The group will go by boat to Laurel Fork and hike the Foothills Trail to Canebrake, a distance of about 5.8 miles. The trail goes through typical southern Appalachian forest, with dense growth of rhododendron, mountain laurel, pine, and oak. Click here to find alternative waterfall and hiking trails. Cloudflare monitors for these errors and automatically investigates the cause. I dread the descents more than the climbs. Heartbreak's tread is narrow, and often constricted even more by Laurel and Rhododendron encroaching into the corridor. At the top is an observation platform which afforded me a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains. If you like water, the trail offers constant swimming opportunities, waterfalls, and flowing rivers to lull hikers to sleep. The Bartram, Foothills, AT and Benton MacKaye form a Southern Serpentine Route! 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. Check out this page at the Foothills Trail Conservancy. This middle section of trail bumps along at low elevations and sports spectacular runoff that forms beautiful waterfalls. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Upon the completion of the Foothills Trail hikers can apply for the Peregrine Award to commemorate their hikes. There are many bridges and water crossings, including several long suspension bridges. I started my hike on Sunday February 16th from Oconee State Park. The southern/western portion of the trail is fairly gentle, but dont let that fool you. So it requires some advance planning. While the relatively mild winters of South Carolina make the trail hikeable year-round, early to mid-spring and fall are the preferred seasons. Head West on The Foothills Trail towards Lake Jocassee. Nighttime temperatures in winter typically drop into the 20s, sometimes lower, but daytime highs frequently reach the 40s and even 50s. 0. 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! 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. Excellent article. I dread the descents more than the climbs. 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. gain about 10,000 feet (the Foothills Trail Conservancy does not offer exact totals; approximations are based on an overall elevation profile). Fee camping is allowed only in designated areas in Oconee and Table Rock state parks. A solid and steady climb with a few short downhills just to give you a quick break. 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. Crossing the Toxaway River and Ascending Heartbreak Ridge - 12.30 Miles - From Campsite at mile 47.6 To Campsite at mile 59.9 - We were up at 6:40 am. 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. Top Selling Tours & Activities in and around South Carolina. A group of 3 moms and 3 girls did these 32.6 miles over 4 days. We hiked back up to the Whitewater River and took another break killing time until the hike to the access area. Hikers can expect to find blue line trout waters, suspension bridges, wildflowers, and star-filled nights from peaceful campsites which are numerous enough to . The FTC website lists shuttle services that cater to long-distance hikers. This was a hard day of almost 12 miles. More. Thanks for your support! 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. By Clay Bonnyman Evans, 2019 Foothills Trail Thru-Hiker. I really need to recover tonight. Nice article! From Bear den campsite to Cane Brake boat access, not flat, Great hike! 4/8-10/22. I was so overheated and exhausted at this point that I was having dry heaves. 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. Want to report conditions for this trail? I am very proud to have accomplished this feat and Im already looking forward to my next journey along the trail. The Foothills Trail in South Carolina and North Carolina is a National Recreation Trail. Thx The western half of the trail covers significantly less grueling terrain overall. As hard as our Colorado hike minus elevation. This mornings highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. Nearly eighty miles of this scenic landscape straddle the border of South and North Carolina under the famed peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 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! Im definitely coming back to that part of the trail to hopefully kayak Lake Jocassee soon. What an experience! Sept of 2014. Flowers, and other Flora abound, birds aplenty, There are even plants that only exist in this part of the world. 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. 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. Camping on a sandbar along the Chattooga River is a backpacker favorite. But theres more to love about this trail than the wilderness it passes through. Our family of 2 adults and 2 teenagers did these sections over 2 days. Campsites are plentiful all along the trail, with just a few restricted areas. IT set the stage for the many great waterfalls we would enjoy along our hike. Your IP: Maybe even us. There were no bugs and it got down to the low 40s one night After a brief rain during the 65 degree weather. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. Explore this 11.0-mile out-and-back trail near Montreat, North Carolina. 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. Think of this as a heatmap, more rides = more kinetic energy = warmer colors. Oconee is about 2.5 hours and Table Rock is about three hours from Atlanta. Region: Deep South, Lower Appalachians (South Carolina) Length: 76.2 miles (5-8 days) Physical Difficulty: Moderate Jurisdiction: The Foothills Trail crosses land managed by the U.S. Forest Service, state parks, and Duke Energy. My wife and I hiked the Foothills Trail in April of 2007, and as we tried to gather information from other websites on their experiences, we found that there were not many pages to be found. The day started with "heartbreak ridge". People love campfires. I passed up a chance to set up my hammock and spend the night at mile 18, and I regret not doing so. Greenville SC 29602. Heartbreak Ridge - 19.10 Miles - From Cantrell Campsite To Lake Jocasse - This morning's highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. Check out more trails in the Asheville area here. Hikers can fly into Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. We made camp around 5:30 that evening and finished with a total of 20.5 miles for day 2. Far below the Blue Ridge, the foothills undulate with as much unforgiving elevation change as the high peaks themselves. Be prepared. The Foothills Trail is something like 76 miles in length and we hiked 6.4 miles of it on a recent brisk afternoon. We switched to the trail because it had nice footbridges to cross the streams. This is classified as a strenuous section of trail which includes Heartbreak Ridge. That night as we slept we were entertained by a wild thunderstorm. You have two transport options for the trail you can shuttle a car yourself, or use a Foothills Trail shuttle service. Scenery: Mostly forests, dominated by rhododendron, mountain laurel, oak and pine, with occasional panoramic views, rivers, waterfalls, and the summit of South Carolinas highest peak. Hikers get a neat patch, a membership with the Foothills Trail Conference and a subscription to Backpacker Magazine. Hey, Mike N. Im the author of this piece. But the eastern/northern third of the trail, in particular, is as steep and rugged as the southern Appalachian Trail. Login to Update Event. 