Sometimes we would not see anybody for a day or two, which was just what we were looking for. Ill have to download some gps coordinates for my favorites. Meet at the Devils Fork boat ramp at 9:00 a.m. Bring snacks, lunch, water and appropriate footwear and clothing. Oconee is about 2.5 hours and Table Rock is about three hours from Atlanta. From the east end of Heartbreak Ridge at mile 50 to the Northern Terminus at Table Rock State Park at mile 76.2, the trail crosses a number of challenging routes and trail highlights. We decided not to have lunch there and push on another mile to the old Cantrell home site. The trail crosses several roads leading to nearby small towns. Great review. The Foothills Trail climbs gently out of Oconee State Park on a wide, flat trail that becomes increasingly tight before transforming into traditional single track. At the top is an observation platform which afforded me a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains. Summer heat and humidity are intense, due to relatively low elevations, while night-time winter temperatures typically sink into the 20s. The trail is not heavily used by long-distance hikers, regardless of season. It is my favorite trail for many of the reasons you noted. Dont forget the insect repellent youll want it. Id like to make that connection to the Bartram and hike it to the AT sometime. Bugs were bad at this location. Some shuttle drivers also will do food drops for a fee. Day 1 we hiked to Laurel Fork Falls campsite. I was so overheated and exhausted at this point that I was having dry heaves. The Foothills Trail is a fun, challenging traipse through classic southern Appalachian terrain. Sign up for our email newsletter. Thru hiked with a buddy and my dog. Mountain Streams, Suspension Bridges, Waterfalls Streams, creeks, and engorged rivers mark the land with deep gorges and sandy beaches. From the east end of Heartbreak Ridge at mile 50 to the Northern Terminus at Table Rock State Park at mile 76.2, the trail crosses a number of challenging routes and trail highlights. Will Hike this in a few weeks. I actually JUST FINISHED the Bartram Trail. Death Valley Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop, CA, Smoky Mountains National Park Loop, NC / TN, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, Total elevation gain is 10,000-11,000 feet, depending on direction, Sustained climbs of more than 2,000 feet; some short, very steep sections, Heat and humidity can be a challenge from late spring through early fall, Dispersed camping allowed along most of the trail. Geology Guide to the Foothills Trail NOW AVAILABLE! Trail. The Foothills Trail - A 76-mile journey into the wilderness. We took our time breaking camp and were on the trail by 11am. There plenty of beautiful campsites all along the trial. We would maintain about a 2.5 mile per hour pace for the day. The consistent signage makes finding the trailheads easy, and the mileage makes section hiking attainable. If you are approaching this parking area from the North, it is 8.5 miles south of the junction of US 64 and NC 281 in Sapphire, North Carolina. Think of this as a heatmap, more rides = more kinetic energy = warmer colors. Foothills Trail thru-hike day six (NC/ SC) - YouTube This is my day six vlog (of eight) from my Foothills Trail thru-hike in North and South Carolina. Did the 5 day plan. The Guidebook rated these sections as moderate to easy, I assume because of the short distance. Devil's Backbone This ridge-top trail between Baldy Notch and the summit of Mount Baldy is probably LA's greatest ridge hike, with incredible views over the San Gabriel Mountains and the Mojave Desert. Overall, we hiked around 6 miles to and from. In fact, its not unlike a condensed version of the southern Appalachian Trail, and many prospective hikers have tackled the Foothills Trail as a shakedown for a future AT hike. Had brief freezing rains. The trail is clearly marked throughout. We were hiking by 10 till 10 and our first stop was Hilliard Falls. Living in Greenville, the FHT is just a few miles away. Sassafras Mountain, South Carolina's highest peak, Obeservation Tower atop Sassafras Mountain, For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. My friend arrived at 5:30 and I restocked my food and we decided to night hike to the site on the ridge above the Thompson River. This is a lovely hiking area with lots of camping spots and scenic views. Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. We logged over 32 miles. Tougher than expected but had a great time. The southern/western portion of the trail is fairly gentle, but dont let that fool you. Thanks for your support! There are also ten other easy access points between the two termini for non-thru-hikers. Day 3 we hiked approximately 10 miles and camped at Whitewater campsite. From there we pushed on towards Laurel Valley. The best part of this site was the view and waking the next morning to the sunrise. Water is plentiful. I had many great campsites along the trail but this one would prove to be the best. It got our heart rates elevated but it failed to break us! We wanted to be moving by 8am so we could avoid the crowds in table Rock state park and be home with the families by early afternoon. What an experience! Did the 5 day plan. more. Percent of the course on un-paved trails: 90%. I also absolutely dig the suspension bridges out there. The trail begins along the top ridge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, accessed from either Curtis Creek Road or from the Old Toll Road, outside the Ridgecrest Conference center. What I had failed to realize it that the next mile of the trail is know as Heart Break Ridge. Table Rock State Park offers a myriad of amenities from camping to cabins, swimming to fishing. What were the generally areas where you made camp each night? Slept well, heard the popping of the campfire a few sites over for awhile. Often one can hike for an entire day and not encounter another person. