(Keywords: Hiking - South Carolina)
Featuring,
Pinnacle Mountain, Lake Jocassee, and the Chatooga River.
The
Foothills Trail spans 76 miles from Table Rock State Park to Oconee
State Park. The trail roughly follows the Blue Ridge Escarpment -
a narrow region between the gentle rolling hills of the Piedmont and the
more rugged terrain of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The rains in the
mountains - over 100 inches annually in some places - feed rivers that have
cut gorges in the escarpment. Naturally, this area has one of the densest
concentrations of waterfalls in the country. Some portions of the trail
pass through areas considered temperate rainforests where rare species of
Oconee Bells, green salamanders, trillium discolor, and rock gnome lichen
can be found.
Activities include hiking, camping, fishing, and boating. Loop trails in Table Rock State Park and around the Whitewater Falls Area make for good day hikes. There are several land and water access points along the trail, which facilitate a variety of multi-day backpacking trips. The trail passes through several rivers and creeks rich in trout. Lake Jocassee provides access to the trail from boats.
Click on the binoculars to see a demonstration of ExpertGPS displaying the "Canebrake" area where the Toxaway River empties into Lake Jocassee. foothills_expert.jpg (Approx. 70 KB) opens in a new window.
GPS Map
-
Download the free GPS Map in GPS eXchange (.gpx) file format, which can be read and transferred to your GPS using free GPS software. (The .gpx file will appear in a new window where you can File > Save as... on your computer)
GPS Map Details
File Size: 74 KB
Revised: 26 July 2001
Class A1 Data
Waypoints: 280 (Including trailheads, camp sites, water, & major junctions)
Routes/Tracks (15):
- Table Rock State Park to Sassafras Mountain
- Sassafras Mountain to Chimneytop Gap
- Chimneytop Gap to Laurel Valley
- Laurel Valley to Laurel Fork Falls
- Laurel Fork Falls to Rock Creek
- Rock Creek to Canebrake
- Canebrake to Horsepasture River
- Horsepasture River to Lower Whitewater Falls
- Lower Whitewater Falls to Upper Whitewater Falls
- Upper Whitewater Falls to Sloan Bridge
- Sloan Bridge to Fish Hatchery Road
- Fish Hatchery Road to Burrels Ford Campground
- Burrels Ford Campground to Cheohee Road
- Cheohee Road to Jumping Branch Trailhead
- Jumping Branch Trailhead to Oconee State Park
Adventure Travel Tip
Weather in the South Carolina foothills can change suddenly. A brief shower or snow flurry can cause slippery conditions on the trail. Loose footing can be extremely dangerous in this rugged terrain. Always wear sturdy shoes and I recommend you carry a portable weather alert radio*
More
Info
Regional Paper Map: For an excellent paper map of the region which
includes the Foothills Trail,
go
to the National Geographic online store
and follow these links:
Shop By Product Type > Maps, Globes, and Atlases > Hiking and Trail Maps > North Carolina > 785 Nantahala & Cullasaja Gorges Trail Map
Adjacent GPS Map Coverage
Nearby Geocache
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