View Full Version : Foothills Trail, SC
I just ordered my Foothills trail guidebook and pocket map. I hear it is a really nice 77 mile trail with lots of waterfalls. I am planning on doing this hike in 2 sections later this year. Not set date yet. I will post trip reports here. I am new to overnight, section hiking. This may be the first or second section/overnight hike I have ever taken. I also plan to do Springer Mt to Deep Gap, NC AT section over labor day weekend.
If you would like to join either, please let me know.
It's a wonderful trail. I'm not sure if I posted both trip reports here or not. I've thru hiked it in both the winter (Dec 2013, solo) and spring (May 2014, small group). Both hikes were fantastic and very different from each other. I suspect I'll get a summer and fall hike in sometime in the future. We tacked on the Eastatoe Gorge spur in May as well as the spur to the Lower Whitewater Falls pushing the total mileage into the low 80's.
Thanks for the knowledge. I can't wait to get my hands on the guide book and really look at what sections to do! I am exclusively a weekend hiker so I can only hike all day Saturday and most of Sunday so that means I will have to do is in 2-3 sections. I also want to do the nearby Raven Cliff Falls while I am there.
I am pretty sure I am going NOBO.
Any recommendation between NOBO and SOBO? Any other general recommendations for the area?
If you decide to do a section through hike, let me know and I may join for a section.
[QUOTE=AO2134;1892630
Any recommendation between NOBO and SOBO? Any other general recommendations for the area?
If you decide to do a section through hike, let me know and I may join for a section.[/QUOTE]
Park at Table Rock and get a shuttle to Oconee and enjoy a great hike.
If I were to hike the whole trail again I would start at Oconee. But since you are talking about doing it in three different sections, I think it depends on a few different factors. Once you get your profile and guide you will be able to decide which way you want to hike each section.
Example; I would hike from Sassafrass to Table Rock instead of the other way around. You will also have to figure shuttle options for each of your 20 mile sections. I just used the 20 mile as a number. I'm not sure how many miles you will walk in 1 1/2 days. Or how the road crossings will work out for you.
have fun on your hike! I thru'd this spring and I'm headed back in the fall for another one!
I just learned I got my trail guide and map at home. I am very excited!
Thanks for the advice all. Once I sit down and really take a look at it, I will post plan here for critique/comment.
soulrebel
07-11-2014, 22:08
i did a few days in summer hot, humid and a few days on new years cold, wet. Strangely, I liked the cold and wet better on that trail. temp aside, They were both good! If you ask someone working around oconee state park you'll probably find a shuttle around there, nice folks. I don't think it's the same situation up at table rock. And you may or may not be able to get a shuttle to/from the Upper whitewater lot. There is a caretaker there in summer because it is a high "day use only" "area...all of them have a parking fee. GL
I agree with everyone and plan to do Oconee to Table Rock.
Currently, the plan is to do it in three sections starting at Oconee. My plan is Oconee State Park to Bad Creek about 32 miles. Burell's Ford Campsite is at 16 miles for the night. This would be first weekend/section. 2 16 mile days is fairly comfortable.
The second weekend/section would be a little longer. Bad Creek Trail access to Sassafras Mt. Trail access, which will be about 34 miles. I may camp at either mile 50 (18 for this section) or mile 53.9 ( 21.9 for this section). Possibly even Laurel Fork creek at 54.4 (22.4 for this section).
The third weekend/section would be shorter, but would include Ceasar's Head State Park. I would start there and hit Raven Cliff Falls first before I leave and hike 14.2 miles to Sassafras Mt. I would go 1.1 miles on Foothills trail and Camp at John L Cantrell Homesite campsite which is mile 67.5 (15.3 for this section). The next day I would continue to Table Rock State Park, which would be less than 10 miles. This would be about a 25 mile section.
Let me know what you think about distance, campsite selection, etc. Trail access points. Safefy of vehicles at planned locations for 2 day trip.
Any other advice you would like to share.
What's in a trail's name? It's often just a section of trail that may be part of a much larger trail system that humans decided to put a label on. MANY named trails, even long distance National Recreational Trails, go well beyond what we commonly initially think of as their starting and ending pts. For example, the Appalachian Trail doesn't really stop or end at Springer Mt. or Mt. Katahdin. The Continental Divide Trail doesn't really stop or end at the U.S. Canadian border. This is the way I feel about the Foothills Trail.
Look at this map(hopefully you can manipulate it by scrolling!) that contains some very scenically worthy hiking and possibly logistically sensible options that can be added on to a Foothills Trail hike from the east ALONE. http://hanschenklein.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/sam_2962.jpg These are the named/signed trails in Caesar's Head and adjoining Jones Gap State Parks as well as some trails in Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. The Foothills Trail is #13; some hiking book authors consider Caesar's Head SP/the Gum Gap Trail to be an alternate eastern terminus of the Foothills Trail to the eastern terminus of the Foothills Trail at Table Rock State Park at the Nature Center. This alternate, the Gum Gap Trail, ending near Raven Cliffs Falls, is described and portrayed in the Foothills Trail Guidebook and Foothills Trail Map. From the east, it's quite easy following signed trails to start a Foothills Trail hike as far east as Falls Creek Falls TH located on Jones Gap Rd. I would inquire about specific trail closures in these areas though as this area experiences significant periods of heavy rainfall on sometimes steep trails so some sections of trail may be closed. http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/jonesgap/introduction.aspx
saltysack
07-16-2014, 21:41
It's a wonderful trail. I'm not sure if I posted both trip reports here or not. I've thru hiked it in both the winter (Dec 2013, solo) and spring (May 2014, small group). Both hikes were fantastic and very different from each other. I suspect I'll get a summer and fall hike in sometime in the future. We tacked on the Eastatoe Gorge spur in May as well as the spur to the Lower Whitewater Falls pushing the total mileage into the low 80's.
