Buy Hiking Maps and Guidebooks :: Backpacking :: Trekking

Table Rock State Park, SC
Hiking Map & Guide

blue ridge home


Hiking

Toccoa Falls, GA
Toccoa, GA - #GA2
Tunnel Park
Walhalla, SC - #7
Buzzards Roost Heritage Preserve
near Walhalla, SC - #9
Cedar Creek Falls
Sumter Nat. For., SC - #12
Chattooga Flood Plain
Rabun County, GA - #GA3
Chau-Ram Park
Westminster, SC - #10
Long Mountain
Sumter Nat. For., SC - #3
Hidden Falls, Walhalla
Oconee State Park, SC - #4
Oconee Station Falls
Oconee County, SC - #6
Dukes Creek Falls
Helen GA - #GA1
Winding Staircase Trail
Sumter Nat. For., SC - #2
Jocassee Gorges Easy Hike
Transylvania County, NC - #NC1
Oconee Trail
Oconee State Park, SC - #5
Yellow Branch Falls
Sumter Nat. For., SC - #8
Table Rock Mountain
Table Rock State Pk, #PC1
Walhalla Fish Hatchery Area
Sumter Nat. For., SC - #1
Day Hiking the Foothills Trail (SC / NC)
Sumter Nat. For., SC - #11

Biking

SC Highest Peak
Pickens County -#PC1
Mountain Rest, Oconee State Park Loop
Sumter National Forest, SC - #3
Walhalla South (SC)
Walhalla, SC - #6
South Carolina High Mtn Ride
Sumter National Forest, SC - #2
Walhalla North (SC)
Walhalla, SC - #5
Sumter National Forest (SC)
Oconee County - #4
Westminster (SC)
Westminster, SC - #7
Blue Ridge / Piedmont Ride
Sumter National Forest, SC - #1

 

Vistas, views and granite - what a Great Hike!   Table Rock Mountain (el. 3,124 ft) is a noticeable summit rising 2000 feet above the low lying Piedmont in upstate South Carolina.  The land is owned by Table Rock State Park with a well managed network of amenities including campground, picnic ground, beach and lake.  In addition, the park offers miles of trails from simple nature walks to challenging hikes.  The trail described here ascends to the summit of Table Rock Mtn.

Table Rock State Park is located along SC 11 in Northern Pickens County, SC.  The trail head is at the Carrick Creek Interpretive Center within the park with parking across the road.

Trail Summary (note - trail distances are approximate): The trail begins along a paved path on the backside of the Interpretive Center.  Within 0.2 miles the pavement ends and the trail continues with a dirt surface.  The trail ascends gently within the Green Creek valley and at 0.5 miles ascends from the valley to a ridgeline.  The trail continues to steepen passing through a boulder field and climbs along switchbacks.  At 2.0 miles is a small open sided shelter with views toward the south.  Within 1/4 mile the trail then reaches a trail junction along the summit ridgeline.  The trail ascends and descends gently along the ridgeline and then at 3.0 climbs to the open sided Governor's Rock with open views toward the north west, including Sassafras Mountain, South Carolina's highest point (a small dimple along a ridgeline).  The trail ascends further to the wooded summit in 0.4 miles.  A short trail continues straight down the back side 0.2 miles to an open vista toward the northeast where it dead ends.

 


trail

 


Piedmont from Shelter



Table Rock State Park - Locations and Scale are Approximate

Miles 1 (round trip)
Road Maps Good County Map: Pickens County SC Street Map
    South Carolina Highway Map
    North Carolina Highway Map
Other Area Guides     Foothills Trail Guidebook
    Hiking South Carolina
    Long Trails of the Southeast
    Trekking the Southern Appalachians
    South Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer
    Other SC Guides
    USA Guides
    North Carolina Atlas & Gazetteer
Local Lodging     Clemson SC 
    Seneca SC
    Greenville, SC
    South Carolina
    North Carolina


Table Rock Mountain and The Stool (right)


 


boulder field along trail to summit

 


Bridge Along Trail

Distance (approximate in miles)
0.0 Carrick Creek Interpretive Center
0.2 Pavement Ends
0.5 Ascend out of Creek Valley
1.2 Switchbacks
2.0 Shelter
2.2 Ridgeline
3.0 Governor's Rock
3.4 Summit
3.6 View on Backside


abrupt change in slope


shelter near summit ridge

 


view from Governor's Rock including Sassafras Mtn