Foothills Trail??

[mtntopper]

Anyone planning on thru hiking the foothills trail this year? I am in the beginning stages of planning a mid October hike. I have been to their website and ordered the guide and maps. Anyone that has hiked it before want to share any info. not readily available from the web site? I read that April and October were good times to go.

[old school]

Im hiking it this year...thinking about a June hike...should be hot enough to take advantage of all those waterfalls....

[mtntopper]

Im hiking it this year...thinking about a June hike...should be hot enough to take advantage of all those waterfalls....

Have you determined your camping spots?
Which direction are you hiking?
Are you using a shuttle?

I am planning on starting at Table Rock. Hope to finish in 5 or 6 days.

[Drybones]

I did this hike a little over a year ago (December), really enjoyed it, lots of water crossings but they all have bridges (kinda spoils you), one of my favorite hikes, plan to do it again and hike up to the Whitewater Falls next time, easy to follow, dont really need a lot of info to do do this hike, took 4 days and 3 hours, best maintained trail I've been on...hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[dmax]

Just got back yesterday from a thru hike of the FHT. We went from Oconee to Table Rock. 4 1/2 days for us. But that was kind of pushing it for our first hike of the year. We shuttled ourselves to table rock and then dropped a car at Bad Creek for a resupply. From there we got a shuttle from a friend. .. The three of us really enjoyed the trail. And the Oconee Bells started blooming. If we had added one more day into our hike we would have checked out the side trails to some of the waterfalls. But due to our tight schedule all of us skipped them. Maybe next time. .. Headed back down there Thursday. Going to take the boat shuttle to Laurel Valley for some R&R. .. The FTC now sells a pocket profile that each of us carried. We left our guide and big map at home. The pocket profile is all we needed.

[Mobius]

Pocket Profile? Ooooh! What's it contain? The FTC website is sadly lacking in detail. Does it have any maps at all? Road crossing? Camp sites?

[scope]

I hiked from Burrells Ford to Hwy 178 at the end of last October. We hammocked, and twice we ended up staying on a hillside because we were in between known campsites. Not a lot of sites other than what's listed. I enjoyed just staying where we did frankly, because some of the campsites are very overused - I guess because its the only place for a tenter to stay. The 3 or 4 little twiggy bridges are amazing. The long ones are, too, and offer nice straight on glimpses of the small river crossings. A couple of major climbs, but otherwise a relatively easy hike - not too much up and down besides the big ones. I was disappointed with the views of which there are mostly none. Its strictly a woods hike with the exception of views along the Chattooga, on top of Whitewater Falls, and then the high points on the Table Rock side. There's not really a resupply point, so you'll have to carry a lot of food weight.

Its definitely a worthwhile trip and something a little different in the SE other than the AT. Lots of water and bridges. My gosh, was it 100 bridges/sets of stairs!?!? Seems like it. Here's a link to my pics from our trip...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/scope3...7637268448826/

[dmax]

One side has a map showing road crossings. The other side has the elevation profile that shows where the water, camping, and road crossings are. Below that it has mileage way points for the trail. It also tells where water and camping is located. Very handy little guide. Fits in any pocket for glancing at all day long.

[dmax]

Yes, lots of bridges and steps. One in our group was taking pictures of the bridges. Sometime during day two he stopped. He was afraid of using up all of his battery power. Be carefully when they are wet or frosty.

[Mobius]

Be carefully when they are wet or frosty.

I thru hiked between Christmas and New Years in 2013. I think some of those bridges are permanently wet (and slick)!

[Drybones]

I thru hiked between Christmas and New Years in 2013. I think some of those bridges are permanently wet (and slick)!

You got that right about slick bridges, took my worst fall yet hiking when I hit every step coming down a large suspension bridge with my butt, only time I've bent a hiking pole and I use them quite frequently to catch me from a fall.

[Rain Man]

Anyone that has hiked it before want to share any info. not readily available from the web site?

I hiked it (including the Spur) in three trips. Here are photo albums, if you like pictures.

June '12 - the Spur - Sassafras Mtn. to Jones Gap State Park

Sept '11 - Laurel Valley to Table Rock (end)

July '11 - Oconee SP to Laurel Valley/US Hwy 178

We had to abort in July '11 at U.S. Hwy 178 due to the heat and we ran out of time for that trip.

RainMan

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[mtntopper]

Is mid October a good time? I plan to start at Table rock. Anyone want to recommend a shuttle. There are several listed. I guess I could check with them all and then pick one. Thanks for all the help.

[fertilizer]

Anyone planning on thru hiking the foothills trail this year? I am in the beginning stages of planning a mid October hike. I have been to their website and ordered the guide and maps. Anyone that has hiked it before want to share any info. not readily available from the web site? I read that April and October were good times to go.

Methinks it would be an awesome hike in the fall. I'm tentatively planning a thru hike the week of Memorial Day. I'm thinking 5-6 days depending on my shape. I've heard nothing but great great things about it.

[Drybones]

Is mid October a good time? I plan to start at Table rock. Anyone want to recommend a shuttle. There are several listed. I guess I could check with them all and then pick one. Thanks for all the help.

One thing I liked about this hike is that it's easy to set up a shuttle if you have two vehicles. If you want company, post what your plans are as October nears and maybe someone can join you and work out the shuttle, I'd like to do it again some time in the near future.

[Foresight]

Mid-to-late October is stunning up there.