You do not need to do a road walk alternate through the gated(open 6 am -6 pm) Duke Energy Property on Bad Creek Road(2.1 miles) to the Bad Creek TH despite old signage that needs to be removed at the FT TH at Oconee SP stating otherwise this is needed. This is from the Oconee SP Ranger's mouth and previously conformed a night before as I hiked through there. The non camping Whitewater corridor FT segment, pedestrian bridge across Thompson River, and the strenuous climb up out towards O SP was open. The Upper Whitewater Falls Parking Lot including the bathrooms are locked, signed, and gated. Where the FT crosses NC HWY 281 just north of the SC/NC border the trail is open.A large gravel lot here is open. The lower overlook to the UPPER Whitewater Falls is closed. The short steep stair segment short curt from this site to the FT is closed by snow fence. In short, just continue your FT hike as you would but not going to this overlook. Although a rather contained small fire the steps to the popular overlook are gone hence the closures.
Lower Whitewater Falls overlook deck is fine off a different blue blazed spur and away from anything at the UPPER Whitewater Falls area. There's a great view here! It's very near a designated campsite too.
https://www.romanticasheville.com/whitewater_falls.htm
The FT between Sassafras Mt(great 360* view!) at the Sate High Pointers bench and Table Rock SP is open. I however did not hike this segment since I started in Mt Bridge Wilderness as far east as I could get at Jones Gap SP at the Falls Creek Falls TH hing west/towards O SP.
Despite obvious lower water volumes at Ravens Cliff Falls, Rock Crk, Toxaway, Horsepasture(lowest I've ever seen), and Chatooga(saw the bottom everywhere, lowest I've ever seen) never had drinking water issues or totally dry waterfalls.
FT proper between TR SP and O SO is currently signed according to AT standards. Easy to follow. However, the blue blazed spur between Ceasar's Head SP and Sassafras Mt is lacking blue blazes. This spur was the site of a larger fire on the south Greenville SC Water Supply Property /red blazes FT side where the FT was the primary fire fighting line. Might need a little wandering finding blue blazes but the route is not hard when having the FTC map and FTC guidebook. Fire on one side of the trail, which was basically a cooler under story fire(big trees are fine, Rhodies and most of the Mt Laurels should leaf back out) and other side is green.
Did the FT to the Fish Hatchery Rd/Walhalla Hatchery TH. Walked down to the hatchery on the curving road. Picked up the East Fork Tr through the Walhalla Fish Hatchery picnic area near the nicely constructed and maintained roofed picnic shelter with fireplace down to the Chatooga River where there's a large nice flat campsite area. This could be a good spot to base camp from up to Ellicott Rock and/or do some fishing. This is a nice FT alternate. Liked seeing the 12 lb Brown trout at the hatchery.