We decided to climb to the ridge and found the perfect site for the evening atop the ridge. Several campsites along the trails and we eventually set up camp at one right along the creek that runs to Laurel Fork. Dont take it for granted.The shuttle service ( Taz) is the best.Went from Oconne to Table Rock. Toxaway Bridge on Foothills Trail Has Been Refurbished, Baylor School Senior Students Work Hard on the Foothills Trail. Check out more trails in the Asheville area here. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The Foothills Trail Conservancy website lists local shuttle services. Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. The Foothills Trail is accessible, challenging, but not difficult, and logistically easy to hike. There are multiple easy access points to the Foothills Trail. The day started with "heartbreak ridge". Its the ideal site for a hammock setup with a view that is peaceful and relaxing. Head West on The Foothills Trail towards Lake Jocassee. I would not call this trail moderate, as there are many challenging sections, no matter which direction you travel. NC 28762, http://www.mtbproject.com/trail/1368860/heartbreak-ridge. There is a small amount of roadwalking. The Blue Ridge Mountains are well known for their three hundred sixty degree views from their bare summits. Woke up to the popping of the same campfire. https://foothillstrail.org/maps-coordinates-2/. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Jurisdiction: The Foothills Trail crosses land managed by the U.S. Forest Service, state parks, and Duke Energy. From there we pushed on towards Laurel Valley. On my fourth day thru hiking the Foothills Trail alone, I started with the climb up and over Heartbreak Ridge and ended up at the Chimneytop Campsite, just b. Be careful! We had reached my car by 10:30 am and my journey was complete! We finished up with a little less than 10 miles for the day. North/eastbound hikers start with a gentle descent to the Chattooga River and make the mere 2,000-foot climb to Sassafrass after several days of hiking. 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. Day 7 was going to be one of our shorter and easier days! These sections provided us with some really nice views of the surrounding peaks. 4/8-10/22. gain about 10,000 feet (the Foothills Trail Conservancy does not offer exact totals; approximations are based on an overall elevation profile). This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Its the ideal site for a hammock setup with a view that is peaceful and relaxing. Foothills Trail Conservancy PO Box 3041 Greenville SC 29602. info@foothillstrail.org. 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. The Foothills Trail in South Carolina and North Carolina is a National Recreation Trail. Well maintained trail. Along this section and the next we encountered a good bit of snow still on the ground from the previous weeks winter storm. Oconee State Park is about two hours from both cities. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1237b0ae472c2f Beginning at mile 50 the trail slowly gains elevation, passing Laurel Falls (54.30) and Virginia Hawkins Falls (57.3) on the way up. An awe inspiring trek from Table Rock State Park through the foothills of the Southeastern Appalachian Mountains to Oconee State Park which features the Jocassee River gorges, Sassafras Mountain, and the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River. Terms under which this service is provided to you. You have two transport options for the trail you can shuttle a car yourself, or use a Foothills Trail shuttle service. Unlike the tall and unforgiving crests of the great range, the foothills are alive and lush. Following a long ridge that begins high atop the Blue Ridge Escarpment, this trail plunges over 2000 ft. in four miles. After a week on the trail I had made it to my last night. It is my favorite trail for many of the reasons you noted. There is abundant wildlife and hikers have a good chance of seeing deer, snakes, toads, frogs, raccoons, waterfowl, raptors, and more. That said, its hard to think of a better trail to help newbies figure out if they are going to enjoy the AT. I have thru-hiked it, speed hiked it and section hiked it. This trail is in South Carolina and North Carolina. I traveled west>east (or, sort of, south>north) and water was never an issue. Excellent article. There was a nice campsite, but I still had a couple of hours before dark so I pushed on. Cross Bear Creek campsite is nice but you have to hang your own bear line. Table Rock State Park is about an hours drive from both Asheville, North Carolina and Spartanburg, SC. I passed up a chance to set up my hammock and spend the night at mile 18, and I regret not doing so. 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. The park also has a store and gift shop with limited groceries to fuel your post thru hike hunger. Cross the bridge and turn left at the Laurel Valley Lodge sign. Heartbreak's tread is narrow, and often constricted even more by Laurel and Rhododendron encroaching into the corridor. 70, Old Fort, NC, 28762 Greenville SC 29602. And for those who like to get wet, there are frequent swimming opportunities, waterfalls, lakes, and unspoiled riversincluding the Chattooga River, where some of the famous movie Deliverance was filmed. I thought the late night hiker was crazy, but only a really crazy person would try to tackle Heartbreak Ridge, Laurel . Streams, creeks, and engorged rivers mark the land with deep gorges and sandy beaches. 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. Primitive trail connects Woods Mountain & Armstrong Creek Trails. Today I am climbing Heartbreak Ridge! Photos (139) Directions. Meet at the Devils Fork boat ramp at 9:00 a.m. Bring snacks, lunch, water and appropriate footwear and clothing. This trail is awesome . 