 miles, we ascended and descended over 400 steps! 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. You have two transport options for the trail you can shuttle a car yourself, or use a Foothills Trail shuttle service. 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. 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. Trail is well maintained - thanks. A bear canister is probably overkill. Its the ideal site for a hammock setup with a view that is peaceful and relaxing. 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 today has not been as technical as yesterday, but there have been many steep climbs and descents. 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. Thanks for your support! And they were indeed smoky this morning. The trail is strenuous throughout. Terrain: Easy to moderate on the western/southern part of the trail, with occasional short, steep climbs. Moderate to strenuous on the eastern/northern portion of the trail. Below is more information about our experience. This is a lovely hiking area with lots of camping spots and scenic views. 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. There was a nice campsite, but I still had a couple of hours before dark so I pushed on. Elevation is 3,165, Mail me Nantahala National Forest - (828) 526-3765. Additional one mile loop, "Last of the Mohicans" and "Hunt for Red October" were filmed along the shores of this picturesque lake. 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). Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. This vlog is from mid-May. This trail is in South Carolina and North Carolina. This self supported marathon begins in the Laurel Valley Parking Lot off HWY 178 . Terms under which this service is provided to you. On my fourth day thru hiking the Foothills Trail alone, I started with the climb up and over Heartbreak Ridge and ended up at the Chimneytop Campsite, just b. The day started with "heartbreak ridge". Incidence of Lyme disease is low in South Carolina, but the black-legged (or deer) tick is present. Living in Greenville, the FHT is just a few miles away. Immediately bear right onto the unpaved fork and continue to the Foothills Trail parking area about 0.3 mile on the left. Excellent article. 'Heartbreak Ridge,' Foothills Trail, SC - YouTube AboutPressCopyrightContact usCreatorsAdvertiseDevelopersTermsPrivacyPolicy & SafetyHow YouTube worksTest new features 2022 Google LLC This is a 30 mile one day hike on the trail that is a fundraising event for CureSearch for Childrens Cancer. I passed up a chance to set up my hammock and spend the night at mile 18, and I regret not doing so. The service rd has many creek crossings but eventually crosses the actual Foothills Trail. It was breathtaking to be able to turn all the way around and see the smoky mist below me in every direction. A wonderful weekend hike. After a week on the trail I had made it to my last night. 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