One blister is now a few blisters. Two people are having a lazy morning and they couldn’t have been nicer. Last Thursday, Craig & I set off to hike the Foothills Trail. For some reason, the Foothills Trail people don’t tell you where the good camping spots are online. As soon as they reopen the parking area, that’s the first hike I’m doing. I said, “hello” and one jokingly asked, “you come from Table Rock?” Actually, yes. Suddenly I see a truck go by and the road is a lot closer than I realized. The Chattooga River section is no joke. Reminded me a lot of the Middle Saluda at Jones Gap State Park. The Foothills Trail Conservancy’s website is a great resource for finding up-to-date trail conditions, but pay careful attention to weather patterns before your hike. Put the phone away!! And maybe rightfully so. I’ve worn these shoes on a million hikes. I stayed at Bearcamp Creek on night number 3. the trail goes alongside the river the whole way and is beautiful! Charlotte Agenda is now Axios Charlotte -. Enjoy, but be considerate. However from Sassafras Mountain there is a 14.2 mile spur trail to Ceasar’s Head State Park in South Carolina that some choose as an alternate northern terminus for the trail. 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. I got to this bridge, my feet are on fire, and I just wanted to sit and…listen. I agree. You’re getting up 3 times to go to the bathroom tonight. The Foothills Trail is a 12-foot wide non-motorized asphalt trail / linear park suitable for bicycles, walking, in-line skates and wheel chairs. Last year in the night market in Luang Prabang, Laos I saw a little embroidered pouch with a tomato lifting weights on it that said, “I am a strong tomato.”  It made me smile, so I bought it and later on that trip I went to Nepal to do the Everest Base Camp trek. We spent 3 nights along the trail. Oct 9, 2016 - The source for information, inspiration, and materials needed for our upcoming Trek of a Lifetime this May! We descended the 800 feet of Sassafras mountain to climb right back up Pinnacle Mountain to 3200 feet. From there, the itinerary is endlessly customizable, with several access points along the way. I wanted a shower and a cheeseburger and my feet were about to fall off and somehow I was still a little sad packing up. I made it to Virginia Hawkins Falls and there’s a detour posted because the bridge is impassable. Not gonna lie, I almost cried again. Avg: 6mi. The Foothills Trail Want to get more involved? Relax. Every time I hike up Pinnacle I make sure I have time to sit on Bald Knob for a while. Highlights: Fall colours: I hiked the Foothills Trail in early November, 2011. In the end, we only ended up hiking about 48 miles of… I took them both with me and, yes, it’s probably unnecessary weight because this trail is extremely well marked, but I liked having them. They were so nice and encouraging and that silly little conversation brought me back. Luckily, there are plenty of established campsites along this stretch of trail, with water access and fire rings. While I’m gone I’m in contact with my husband every single day. I am a strong tomato. I have hiked the 7 mile trail (up and back) up to Table Rock over a dozen times. I do a lot of traveling alone. And between Table Rock and Whitewater, they’re even marked with the site before it and after it, with mileage, and most have fire rings, benches, and bear cables for your food. I’m a total sucker for sounds. There’s something about the sound of the forest switching over from day to night that I just love. I tried living zero-waste in Charlotte — and was wildly unsuccessful, 2020 Rankings: The 20 best restaurants in Charlotte, right now, The 21 best chicken sandwiches in Charlotte, 11 best new restaurants in Charlotte, right now, What’s your ‘1 big thing’ for 2021? 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.A trail corridor linking Table Rock State Park in the north/east to Oconee State Park to the south/west, was completed in 1981. A 19-mile spur trail connects to Caesars Head and Jones Gap State Parks north of Greenville, SC. There’s no camping in the Whitewater area, so it’s either camp here or get through the whitewater corridor to the next campground. In my researching the trail I really liked reading others experiences, so I figured I should throw mine out there too. I made it. The sign did say any hikers who proceed do so at their own risk, which made me giggle. Yes, even from overseas. You’re in nature!! This remote primitive campground has 10 sites and is open to tent camping all year. I got irrationally angry at a sign that said “Oconee State Park, 2 miles” on it. The Foothills Trail is a 76 mile long stretch of handcut trail that is really a jewel, and not many people know about it. This trail profile appeared originally in The Trek.. The trail goes between Table Rock State Park and Oconee State Park. The trail crosses two bridges here. Met hiking partner Achin at 1300 and left truck in parking lot for a resupply point. Strong. The first you’ll encounter is about 8 miles from Sassafras Mountain, called the Virginia Hawkins Falls. This is where it felt real. Ascent. . Tomato.”  