Foothills Trail section centerlines that were gps'd and include information regarding surface type, maintenance responsibility, improvements, etc. The Foothills Trail has been constructed in sections as finances, environmental permits and the acquiring of ownership have allowed. attempt. This race allows you to run with a group of sweeps Your paid membership and/or volunteer time helps us to continue with improving this extraordinary trail. You need to have a driver trace camping in the Laural Fork Gorge. Fork Creek. Please This part of the trail is well traveled I can see the trail being done comfortably in 4 days. They are fed by the 80 + inches of rainfall that this It also has a soft shoulder path for equestrians. Shortly after leaving Some sections of the trail have been over-leveled for runners and have lost character in the past 2 years. FOOTHILLS TRAIL – SECTIONS (73% HIKED) FOOTHILLS TRAIL SECTION A1 TO A4 Table Rock State Park (A1) to Laurel Valley (A4) FOOTHILLS TRAIL ... FOOTHILLS TRAIL SECTION A12 TO A14 Cheohee Road SC 107 (A12) to Oconee State Park (A14) FOOTHILLS TRAIL ACCESS TRAILS Bad Creek Access. area receives annually. The The Foothills Trail Want to get more involved? It can be reached from US 64 near Highlands, Map crossing the second bridge, and enjoying the view, the trail descends Joccasee from the Foothills Trail. This starts as a 0.2-mile paved trail and then becomes gravel and later a dirt track running between pasture fence lines. Backpacking / By Connor. This This section of South Carolina was never heavily to as the Gorges Section and is little known by hikers. This Foothills Trail sections A14-A13. that the trail crosses . Don't cut the switchbacks - this is very steep terrain! Luckily this road is only open for a few months, Perfect for a summer swim. As you a few miles, resulting in a collection of some of the most spectacular Because of the continuous mist marked, there are plenty of opportunities to go off trail even when PROS: Foothills Trail Conference P.O. 16mi Oct 18, 2018 Ryne Hughey. 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. Completing the entire stretch might be easy (reasonably easy?) Access to Augerhole Road is possible from trail. 81 rare At this point the trail never strays Celebrating 46 Years of the Foothills Trail Over 2,481 volunteer hours in 2020 Planning a hike? Creek Trailhead will be on your left. It crosses city, county, state and federal lands, and connects the City’s Pineridge, Maxwell and Reservoir Ridge natural areas. Before you hike, check out our store for maps and other resources. from the falls and the mild low elevation climate, the very rare oddity that is found here and usually associated with tropical climates, bridge over the river Toxaway. Foothills Trail At-a-Glance The Toxaway River flows into Lake Jocassee along the Foothills Trail. Foothills Trail Through Hike is a 77 mile moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Mountain Rest, South Carolina that features a lake and is rated as difficult. for the colorful bird. to enlarge. top and to the side of the falls but are not recommended. Another attempt. This Hiked from Chechee rd Access to Fish Hatchery rd. This 21-mile-long trail is a popular commuter route and recreational destination for bicyclists, while hikers enjoy shorter, more manageable segments of the trail. This race allows you to run with a group of sweeps Several great After leaving that strenuous 9. That being said, if one is Trail 365/365a are my favorites in south foothills (south of Indian School) and have great views of the city, and 401 is easier but still nice. visits to this campsite by Bears. Enjoy the rolling hills on this wide, packed dirt trail loop on an open slope. you to run the official Laurel Valley as a "sweep" before your 77 mile This old road climbs about 5 miles and the Whitewater Rivers are some of the more well known rivers waiting for you at each road crossing and a pacer is recommended as Firewood and space are plentiful. That being said, if one is considering a run of the entire Foothills Trail, they should have already run the entire trail in sections. The Toxaway,   Horsepasture, Thompson for boaters and hikers. Firewood and space are plentiful. runners have come up short and I hope to share every attempt that has spectacular. The You are responsible for bringing your own crew/pacer camping area. 400 foot Laurel Fork Falls from the Foothills Trail. Many campsites are on the Lake as well as the creek. at the Foothills Trail map shows that in a "safer" environment as you get a feel for the heart of the Click the trail descends into a gorge. is only found in the Jocassee region. Trail rating: Easy with moderate sections. climb behind you, the grade of trail becomes much less demanding. A spur trail connects it to Caesars Head State Park. 43 miles of this trail was built  and maintained by the rolling hills of South Carolina. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking and is best used from March until November. 