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. He has hiked the Colorado Trail, Appalachian Trail, Foothills Trail, Pinhoti Trail, Centennial Trail, and the Great Plains Trail Pilot Trail, and will start hiking the Pacific Crest Trail on April 7, 2021. And they were indeed smoky this morning. I traveled west>east (or, sort of, south>north) and water was never an issue. Thx Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. I got my trail name, Pony, in 2015 when I hiked the Colorado Trail. Waterfalls abound, their distinctive rush mixes with sounds of wind and wildlife. Hard 4.4 (195) Pisgah National Forest. I began at the southern terminus, Oconee State Park in Mountains Rest, South Carolina. Flowers, and other Flora abound, birds aplenty, There are even plants that only exist in this part of the world. The Foothills Trail is a 76 mile long collection of trails that run through 3 state parks, through North and South Carolina, and within view of the Georgia border. We really enjoyed the short hike to Hidden Falls. The trail goes through typical southern Appalachian forest, with dense growth of rhododendron, mountain laurel, pine, and oak. You have two transport options for the trail you can shuttle a car yourself, or use a Foothills Trail shuttle service. Hikers get a neat patch, a membership with the Foothills Trail Conference and a subscription to Backpacker Magazine. As hard as our Colorado hike minus elevation. Click link for details and directions. It was a short 5 mile hike to finish up our journey, and the majority of that was downhill. Hikers spend a good deal of time in the green tunneljust like the ATbut ample opportunities to swim, gorgeous waterfalls, and occasional vistas to the south make this a truly enjoyable trail. On top of Heartbreak Ridge, we heard 4 large birds . Foothills Trail Conservancy I could not have asked or hoped for anything better. Foothills Trail Conservancy PO Box 3041 Greenville SC 29602. info@foothillstrail.org. The incidence of Lyme disease is very low in South and North Carolina (less than .5 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents), but the black-legged (or deer tick) is present, so be diligent about tick checks. While the solitude of the first part of my hike was very nice it was good to have company. I really need to recover tonight. Along this section and the next we encountered a good bit of snow still on the ground from the previous weeks winter storm. Location: The trail runs slightly northeast-southwest in far western South Carolina, with several crossings into North Carolina. Day 4 was a short 3 miles but much of it was uphill. Easy and downhill. Heartbreak's tread is narrow, and often constricted even more by Laurel and Rhododendron encroaching into the corridor. Thankfully volunteers have put steps into the dirt and rock to enable hikers to negotiate the steep trail. The FTC website lists shuttle services that cater to long-distance hikers. This vlog is from mid-May. Enjoy your next adventure. Heartbreak Ridge - 19.10 Miles - From Cantrell Campsite To Lake Jocasse - This morning's highlight was the climb to the top of Sassafras Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina. You can hike for a few hours or spend days or a week or so hiking here and never do the same hike twice. Want to report conditions for this trail? About an hour later we put the packs back on and headed toward the Cliffs. Volunteers should be reimbursed fairly for their generous donations of time and gasoline. Perhaps it was because we were hiking West to East, but it turned out to be not nearly as bad as we were expecting. This trail is awesome . There is an unknown connection issue between Cloudflare and the origin web server. Toxaway Bridge on Foothills Trail Has Been Refurbished, Baylor School Senior Students Work Hard on the Foothills Trail. That was my favorite part of the trail. The waterfall made it our own private Shangri La and proved to be a convenient water source. This was a relatively easy day at about 8 miles. Come take a hike with me at Blue Ridge Hiking Company! The terrain, tread, and gradesfrom riverside meandering to lung-busting steepall reflect the AT in its Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina incarnations. Exclusive to the state of Florida, its dirt and paved paths can be hiked in 60-90 days. Thanks for your support! It wasnt that bad going east to west but it definitely doesnt look fun the opposite direction. Thru-hikers travel both north/eastbound and south/westbound, but theres no question that those who travel south/westbound have it a bit tougher. Camping is allowed on most of the trails 77 miles, with the following exceptions: 1.7 miles along the Whitewater River on Duke Energy property, starting at around mile 30 (northbound); Table Rock State Park, except in designated campsites at park headquarters. We had gotten to the more strenuous sections of trail and it was quite noticeable. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1237b0ae472c2f Its the ideal site for a hammock setup with a view that is peaceful and relaxing. 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