This was a hard day of almost 12 miles. 24 miles backpacking. 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. The steps are so long that in the middle there is a bench for folks to rest before they tackle the remainder of the climb. For those planning to take their time, some local shuttle drivers offer food drops for a fee. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Length: 76.2 miles (the Foothills Trail Conservancy rounds this off to 77 miles). Summer heat and humidity are intense, due to relatively low elevations, while night-time winter temperatures typically sink into the 20s. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1237b0ae472c2f ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Percent of the course on un-paved trails: 90%. 0. From Bear den campsite to Cane Brake boat access, not flat, Great hike! Mother Nature entertained us again with another mighty thunderstorm and downpour. Just know that as a general proposition, the Foothills Trail is rich with water sources in fact, all those creeks, rivers and lakes is one of its great appeals. 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. That was my favorite part of the trail. Click on any map and youll see what Im talking about. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. 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. Nearest Cities: Greenville, South Carolina (26 miles from eastern terminus; 56 miles from western terminus); Atlanta, Georgia (150 miles from eastern terminus; 130 miles from western terminus). This was a relatively easy day at about 8 miles. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Im investigating as we speak! In 2016, I hiked the Appalachian Trail; 2018, Foothills Trail and Alabama Pinhoti Trail; 2019, Great Plains Trail pilot trail in South Dakota and Nebraska; on April 7, 2021 I will start the Pacific Crest Trail. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans photo. The Toxaway River flows into Lake Jocassee along the Foothills Trail. As the name implies, this down hill, four mile bike trail descends approximately 2,000 feet and is a true heart breaker. Lots of inclines and declines so pack light! The western half of the trail covers significantly less grueling terrain overall. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Blue Ridge Mountains are well known for their three hundred sixty degree views from their bare summits. I had both time to be alone and reflect and time with great company to share in my experience. Thru hiked with a buddy and my dog. We took a quick break at the falls to enjoy the view and snap some pics and then pushed on towards bad creek. Length 11.0 miElevation gain 3,188 ftRoute type Out & back. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. Continue on an old road to your left after entering a field to . Thanks for your support! The afternoon left me completely exhausted. Did the 5 day plan. I dread the descents more than the climbs. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Hey, Mike N. Im the author of this piece. Geology Guide to the Foothills Trail NOW AVAILABLE! Heartbreak's tread is narrow, and often constricted even more by Laurel and Rhododendron encroaching into the corridor. Its a great trail! We would maintain about a 2.5 mile per hour pace for the day. . No permits are required, but if you camp in either Oconee or Table Rock state parks, there is a fee. Click link for details and directions. With the exception of the winter months, chances are that weather will be warm and often extremely hot and humid. Want to report conditions for this trail? We switched to the trail because it had nice footbridges to cross the streams. The Foothills Trail is a 76-mile point-to-point hike in the Appalachian Mountains of western South Carolina best hiked in fall, winter, or spring. I really need to recover tonight. We parked the truck at a red gate and began hiking down the service road. Today's miles: 17 Total miles: 65.4 Camped: Boulder about a mile before Sassafras peak What a day. Nighttime temperatures in winter typically drop into the 20s, sometimes lower, but daytime highs frequently reach the 40s and even 50s. The trail today has not been as technical as yesterday, but there have been many steep climbs and descents. We camped at Bear Creek (not bear camp creek) and actually did have a bear sighting. It was a short 5 mile hike to finish up our journey, and the majority of that was downhill. A solid and steady climb with a few short downhills just to give you a quick break. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Good views at spots along the trail as well. There is an issue between Cloudflare's cache and your origin web server. There are plenty of non-thru options, as well, including the so-called crown jewel route, southbound from Laurel Valley to just below Whitewater Falls. There is abundant wildlife and hikers have a good chance of seeing deer, snakes, toads, frogs, raccoons, waterfowl, raptors, and more. I could not have asked or hoped for anything better. The Blue Ridge Mountains are well known for their three hundred sixty degree views from their bare summits. The plan is to make a full loop of about 375 miles (I think). It wasnt that bad going east to west but it definitely doesnt look fun the opposite direction. I was sad to see the simple existence I had while in the woods coming to an end but at the same time I was excited to be accomplishing this thru-hike and going home to see my wife. Heartbreak Ridge Curtis Creek Road, Old Fort, NC, 28762 Avid bikers will love Heartbreak Ridge, an exciting two-mile bike trail that begins along the top ridge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and descends 2,000 feet! Thru hiked with a buddy and my dog. Water is plentiful. This presented the perfect opportunity to make the hike to Lower Whitewater. It got our heart rates elevated but it failed to break us! The Foothills Trail, though steep in places, is not especially rugged, so trail runners are more than adequate. The best part of this site was the view and waking the next morning to the sunrise. I tackled the Foothills Trail during a three day two night fastpack in early January. We really enjoyed the short hike to Hidden Falls. The Foothills Trail - A 76-mile journey into the wilderness. The trail goes between Table Rock State Park and Oconee State Park. Bugs were bad at this location. Day 8, my final day on the trail, started early. Along this extended spur lies views of the East Fork of the French Broad River, as well as the sheer rock faces of Raven Cliff Falls. Your IP: Mountain Streams, Suspension Bridges, Waterfalls The trail goes between Table Rock State Park and Oconee State Park. There plenty of beautiful campsites all along the trial. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. Check out more trails in the Asheville area here. Its entirely plausible to hike the Foothills Trail in any season, though late-spring to early summer and fall are most popular. We finished up with a little less than 10 miles for the day. The trail is strenuous throughout. Volunteers should be reimbursed fairly for their generous donations of time and gasoline. Absolutely beautiful with all the waterfalls. Although mostly well-built and -maintained, as of October 2018 there were quite a few blowdowns, including a couple that force hikers into significant bushwhacking and route-finding back to the trail. Around 4:15 we started the hike to the Bad Creek parking lot. The trail crosses several roads leading to nearby small towns. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Bald Knob (mile 72.5): Expansive view of upstate South Carolina from knees of Pinnacle Mountain. Upon the completion of the Foothills Trail hikers can apply for the Peregrine Award to commemorate their hikes. Hikers should plan ahead for shuttle transport. Hopefully I will get a good nights rest and be ready to go in the morning. It is a beautiful site at the top of the waterfalls. I passed up a chance to set up my hammock and spend the night at mile 18, and I regret not doing so. To help support the investigation, you can pull the corresponding error log from your web server and submit it our support team. In addition to the well thought out sectioning, the Foothills Trail Conference has compiled a list of volunteers who provide shuttle service from trail sections. Thanks for your support! Table Rock State Park is about an hours drive from both Asheville, North Carolina and Spartanburg, SC. It was breathtaking to be able to turn all the way around and see the smoky mist below me in every direction. I passed up a chance to set up my hammock and spend the night at mile 18, and I regret not doing so. The Art Loeb Trail is a 30-mile point-to-point trail in North Carolina that offers jaw-dropping 360- degree views of the Southern Appalachians. Think of this as a heatmap, more rides = more kinetic energy = warmer colors. It is my favorite trail for many of the reasons you noted. This is a lovely hiking area with lots of camping spots and scenic views. Woods Mountain Trail is not for the faint of heart! 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. We logged over 32 miles. 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