Foothills Trail in April

[waasj]

Looking at thru hiking the FHT in mid to late April. Thinking about starting at Ocoee, but finishing at Ceaser's Head. Any suggestions regarding shuttle, side trails etc? Is it any more scenic than the stretch to Table Rock?

[FooFighter'12]

Here is a list for shuttles: http://www.foothillstrail.org/index....uttle-services

As far as the scenery goes. The Table Rock section has really large boulders, some good views climbing up Pinnacle, a really good view from Bald Knob, and a nice finish along Carrick creek. The section to Caesars Head is mainly along an old roadbed on the SC/NC border. There is a decent campsite about five miles from Sassafras. You will also catch a nice view of the French Broad Valley from Bursted Rock(also called the Lookout). There will be a creek to ford as you enter state park land. There will be two short spurs in this section, one to a swinging bridge over Raven Cliff Falls and the other is a lookout looking back at Raven Cliff Falls. You could also continue and finish at Jones Gap instead which would include a nice river walk along the Middle Saluda.

A side trail to consider would be Eastatoe Gorge Heritage Preserve, it is a short walk from where the trail comes down to the parking lot on Horsepasture Rd. There will be plenty of waterfalls to catch just off the trail and a nice short spur to Lake Jocassee prior to reaching Laurel Fork Falls. If you plan on camping at Licklog Falls the first day but it is full, you can head west at the junction with the Chattooga trail for a very short bit and there are a few nice sites by the river, some with chairs made from rock.

[waasj]

Here is a list for shuttles: http://www.foothillstrail.org/index....uttle-services

As far as the scenery goes. The Table Rock section has really large boulders, some good views climbing up Pinnacle, a really good view from Bald Knob, and a nice finish along Carrick creek. The section to Caesars Head is mainly along an old roadbed on the SC/NC border. There is a decent campsite about five miles from Sassafras. You will also catch a nice view of the French Broad Valley from Bursted Rock(also called the Lookout). There will be a creek to ford as you enter state park land. There will be two short spurs in this section, one to a swinging bridge over Raven Cliff Falls and the other is a lookout looking back at Raven Cliff Falls. You could also continue and finish at Jones Gap instead which would include a nice river walk along the Middle Saluda.

A side trail to consider would be Eastatoe Gorge Heritage Preserve, it is a short walk from where the trail comes down to the parking lot on Horsepasture Rd. There will be plenty of waterfalls to catch just off the trail and a nice short spur to Lake Jocassee prior to reaching Laurel Fork Falls. If you plan on camping at Licklog Falls the first day but it is full, you can head west at the junction with the Chattooga trail for a very short bit and there are a few nice sites by the river, some with chairs made from rock.

Is the Jones Gap finish from the Ceaser's Head end?

We (son and one of his buds) were on the Chattooga River Trail early January. Saw several of the Chattooga River Rock Chairs. I have hiked a lot of places and paddled a lot of rivers, but I have never seen so much effort pu into a place to sit by the fire (comfortable though!!!).

[FooFighter'12]

The John Cantrell campsite on the Table Rock section also has stone chairs.

Yeah, at the parking lot for Raven Cliff falls which is where the trail would come out there is a connector trail to Jones Gap trail. You could park at the Jones Gap Learning center. This stretch from Raven Cliff to Jones Gap was recently designated as part of the Palmetto trail. Here is a map: http://www.palmettoconservation.org/...ludaWebMap.pdf

[waasj]

Thanks bro, lot's of good information.

[Dogwood]

Good beta FF. I hadn't seen that Palmetto Tr map. Thx for posting it.

A pic that I've seen of rock chairs on the FHT I've seen on WB was, I'm virtually 100% sure, taken at the Cantrell campsite. I think they used stones to make the chairs from the old house foundation and stone chimney.

The FHT Guidebook and FHT Map has the trail described and mapped from Table Rock SP to Caesars Head SP. The route is blazed. CH SP and TR SP have simple non topographical free paper maps showing the trails in each SP. Adding scenic double drop Ravens Cliff Falls to a FHT Thru-hike is certainly worthy. If you are hiking for the ultimate scenic pts in CH SP I would take in the swinging bridge over the Upper drop of Ravens Cliff Falls and the Lookout across from it as noted on the Palmetto Tr map FF posted in the yellow dead end overlook trail. Also, although FF's Palmetto Tr map doesn't show it there's a signed trail along the Middle Saluda River in Jones Gap SP that goes over the river to Rainbow Falls which is YET ANOTHER worthy waterfall to visit in this rich waterfall hiking area. Again, JG SP offers a free simple non topographical map of it's hiking trails. Basically, I've done a FHT thru-hike by adding on the red routed Palmetto Tr as FF linked but going westbound. It's a well worthy extension IMHO. There's a bit of some ho hum old dirt FS road in between TR SP and CH SP but the scenic destinations are worth those few ho hum miles. That road goes through another Preserve area though which if you like plants and a remote feel it's nice.

[FooFighter'12]

Good call on Rainbow Falls, Dogwood. That is a nice waterfall. It would be a good way to cap off the trip.

[waasj]

I am humbled, you gentlemen obviously know your SC trails!! Thanks for the input.

[waasj]

Sorry, I should have said gentlemen/gentlewomen.

[Foresight]

Be advised that the month of April is turkey season and the SP's on either end are pretty much the only parts of the trail not open to hunting. There's not a lot of people that hunt that area, but there are some.

[Dogwood]

Thank U for the compliment but I don't deserve it Waasj. I've done less than 50%(guess maybe 40%) of the trail miles in this upstate area of Oconnee, Gorges, Table Rock, Caesars head, and Jones Gap SPs and even less in Mt Bridge Wilderness. And, the rest of SC that I've hiked is very fragmented and even less trail miles than this SC upstate area. I do wander though adding trail mileage to core hikes like the FHT. I like this area for hiking when I'm back on the east coast during the winter for week long jaunts. Great time to be out on these trails when a fair weather window presents itself.

[waasj]

Be advised that the month of April is turkey season and the SP's on either end are pretty much the only parts of the trail not open to hunting. There's not a lot of people that hunt that area, but there are some.

Will be sure to bring some orange!! Thanks