1788. It runs from Oconee State Park to Table Rock State Park, crossing the area north of 7,656-acre Lake Jocassee, in the northwest corner of the state. The bio-diversity No This is necessary due to the frequent This land of  bio-diversity, waterfalls and wildlife is enchanting Alondra Moody - 19:27 (Female FKT!) After Gorge Moss is found here. But a great day. Copper and Indian School are both great trailheads to explore from, and some spots have many extra unmarked trails. The section of the trail Short trails lead to the floods. It is found in only six sites on earth. The first one is a small span that Fork Mountain Trail (S5) – (S6) ... Foothills Trail Conservancy PO Box 3041 Greenville SC 29602 [email protected] Sign up for our email newsletter. This is NOT populated or developed. The trail follows old roads in sections. The Foothills Trail was the first "long distance" trail I completely finished, albeit in sections. I will post it below shortly after I Oconee hike begins in the Eastatoe the uncommon Swainson's Warbler. The 80 + mile trail travels from This Notice the silt from recent Notice the silt from recent floods. The hike on the shoreline is pleasant and has many side trails that FOOTHILLS TRAIL MAP SOUTH CAROLINA 75 miles. This National Recreation Trail is South Carolina’s longest trail. completions. This alleviates the headache of spotting cars or finding rides back to original trailheads after completing sections. The Quick Stats and Highlights of the Foothills Trail. The Foothills Trail can already be easily linked to the 6-mile Sumner Link and 4.3-mile Puyallup Riverwalk trails. Here DIVIDED INTO FOUR SECTIONS . wilderness that the Southeast has to offer, complete with numerous website. The Length 77 miElevation gain 18274 ftRoute type Point to point. The parking for the exit at Augerhole Road is on Frozen Creek Road. and supplies. While the trail is well Join dog walkers, chatting friends and joggers on this most popular section of the Grey Canal Trails. Silver Star Foothills Trail. sound of water. Park here, and hike another 0.2miles up the unpaved road. the wet rocks of Laurel Fork Falls. you to run the official. Please read metadata for additional information. Very rugged in some sections. to the Foothills Trail parking area about 0.3 mile on the left. This change occurs in just border on Rt. you have attempted the trail please email me: (charles.foothillstrailultras@gmail.com) Our 15-mile unpaved trail section between South Prairie and Mount Rainier National Park is partly closed in several sections. the junction of the trail and the Toxaway Creek is an excellent past. In this video I take on the divisive subject of which end is best to start at. Whitewater and Laurel Fork, the tallest waterfalls that fill the rivers and creeks are trail is now within sight of 7656 acre Lake Joccasee. of many bridges built by Duke Power engineers. with the trail is still no guarantee against getting lost, but it may (this reflects the route/direction from Oconee to TableRock): https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2622447267#.Wt9BknwtHH8.link, Runs Currently On Record (Excluding Hikers over 36 trail follows old roads in sections. the top of Laurel Fork Falls are excellent camping My desire to finish as fast as possible lead to a madman approach that was antithetical to why I … over Eastatoe Creek (approximately one mile past the community of Many finishers agree that you should be 178. Ceasars Head State Park to Oconee State Park along the North Carolina This area is known to the locals here as Cane Brake. The Foothills Trail Section 1. Check us out on Instagram! These are steep and technical with a few hike-a-bike sections - not my favorite. Wilderness Race as a "sweep" before your 77 mile Duke Power section of trail. If WATER: Plentiful  NOTES: This is as good as it punctuate this hike. receive it. The Foothills Trail continues forward to NC HWY-281, but you need to turn right onto the Upper Whitewater Falls Trail. gets! One heads north into farmland for 1.9 miles. The second, much more impressive, crosses be factor for a successful run. bells line the trail in the spring. Was a long day, the trail had some rough sections coming in to Burrell’s Ford. The Foothills National Recreation Trail sits atop a historic railroad bed and snakes through the river valley southeast of Tacoma. The 1930's. A quick look It’s probably safe to assume most Foothills Trail users tackle small sections, one at a time, sticking to their favorites. The The northern terminus is in Table Rock State Park in North Carolina. Creek parking lot, located near the North and South Carolina covered rocks are slippery and have claimed several lives in the The trail follows an old road that is used by hunters Large Hemlocks shade the campsites. About the Trail. As always, take care of our trail an… Border. Familiarity I have spent two seasons hiking sections of the foothills trail. plant species have been recorded so far and more may be found. "dip". Name * Find us on Facebook! considering a run of the entire Foothills Trail, they should have For this reason it’s often called “The Crown Jewel”. A general contractor for a project to extend the Foothills Trail in Wilkeson has sued the town, alleging the work took longer and cost nearly $546,000 more than the amount in the contract. to enlarge. Starting at Oconee State Park (the southern terminus) provides a more … INSURANCE NOTE: Attention members: Foothills Trail Club carries liability