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 Foothills Trail is a fun, challenging hike through classic Southern Appalachian terrain. I can usually will myself to keep going but not in this case. This is a lovely hiking area with lots of camping spots and scenic views. Thru-hikers travel both north/eastbound and south/westbound, but theres no question that those who travel south/westbound have it a bit tougher. Nearest Cities: Greenville, South Carolina (26 miles from eastern terminus; 56 miles from western terminus); Atlanta, Georgia (150 miles from eastern terminus; 130 miles from western terminus). 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. 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. Ill have to download some gps coordinates for my favorites. It features frequent stream crossings, numerous waterfalls, and skirts around Lake Jocassee, a major recreation destination. Elevation is 3,165, Mail me We finished with 5 miles on the day. The tread on most of the trail is largely free of rocks and roots, except for a few limited areas, making for pleasant hiking. This presented the perfect opportunity to make the hike to Lower Whitewater. Start and stop your timer on the first wooden step heading into Laurel Valley . Streams, creeks, and engorged rivers mark the land with deep gorges and sandy beaches. Cloudflare monitors for these errors and automatically investigates the cause. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 15 h 5 min to complete. Laurel Fork Falls (mile 54.3): A scenic cascade with several streamside campsites just one-tenth of a mile to the east. We had the overlook to ourselves and time to kill, so we broke for lunch and I read while Spencer napped in the sun. Mother Nature smiled upon me with great weather! Moderate to strenuous on the eastern/northern portion of the trail. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. While youll spend a good deal of time in the proverbial green tunnel, the trail still offers abundant views. Lots of inclines and declines so pack light! 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. It looks like a small pool of water but it is the top of the falls. Woods Mountain Trail is not for the faint of heart! instead, 91 South Catawba Avenue, Old Fort, For safety's sake, you can almost always get a cell phone signal with Verizon also. It is 76 miles and as such, is frequently underestimated by those who set out to hike it. https://foothillstrail.org/maps-coordinates-2/. Click link for details and directions. 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. 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. 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. I was very impressed by the size and power of this waterfall! What were the generally areas where you made camp each night? I really need to recover tonight. There are multiple easy access points to the Foothills Trail. There is an issue between Cloudflare's cache and your origin web server. Cold nights in 30s and pleasant days in 50s. Mountain Bike Trails Play Young's Ridge Mill Creek Road and Old US Hwy. I was so overheated and exhausted at this point that I was having dry heaves. Perhaps it was because we were hiking West to East, but it turned out to be not nearly as bad as we were expecting. Find us on Facebook! Difficult at times but worth it. In a normal season, there is plentiful water all along the trail. On top of Heartbreak Ridge, we heard 4 large birds . The part we loved most about the trail was how desolate it was. 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. Waterfalls abound at mile 16.3 via a side trail at King Creek Falls, and another at mile 23.2. 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. If you enjoyed the Foothills Trail you should check out http://www.ultimatehike.org. Resupply: The trail is short enough that it can be easily hiked without resupply. To help support the investigation, you can pull the corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team. The Toxaway River flows into Lake Jocassee along the Foothills Trail. There is a small amount of roadwalking. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Thru hiked with a buddy and my dog. There are no shelters along the trail, and rain is frequent, so hikers should have a good shelter such as a tent, tarp, or hammock. This trail is awesome . Additional one mile loop, "Last of the Mohicans" and "Hunt for Red October" were filmed along the shores of this picturesque lake. 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. Be sure to. It is my favorite trail for many of the reasons you noted. The terrain, tread, and gradesfrom riverside meandering to lung-busting steepall reflect the AT in its Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina incarnations. Im much more inclined to fall going down one of these steep descents. gain approximately 10,900 feet of elevation, while north/eastbounders (NEBOs?) 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 Great camping areas. This self supported marathon begins in the Laurel Valley Parking Lot off HWY 178 . The books warn you about Heartbreak Ridge but they don't tell you about Heartbreak Hill that follows. Bald Knob (mile 72.5): Expansive view of upstate South Carolina from knees of Pinnacle Mountain. 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. 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. Dont take it for granted.The shuttle service ( Taz) is the best.Went from Oconne to Table Rock. Day 5s goal was to get to Canebrake and finish the section. 13.1 miles total for the day! Another great waterfall and we got to see a wild turkey, actually flying which was rare. Thankfully volunteers have put steps into the dirt and rock to enable hikers to negotiate the steep trail. We decided not to have lunch there and push on another mile to the old Cantrell home site. We camped at the site right next to the Laurel Valley parking lot. Fortunately, once I got to the lake I came upon a perfect hammock site on a cliff overlooking Lake Jocassee. more. 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. But from its well blazed path to its active trail conservancy, it is a trail well worth the walk. Absolutely beautiful with all the waterfalls. Woke up to the popping of the same campfire. Foothills Trail Conservancy Its entirely plausible to hike the Foothills Trail in any season, though late-spring to early summer and fall are most popular. The Foothills Trail - A 76-mile journey into the wilderness. 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 is strenuous throughout. 6.6 - 13.6 miles 2,350 feet: 34.266172,-117.62684: 740 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. It offers multiple distance choices with a challenging hill climb and scenic views of surrounding . Well-built bridges cross major waterways and the FTC has laid hundreds of wood-block steps into the steepest sections of 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. Down to the popping of the Falls heading into Laurel Valley Parking off... Falls ( mile 54.3 ): a scenic cascade with several streamside just... 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