I plan to thru w my dog this winter....shooting for 4 days....what direction did you find easier?
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I plan to thru w my dog this winter....shooting for 4 days....what direction did you find easier?
I went from Oconee to Table Rock both times so I can't compare directions.
sympathetic joy
07-17-2014, 07:58
This is a trail I am interested in. I would greatly appreciate any trail reports from those who have recently hiked through or upcoming hikes.
Thanks.
I will be doing a segment - Ellicott Rock in October. Starting planning to go from Oconee to Table Rock and decided I was being too ambitious for the present so scaled back. Looks like the toughest part will be the heartbreak ridge. Something like 250+ steps up and then down. Also found that Duke Energy might be willing to hold a re supply package at their office/warehouse. So going west to east I figured 4 days initial leg, re supply, 7 days final half to Table Rock.
This is a trail I am interested in. I would greatly appreciate any trail reports from those who have recently hiked through or upcoming hikes.
Thanks.
Before starting my hike I checked out a couple of good videos on YouTube. I also read about the trail on trail journals.
Saltysack, the overall elevation change is roughly the same whether you go from Oconee SP to Table Rock SP or reverse. I think it's less than 200 ft difference depending on direction. What is different is the elevation change at each end. Look at the Foothills Trail Elevation Profile. http://foothillstrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Elevation-Profile.pdf If you want to get the biggest climbs out of the way early on go WEBO and coast on your last two days or so into Oconee SP along the river. Or, if you want to start off slowly elevation wise go EABO and end at Table Rock SP. Personally, even for a flatlander like you coming from Fla. I don't think you'll have much trouble elevation wise if you hike with some common sense moderation at the beginning if you do start at Table Rock SP. Have a great hike.
soulrebel
07-17-2014, 18:56
the elevation is of no issue. it's the type of drops that they are...into gorges...steep so you're coming down kinda hard .then you're walking along a river or creek--that's rocky and rooty. i'd maybe go in two trips, maybe one but you'd need to carry a buncha food (i'd leave a box at the caretakers at upperwhitewater lot and give him a sixpack), but i don't think i'd do three separate trips. And 4 days is too short. the blue blazes are worth hiking. the waterfall is worth swimming in. i miss this trail
This is a trail I am interested in. I would greatly appreciate any trail reports from those who have recently hiked through or upcoming hikes.
Here's a links to my "family and friends" trip reports for my hikes.
My time was limited to 5-6 days for each thru hike and I enjoy big mile days anyway.
I enjoyed the May trip more due to my preference for greenery over vistas.
December 2013
http://macluskie.com/reports/2013/foothillstrail_2013-12/index.html
May 2014
http://macluskie.com/reports/2014/foothillstrail_2014-05/index.html
sympathetic joy
07-25-2014, 08:05
Before starting my hike I checked out a couple of good videos on YouTube. I also read about the trail on trail journals.
Thanks for the advice. There are some great videos on YouTube. One example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeqP8ANVAkc
Here's a links to my "family and friends" trip reports for my hikes.
My time was limited to 5-6 days for each thru hike and I enjoy big mile days anyway.
I enjoyed the May trip more due to my preference for greenery over vistas.
December 2013
http://macluskie.com/reports/2013/foothillstrail_2013-12/index.html
May 2014
http://macluskie.com/reports/2014/foothillstrail_2014-05/index.html
Thanks for the info. Great reads.
Rain Man
07-25-2014, 08:40
I just ordered my Foothills trail guidebook and pocket map. I hear it is a really nice 77 mile trail with lots of waterfalls.
Indeed, it's a gem of a trail. I did it, including the spur to Jones Gap SP, in three trips. If you'd like to see the photo albums, shoot me a PM and I'll post links to them.
Rain:sunMan
.
Saltysack, the overall elevation change is roughly the same whether you go from Oconee SP to Table Rock SP or reverse. I think it's less than 200 ft difference depending on direction. What is different is the elevation change at each end. Look at the Foothills Trail Elevation Profile. http://foothillstrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Elevation-Profile.pdf If you want to get the biggest climbs out of the way early on go WEBO and coast on your last two days or so into Oconee SP along the river. Or, if you want to start off slowly elevation wise go EABO and end at Table Rock SP. Personally, even for a flatlander like you coming from Fla. I don't think you'll have much trouble elevation wise if you hike with some common sense moderation at the beginning if you do start at Table Rock SP. Have a great hike.
Agreed. I started at Table Rock, and although there was a lot of climbing the first day, it wasn't bad. It took me four days to finish the trail, but I was over halfway done when I went to sleep on night #2. Since I was ahead of schedule when I got down to the Chattooga (I had planned for 5 days), I was able to stroll along and take lots of time to soak up what is in my opinion the best part of the trail.