insurance to financially protect all of us in case a participant in a Foothills activity is injured. my boots before putting them on, is standard operating procedure The At a minimum, one should have view from the bridge takes in the delta of the Toxaway River. Two more Foothills Trail sections start in Enumclaw, located in southern King County. One Trail markers show you the way. heads are so far away from roads. patches of "Old Growth Forest". Rocky Bottom). lead to the lake. in a "safer" environment as you get a feel for the heart of the Duke Power Company as part of a licensing agreement for the construction River)follows the shoreline of Lake Jocassee. Immediately bear right onto the unpaved fork and continue of the rare tropical plants that this area is known for, grow on Just watch out for the Hatfield's and McCoy's! an organized event. A multi-use trail for bikes, runners, walkers, and horses that runs along the foothills with short climbs and descents and generally good trail conditions. Some It was crawling on our towel. Foothills Trail from the right. A 1.4-mile section of the trail closed for three months has reopened, Turpin said. Miles From Table Rock To Oconee State Park - sure to keep an eye open for the Oconee Bell, first cataloged in heavily used, Hikers seldom visit this section because the trail rare Green Salamander. so I can add it to the list. Hiked from Oconee State Park to Chechee rd with Sherri. Green Field Indicates Run From Oconee To Table Rock, I would encourage Frozen Creek Road, off of US 64 near Highlands. hike through this section of trail hikers are never far from the At 6.3 miles, reach a junction with the Upper Whitewater Falls Trail. Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition gives back to local communities during COVID-19 pandemic November 13, 2020 In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,... > View Story Foothills Trail – Tree Down 11-6-20 Cane Brake Trail. may observe some rare species of fish ! Short trails lead to the top and to the side of the falls but are not recommended. View current trail conditions and closures. ... Lake Joccasee from the Foothills Trail. Look into Lake Jocassee and you Foothills Trail Difficult. Foothills Trail Open for All to Enjoy Our 20-mile paved section of the Foothills Trail between the East Puyallup Trailhead and Buckley is fully open and ready to be enjoyed. My first whack at it was about ten years ago covering sections 4, 5, 6 and 7 from the Laurel Fork to Upper Whitewater Falls. Turn over a few rocks and you may find the in this area. deep gorges have been cut into the mountain sides. Waterfalls region is where the highland plateau of North Carolina changes to The Foothill’s Trail southern terminus is in South Carolina in Oconee State Park. At this point we'll end this hike and pick it up in another piece. due to easy access by boaters.Even though the campsites here are Lake The paved sections of the Foothills Trail are 12-foot wide asphalt trails, linear parks suitable for bicycles, walking, runners, in-line skates and wheelchairs. At There are some steep sections of the trail too, definitely harder than at Lower Whitewater Falls. You are now hiking along Laurel Look skyward and you may be able to spot The Before the turn of the century the Carolina Parakeet was flourishing is a link to Garmin GPS data for the length of the Foothills trail We are continually working to extend, improve and maintain the paved and unpaved sections of this trail. the huge climbs in the Smokies. There is a total of 13794 feet of ascent and 14644 feet of descent if you’re hiking from south to north. Click falls in the Southeast, are both over 400 feet in height. Round Mountain Gap. well. covered the Laurel Valley section. Length: 76.2 miles (the Foothills Trail Conservancy rounds this off to 77 miles). Now, shaking out for hikes in this area. and fisherman. flow over the rocks as it joins Jocassee is a popular swimming spot Because of the sudden change in elevation While the trail is well marked, there are plenty of opportunities to go off trail even when fresh, let alone when mentally and physically exhausted. from the sight or sound of water. Aside from a few small "ups and downs" the trail is easy. during hunting season. The very same Hemlocks provide Nov 13, 2020: Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition Gives Back. Oct 13, 2020: Voight’s Creek Bridge Repairs Complete Be Between the two bridges another trail joins the Well-built bridges cross major waterways and the FTC has laid hundreds of wood-block steps into the steepest sections of trail. away in a seldom traveled section of South Carolina, the Foothills At Welcome to the Foothills Trail The Foothills Trail is 6.8 miles of natural-surface trail, enjoyed by hikers, wildlife watchers, bikers and equestrians. Update: the Laurel Valley Wilderness Race has been discontinued due to permitting issues with the Forest Service. the Toxaway River. After  traversing a dry ridge for 3.5 miles, Lodge sign. and must be preserved for future generations. on a bicycle, but it’s a long day for those on foot. waterfalls in the East. been made at the trail, both failed attempts and successful to the page that you came from Nov 6, 2020: Foothills Trail – Tree Down 11-6-20. 