It’s become my hiking mantra. Turns out the three of them were just discussing hiking the trail and they had a ton of questions for me and I was happy to chat with them for a bit. I told myself that tomorrow is my last day and every step I take today is one I don’t need to take tomorrow. But there are still plenty of waterfalls, gorges and steep trails to explore. Day 2 - 10 Miles - From Foothills Trail ___ first camp site To Chatooga River camp - Started today at 0745 with clear weather and warm temps. I’m even a member of the FTC and I promise I’ll show up to something one of these days. I’d love to tell you how bad that storm was, but I really don’t even know. OF COURSE I DO. $23.25 – Includes shipping! On the other side of the creek, there are some camping flats, in the middle of which is a trail … Part 1 of our Backpacking Trip along the Foothills Trail in SC and NC. Day 9 - 9 Miles - From Laurel Valley Camp To Cantrell Camp - A bit chilly this morning, around 40 and cloudy. I’d recommend starting at Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. But this way has the benefit of two falls you can check out. 18 Trip Reports for this trail, below Hike by WTA Staff: Charlie Wakenshaw. Scott Lynch’s “Hiking South Carolina’s Foothills Trail” and the Foothills Trail Conservancy’s guidebook are two excellent resources for planning a hike. Foothills Trail - A4 to A8 is a 30.4 mile point-to-point trail located near Sunset, South Carolina that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. One particularly good one you can ready by way of the Eastatoe Gorge Spur Trail. I’ll go spend a week in the woods or a couple months in Asia and I’ll leave my husband at home. The wind picked up considerably and these are really not my favorite conditions for being on top of a mountain. I’d never heard of the Thompson River, I had no expectations for it—it was just another place to pace how far I’ve gone. Celebrating 46 Years of the Foothills Trail Over 2,481 volunteer hours in 2020 Planning a hike? My wife and I trail-ran this trail in preparation for the AT last Fall. There’s even cell service here for your last Instagram before heading off into the woods. The Foothills is a great trail and if anyone lives in the area and plans on doing the AT, it is great preparation for a thru-hike. The first one is a small span that crosses the Toxaway Creek. Lots of small ups and downs, some stiff ridges, and more than a few switchbacks. Before you hike, check out our store for maps and other resources. Before heading out on your Foothills Trail adventure it is VERY IMPORTANT to Pay the Parking & Entrance Fees at the State Parks and U.S. Forest Service parking area at Whitewater Falls.. But you better believe I’m in contact with home when I can be. Distance: 13.9; Waypoints. I will never find the words to describe how amazing this was. What was I rushing for? Every sign up until now has said “Oconee State Park” and it didn’t bother me, but this one did. Because I AM a strong tomato. The Foothills Trail is a 76-mile (122 km) National Recreation Trail in South and North Carolina, United States, for recreational hiking and backpacking.It extends from Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park.It passes through the Andrew Pickens Ranger District of the Sumter National Forest, Ellicott Rock Wilderness, Whitewater Falls, and Lake Jocassee. The climbing up and down and up and down is starting to get to me. Foothills Trail: Whitewater River - North Carolina | AllTrails To run home to my job that doesn’t exist anymore? To make a reservation for camping, use the city's online reservation system. I decided to just go as far as I could. I have no idea who most of you are, but thanks for the laughs and the encouragement. NOTICE: New SC DNR regulations that govern activities at and near the summit of Sassafras Mountain and the new observation tower are now in effect. Starting from the Bad Creek Trailhead, a 0.6 mile blue-blazed trail crossed the Whitewater River on a metal bridge to reach the Foothills Trail. This is a campground made near an old homesite on Sassafras Mountain. I’ve filled out that hiker registration card a million times, but this time I circled “foothills” and looked back to see my husband driving away. Luckily, there are plenty of established campsites along this stretch of trail, with water access and fire rings. This was the last time I had to pack up. Hike your own hike. I was in the library studying.). FOOTHILLS TRAIL MAP SOUTH CAROLINA 75 miles. It won’t get worse, right? It’s a competition with myself. Think of the trail as a “short” 100-Mile Wilderness. It also has a soft shoulder path for equestrians. I continued up and there it was. The Foothills Trail proper ends at Table Rock State Park, about ten miles from Sassafras Mountain. It doesn’t matter how far I have to go. This is a campground made near an old homesite on Sassafras Mountain. One of the best places to do this is on the Foothills Trail, a 77-mile path that winds its way through both Carolinas near Greenville, S.C. A bonus: You can also use South Carolina’s premier trail to extend your outdoors season almost year-round. The campground is near the Kaweah River, 20 minutes from the Foothills Visitor Center and 40 minutes from the Giant Forest. Let's get ready to hike with friends through the South Carolina mountains. I’m not even complaining. I had a fairly uneventful morning. Might as well, right? I turn the corner and there it is. The hiker is treated to their first of many waterfalls at mi… I began at the southern terminus, Oconee State Park in Mountains Rest, South Carolina. Oconee State Park- Day 1 - 3.90 Miles - From Oconee State Park To Foothills Trail ___ first camp site - Six hour travel to Bad Creek access on Duke Energy property at 31.9 mile marker for the FHT. I made it. Loop. Camping. I wanted an answer, but here I am about to join that chorus….don’t even worry about it. The Foothills Trail is a 76-mile (122 km) National Recreation Trail trail in South and North Carolina, United States, for recreational hiking and backpacking. Enjoy! We all know and love North Carolina’s mountains. The sign for the Foothills Trail that I’d hiked past so many times. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking. The trail ends 3 miles (5 km) near one of the lowest-elevation sequoia groves. The trail system in Foot Hills State Forest is used for hiking and OHV riding in the summer and cross-country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter. My way steep trails to explore miles from Sassafras Mountain basically driving to Spartanburg, then spending hour... Falling into a routine by this point, and continued on to foothills trail camping where. First raindrops started west on the Foothills trail is primarily used for hiking and backpacking I took off got. 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