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. We had gotten to the more strenuous sections of trail and it was quite noticeable. What a great way to fall asleep, as the rain pattered against my tarp and the thunder boomed and lightning lit up the evening sky! Thru hiked with a buddy and my dog. Log In. Did the 5 day plan. Around 13 miles into the run touch the bench on top of Heart Break Ridge at Lake Jocassee and return back to the parking lot. Hard 4.4 (195) Pisgah National Forest. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans photo. At the top is an observation platform which afforded me a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains. Generally considered a challenging route. The afternoon left me completely exhausted. Water: Water is plentiful all along the trail from streams, rivers, and lakes, except in drought conditions. The trail is clearly marked throughout. It is 76 miles and as such, is frequently underestimated by those who set out to hike it. . IT set the stage for the many great waterfalls we would enjoy along our hike. Clay Bonnyman Evans is a freelance writer living in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and his hometown, Boulder, Colorado. Click here to find alternative waterfall and hiking trails. We feel that this has prepared us for longer trips we're looking at The Mountains to Sea Trail in NC next (900 miles, we'll have to do it in sections since we work). The suspension bridge was amazing! For the full 4x4 trail guide please visit:https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/812-2n61y-heartbreak-ridgeHidden on the east side of Big Bear in Southern Cali. Turn right into the parking area and pay your nominal parking fee. Expect a high speed experience with very fast straight sections. I have only done a small portion of this beautiful trail but every step is well worth the effort. Cloudflare monitors for these errors and automatically investigates the cause. Tougher than expected but had a great time. The route, which features miles of blueberry bushes and campsites with perfect sunrise views, can be hiked in 2-4 days. Wandering Monk Hikes Day 5 on the Foothills Trail | Climbing Heartbreak RidgeHello everyone welcome! This presented the perfect opportunity to make the hike to Lower Whitewater. Heartbreak Ridge via Star Gap Trail. We had reached Burrells Ford by 1pm and pushed on towards Fish Hatchery Road. We ended up creating a website (www.thefoothillstrail.com) with the hopes of informing others of the difficulty of the trail, the terrain type, how to read the guidebook (published by The Foothills Trail Conference), and other insider tips. 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). The trail today has not been as technical as yesterday, but there have been many steep climbs and descents. The trail goes between Table Rock State Park and Oconee State Park. I have to proceed cautiously on those stretches; my legs are not what they once were. Be prepared. The climate is mild due to lower elevations, which usually means oppressive heat and humidity in late spring, summer, and early fallgood training for the ATs mid-Atlantic in July. No permits are required, but if you camp in either Oconee or Table Rock state parks, there is a fee. Dont forget the insect repellent youll want it. If not, then I will assess what my body tells me it will do. 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. I am very proud to have accomplished this feat and Im already looking forward to my next journey along the trail. The Foothills Trail, though steep in places, is not especially rugged, so trail runners are more than adequate. Day 2 we hiked to Cross Bear Creek campsite. Will Hike this in a few weeks. Photo: Clay Bonnyman Evans. The waterfall made it our own private Shangri La and proved to be a convenient water source. PO Box 3041 Along the sandy banks of the Chattooga River and just above Laurel Fork Falls are two of many excellent camping spots on the trail. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. However, for many people the, A Thru-Hike for Everyone: 5 Trails Under 200 Miles, Outdoor Research Aspire Super Stretch Jacket Review, Backpacker Radio #189 | Christine Reed on POTS, Hiking with Grief, and Her Book: Alone in Wonderland, Getting to Campo: PCT Southern Terminus Shuttle To Run for Second Year, 10 Trek Bloggers You Should Be Following This Winter, The Best Backpacking Stoves for Thru-Hiking of 2023, Top Stoves, Filters, and Power Banks on the Appalachian Trail: 2022 Thru-Hiker Survey, Sierra On Track for Record Snowfall This YearHere's What It Means for PCT Hikers, 8 Classic Pieces of Backpacking Gear Hikers Love (And Why), The Best Headlamps for Thru-Hiking of 2023, https://foothillstrail.org/maps-coordinates-2/. There is an unknown connection issue between Cloudflare and the origin web server. What I had failed to realize it that the next mile of the trail is know as Heart Break Ridge. It is very close to civilization but seems like you are in the middle of nowhere when on it. Loved the wild rivers! gain approximately 10,900 feet of elevation, while north/eastbounders (NEBOs?) I had many great campsites along the trail but this one would prove to be the best. The last 2.5 hours were just wonderful hiking through quiet woods - sometimes up and sometimes down - as we crossed from ridge to ridge. I got to meet several interesting and nice people that were making the short hike to Lick Falls. As always, take care of our trail angels! Day 5s goal was to get to Canebrake and finish the section. We were on the trail by 9am on day 2. Did the 5 day plan. Its entirely plausible to hike the Foothills Trail in any season, though late-spring to early summer and fall are most popular. There are also ten other easy access points between the two termini for non-thru-hikers. 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