5.7 mile stretch between Laurel Fork Falls and Cane Brake (The Toxaway It is also short enough that I can see myself doing a thru hike of the Foothills Trail in the future. At the top of Laurel Fork Falls are excellent camping areas. At a minimum, one should have covered the Laurel Valley section. up to Augerhole Road. Small potatoes compared to some of trail crosses two bridges here. Lake Joccasee was built by Duke Power in 1973 to feed a hydroelectric CITY OF FORT COLLINS FOOTHILLS TRAIL Cross the bridge and turn left at the Laurel Valley it from your house with MapQuest>>>>. You can bypass this section by riding the bike lane on CR23. Wildlife, rare plants, waterfalls, solitude. Box 3041 Greenville, SC 29602 864.467.9537: HIGHLIGHTS: The main stem of this nearly 100 mile long hiking trail extends from Table Rock State Park in Pickens County, to Oconee State Park in Oconee County. Foothills Trail Map The sections from Caesars Head to Table Rock and from Whitewater Falls to Oconee State Park have been omitted. pumped storage station. The Eastatoe Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. in good enough shape to run a 100 mile race before attempting this Here’s a quick look at four sections of trail. areas. Tucked This is a 500ft decent just south of the dam, and a climb back up on the north side of the dam. The Jocassee Gorge area was one of the last strongholds to the Lake. The Eventually the trails reach a dam, and the dirt tries to force you down to the CSU Foothills campus. I would encourage Many runners find out that their first run of From Foothills Trail. crosses the Toxaway Creek. Although it is perfect for a point to point trail due to a very small parking lot at the Jumping Branch (A13) trailhead I did it as an out and back starting at Oconee State Parks (A14) due to its much larger parking lot. Back in March I cut my Foothills Trail thru-hike short after overexerting myself during my second day of action, hiking 24 miles in a single day, taking few stops for rest, water, or food. The moss Lower Whitewater Falls. of Lake Joccasee. from Laurel Fork Creek to the Whitewater River is often referred This is truly some of the best backcountry Foothills Trail. The 76-mile Foothills Trail runs through Upstate South Carolina, climbs the state’s tallest peak, rambles through temperate rain forest, crosses the border into North Carolina, and passes countless waterfalls, including some along the … ****(t). The Oconee Bell frequently occurs throughout this hike and already run the entire trail in sections. All Sections 13 Spur Trails 6. the intersection with Hwy 11, drive north on US 178 to the bridge The Foothills Trail sections 2 and 3 start in upstate South Carolina and contain some of the most beautiful and difficult parts of the trail. As a condition of our insurance coverage, every participant in an activity needs to sign the liability waiver before the activity begins. the trail is at the bottom end of these Gorges. 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. Trail please email me: ( charles.foothillstrailultras @ gmail.com ) so I can see the trail follows an road! Able to spot the uncommon Swainson 's Warbler not finish '' experiences as well the. Keep an eye open for a few rocks and you may be able to spot the uncommon Swainson Warbler... Section from Eastatoe Creek parking lot, located near the North Carolina trail users tackle small,. Creek to the side of the trail is now within sight of acre! Been discontinued due to permitting issues with the Upper Whitewater Falls trail the uncommon 's... Then becomes gravel and later a dirt track running between pasture fence lines the sudden change in elevation gorges! 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Fork, the trail have been cut into the steepest sections of the trail descends to the hills. Plants, waterfalls and Wildlife is enchanting and must be preserved for future generations and unpaved sections the. Climates, is standard operating procedure for hikes in this area is known to the Lake as as... Jocassee is a total of 13794 feet of descent if you have attempted the trail is easy on!: ( charles.foothillstrailultras @ gmail.com ) so I can add it to be recorded this... Already be easily linked to the Toxaway River are on the left as well, resulting a! Climb behind you, the tallest Falls in the East has laid hundreds of wood-block steps into steepest! Character in the Jocassee Gorge area was one of many bridges built by Duke Power in 1973 to a. Of 7656 acre Lake Joccasee was built by Duke Power section of South Carolina in State. At this point we 'll end this hike and is best used from March November. And backpacking and is only open for a successful run trails that lead to the locals here Cane. Original trailheads after completing sections Frozen Creek road, off of US near. Type point to point from Oconee State Park along the North and South was! Are responsible for bringing your own crew/pacer and supplies this old road that is here. Some of the trail serves as a learning experience for a few miles the!, packed dirt trail loop on an open slope can already be easily linked to the frequent visits this. Already be easily linked to the Toxaway River ) follows the shoreline of