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Winding Staircase Trail
Cherry Hill USFS Campground

Hiking Trail Map & Guide

Wooded Hike Down the Blue Ridge Escarpment, Oconee County SC

The Winding Staircase Trail follows an old road bed zig-zagging down the blue ridge front of South Carolina.  The description for the trail here is only for the first mile below the Sumter National Forest Cherry Hill Campground.  This section is relatively easy with a moderate grade though there is some climbing over fallen trees.

Winding Staircase Trail, Sumter National Forest
 section of the Winding Staircase Trail 

This hike follows West Fork Creek.  Features along the trail include many flowering plants, rock overhangs, a large cliff, a waterfall and nice winter views through the woods.

Winding Staircase Trail Rock Overhang
 Rock Overhang Along Winding Staircase Trail 

Trail Summary (note - trail distances are approximate and are from the entrance gate): To get to the trail head, travel from Walhalla SC 8 miles north on SC 28 and bear right onto SC 107.  Cherry Hill Campground is another 8.5 miles further from this intersection on the right.  You can park in the gravel area left of the gate  (Approximate GPS Coordinates 34º56'32.58"N  83º05'17.78"W). Walk down the campground road to the bottom of the hill and at the camper sewage disposal area, bear to the right.  The trail is a little obscure here but if you pick your way through the undergrowth you should intersect it within a hundred feet or so.  Stay along the right bank of the creek walking downstream and you should find the old road bed.

Cherry Hill Campground Entrance off SC 107 Sumter National Forest
 Cherry Hill Recreation Area Entrance off of SC 107, Sumter National Forest 

The trail descends along the old road bed roughly parallel to the creek.  In approximately 0.7 miles from the gate, the trail bears to the right away from the creek.  In another 0.3 miles the trail bears sharply to the left.  A short distance to the right is a large rock face cliff.  

Winding Staircase Cliff
 1.0 miles - cliff  

In another 0.25 miles the trail turns sharply to the right.  Off to the left is a partial view of a nearby waterfall.

Winding Staircase Falls
 1.25 miles - waterfall 

The trail continues to descend from here (gray on map below) and ends at the Winding Staircase Road (gravel - also known as the Cheohee Road).  We have not hiked the remainder of the trail and we are not able to provide further information below the waterfall but have traced the trail on the USGS topo sheet below.  The actual location of the trail may differ from that shown.

 


Miles 2.5 (round trip)
Road Map Good County Map: Oconee County SC Street Map
    South Carolina Highway Map
    North Carolina Highway Map
Other Area Guides     Foothills Trail Guidebook
    Hiking South Carolina
    Trekking the Southern Appalachians
    South Carolina Atlas & Gaz.
    Other SC Guides


Winding Staircase Trail Profile 

 

Winding Staircase Hiking Topo Trail Map


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