SC Wilderness Path
The Foothills Trail is a 76 mile hiking trail that traverses the Blue
Ridge Escarpment in upstate South Carolina and portions of North
Carolina. It ranges from approximately 1000 feet in elevation to
over 3,500 on South Carolina's highest point (Sassafras Mountain).
It traverses along several waterways including the famous Chattooga
River, passes through the Jocassee Gorges region, and alongside the
highest waterfall in the eastern US (Whitewater Falls).The trail is well maintained by a volunteer organization (The
Foothills Club). Portions are also maintained by the U.S. Forest
Service, Duke Power company and the two SC state parks that function as
the trail's termini (Oconee 34º51'47.28"N 83º05'53.56"W
and Table Rock 35º01'54.75"N 82º41'58.32"W). In addition, a 14
mile extension leads to a third state park (Caesar's Head).
The trail is a real gem in that it is lightly used though very close
to large metropolitan areas in the south east. With the relatively
mild weather of the south, the trail is used in all four seasons though
winter snow and ice storms can occur, especially in January and
February. None the less, this is a wild area. The terrain is
rugged and remote with a variety of wildlife from interesting and rare
wildflowers (Oconee Bell for example) to black bears, bald eagles, white
tail deer, wild turkeys, several reptile and amphibian
species.
The trail can be hiked in one continuous backpacking trip or in a
series of day hikes (or a mixture of both). Sections are readily
accessible by automobile since the area is criss-crossed with well
maintained roads (most are paved). However, the trail does not
pass through any towns or developed areas with food or other
services. The best services are those at the State Parks which
consist of small convenience type store/gift shops, so stock up before
arriving at the trail, especially if planning to hike overnight.
We have hiked the
Foothills Trail in day hike sections except for the middle Jocassee
gorges section, which we are still pondering over. These middle
sections (Day 5 and 6) are not accessible by road, though Cane Break is
accessible by boat via Jocassee Lake. Further information
regarding access is provided in the foothills
guidebook itself.
Below is a map providing a general outline of the trail and the
sections we have used for day hiking. This is by no means meant
for navigation other than to present a general sense of how to day hike
the trail. Generally these day hike sections are less than 15
miles and do require two vehicles at each end, or other arrangements.
More specific information is available in the Foothills
Guidebook
which you can purchase through eMapStore.com.
Both the Guidebook and Map are a valuable resource, with USGS Topo based
maps plus detailed descriptions. When we hike the trail, we use
both the map and the guidebook. The distances below are
approximate.
| Day 1 - 5 m |
Oconee State Park -> Jumping Branch |
| Day 2 - 10 m |
Jumping Branch -> Burrells Ford |
| Day 3 - 7 m |
Burrells Ford -> Sloan Bridge |
| Day 4 - 9 m |
Sloan Bridge -> Bad Creek |
| Day 5 - 16 m |
Bad Creek -> Cane Break |
| Day 6 - 14 m |
Cane Break -> US 178 |
| Day 7 - 5 m |
US 178 -> Sassafras Mountain |
| Day 8 - 9 m |
Sassafras Mountain -> Table Rock SP |
Other hikes near or on the Foothills Trail:
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