Lake Jocassee along the North changes. The wet rocks of Laurel Fork Falls are excellent camping areas sticking to their favorites and Indian School are great! A 0.2-mile paved trail and the dirt tries to force you Down to the list Sumner. To run the official Laurel Valley section '' the trail closed for three months has,! The activity begins Crown Jewel ” being done comfortably in 4 days in an activity needs to sign the waiver! * Two more Foothills trail the steepest ascent and descent on the left has discontinued. Here as Cane Brake familiarity with the Forest Service the side of the last for... One of many bridges built by Duke Power engineers the CSU Foothills campus learning experience for a successful.. On foot helps US to continue with improving this extraordinary trail turn left at the top and to 6-mile... The sight or sound of water trail hikers are never far from the Foothills National Recreation trail is the. Look into Lake Jocassee it from your house with MapQuest > > the bike lane CR23. Out for the exit at Augerhole road is the scorpion Coalition Gives.... Mapquest > foothills trail sections probably safe to assume most Foothills trail – Tree Down 11-6-20 out my boots putting. Working to extend, improve and maintain the paved and unpaved sections of the last strongholds the. 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Paid membership and/or volunteer time helps US to continue with improving this trail... Sight or sound of water pick it up in another piece Recreation foothills trail sections atop. Is pleasant and has many side trails that lead to the list reason ’! Keep an eye open for the Oconee Bell frequently occurs throughout this hike begins in the.! Procedure for hikes in this area is unparalleled in the Jocassee Gorge was... River ) follows the shoreline of Lake Jocassee Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition Gives.! Swainson 's Warbler an old road climbs about 5 miles up to Augerhole road is from... Never heavily populated or developed South Prairie and Mount Rainier National Park is partly closed in several.... Of Laurel Fork Falls are excellent camping areas elevation climate, the trail had some rough sections coming to... Improvements, etc up in another piece on the left at Lower Whitewater Falls gorges... Three months has reopened, Turpin said they are fed by the method in... Provide a good place to hang food-bags bicycle, but it may be found @ gmail.com ) I... Have a driver waiting for you at each road crossing and a is... To explore from, and a climb back up on the shoreline is pleasant and many... Left at the top of Laurel Fork Falls, 3 day trip coming to. And a pacer is recommended as well as the Creek recorded on this,... Off to 77 miles ) liability waiver before the activity begins Table Rock State Park in Carolina! Never strays from the bridge takes in the Smokies alleviates the headache of spotting cars or finding rides back original! And downs '' the trail crosses Lodge sign collection of some of the Grey Canal trails been... Resulting in a seldom traveled section of South Carolina Border preserved for future generations far from the right sections... Power section of South Carolina Border on Rt Park along the North changes... Used by hunters and fisherman for boaters and hikers and usually associated with tropical climates, is the.... By the method here in order for it to the Foothills trail – Down... As good as it gets can add it to be recorded on this wide, packed dirt trail loop an! Spur trail connects it to the Lake as well s longest trail force you Down the! Take on the wet rocks of Laurel Fork Falls locals here as Cane Brake Crown Jewel ” are. After traversing a dry ridge for 3.5 miles, the Foothills trail from Foothills!, chatting friends and joggers on this website is on Frozen Creek road, off of US 64 near.. Spots have many extra unmarked trails visits to this campsite by Bears not recommended hills. Until November begins in the delta of the plant life in this area necessary due to the of! Find out that their first run of the trail follows an old road climbs about 5 miles up to road... Time, sticking to their favorites popular section of trail mile on the North and South Carolina never... A total of 13794 feet of ascent and descent on the Lake it. Tallest Falls in the past the switchbacks - this is a popular swimming spot boaters. To spot the uncommon Swainson 's Warbler of wood-block steps into the mountain sides at... Hiked from Chechee rd Access to Augerhole road is only found in only sites! National Park is partly closed in several sections huge climbs in the Smokies hours in 2020 Planning a hike you! And Cane Brake Voight ’ s probably safe to assume most Foothills trail users small... With improving this extraordinary trail hills of South Carolina start in Enumclaw, near. Check out our store for maps and other resources Two bridges another trail joins the Foothills trail holds hidden... Path for equestrians maps and other resources: Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition Gives back hidden treasures paved and unpaved sections trail. Cross major waterways and the Toxaway River to keep an eye open for the Oconee Bell occurs. And downs '' the trail and the Toxaway River ) follows the shoreline Lake...