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Foothills Trail

Sunday, March 23, 2025 - Wednesday, April 2, 2025 -- $TBD ★★★

Have you ever wanted to do a thru-hike? Few have the time to devote to hiking the AT, the PCT or the CDT. But if you have 10 consecutive days to spare, you can thru-hike the 76 mile Foothills Trail.


The wild and beautiful Foothills National Scenic Trail is a not-all-that-well-known gem of a trail tucked up in the northwest corner of South Carolina. Although the Foothills Trail is not a household name, the October 2010 issue of Backpacker Magazine listed the Foothills Trail as one of the ten best long distance trails (50+ miles) in the country. It earned this designation by virtue of the high quality of the trail (and trail maintenance), its guidebook, its map and a 15-year-old article, I guess.


Our hike will start at Oconee State Park, and for the first two days will traverse the gently undulating terrain roughly paralleling the Chattooga River of Deliverance fame. We'll be listening for banjo music. Incidentally, the Chattooga River is one of the first rivers in the country to receive "Wild and Scenic River" status.


Day 4 of the hike will find us at 411' tall Whitewater Falls. We will traverse several other major rivers and picturesque waterfalls, including Hilliard Falls and Virginia Hawkins Falls. Peak baggers take note: As a bonus, we will summit Sassafrass Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina at 3563', which has incredible sweeping views in the distance.


We will be hiking during Spring wildflower season, and through the home of the rare Oconee Bells which grows nowhere else in North America. Toward the end of the hike, we will summit Sassafras Mountain, the highest peak in South Carolina and enjoy the panoramic view from the newly opened visitor viewing platform. Our hike will terminate at Table Rock State Park, and where we will take an optional side hike to the Table Rock summit before finally completing the thru-hike.


As a bonus we will be able to resupply ourselves twice during the trek due to the trail crossing several roadways. This means we will never have to carry more than four days of food at a time.


If you become a member of the Foothills Trail Conference completing this trek will earn you the coveted Peregrine Award for thru-hiking the trail, complete with patch, certificate and immortalization chronicled on their website.


This is a great opportunity to do a thru-hike with a group of soon-to-be best friends, so come join us on the wild and beautiful landscape of the Foothills Trail. You'll achieve a major accomplishment and at the same time improve your body composition in the process.



Topographical Map of Proposed Route

See CalTopo map


Weather

Weather is always an important consideration when backpacking. March on the Foothills Trail usually finds daily temperatures in the high 60s but could drop into the 40s or even 30s and rise into the 80s. Nights should be in the 40s but may go down to freezing on some nights. Please come prepared for the possibility of rain, cold temperatures at night or a heat wave during the day. Here is the typical weather for the Foothills Trail



Probable Trip Leaders

Guide(s) TBD

Difficulty


The Foothills trail is well marked and well maintained by a large group of volunteers. Water is abundant from the many headwaters that feed into the four major river systems the trail traverses. The trail can be very rugged at times, but there's usually clear and solid footing with stairs and/or staircases along most of the steepest climbs and descents.


While all Fitpacking trips are difficult at least some of the time, this one should be considered more attainable than others because of the solid footing and excellent terrain. As with every backpacking trip, expect the going to be difficult at times. This is the nature of carrying all your gear on your back for over a week. Additionally, we expect to cache food mid-trip so we'll only carry half as much food as we typically do, rendering pack weights at least somewhat lighter.




Cost

$TBD per person double occupancy. Here, double occupancy means that you will share a hotel room with another trip participant. You will be responsible for transportation to and from Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP), as well as personal equipment, restaurant meals and any gratuities for guides. You may also incur parking charges for leaving your car at the hotel all week (probably none, but they sometimes charge for this).


Covered expenses include 1 hotel night, 1 night in a front country campground in Table Rock State Park, 10 days of trail meals, ground transportation to/from Greenville, SC and the trail, National Forest permits, backcountry permits and awesome guides.



Tipping: In order to keep our prices competitive with (and hopefully favorable to) other outfitters, we shamefully can’t pay our guides as much as we think they deserve. Like most other guiding services, we rely on the generosity of our participants to make up this shortfall by tipping the guides. While tips are not required or expected, if your guides have served you well, please consider a gratuity so they can continue living their extravagant lifestyles of eating powdered meals, sleeping in the dirt and pooping in smelly outhouses and small holes they've dug.



Notes


Here is a great interactive map of the trail.


Completing the thru hike makes you eligible for the Peregrine Award


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Itinerary
Weather
Guides for this trip
Cost
Important Note
Difficulty (Please Read)
Map
 
 

Itinerary


Sunday, March 23, 2025

Drive or fly into Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP). The best time to arrive is between around Noon-3PM. However, if you can save a substantial amount on your flight by arriving a few hours earlier, then do so.

Call for a free shuttle to our local hotel where we'll gather before heading off to the trail.

We will assemble at: TBD, To Be Determined

Mini equipment shakedown. We double-check your pack for any items you may have omitted or forgotten after your pre-trip online shakedown.

Trail mix distribution from our make-your-own Trail Mix Bar

At around 3PM, shuttle to campsite: TBD, To Be Determined Site(s) TBD

Shuttling will take about 1.5 hours

Guides prepare dinner in camp. On some trips with longer shuttle times, we may opt to go out for an opening dinner at a local restaurant. (Cost of restaurant dinner not included in trip price)

Camp at TBD, To Be Determined Site(s) TBD

Guides will take 1-2 hours to shuttle a car to Bad Creek parking lot and leave food / fuel cache at Laurel Valley for mid-trip pick up


Monday, March 24, 2025

Shuttle to Oconee State Park, elevation 1700'

Hike 8.1 miles to Lick Log Creek, elevation 1700'

Camp at Lick Log Creek, elevation 1700'

Miles today: 8.1. Total miles: 8.1

Possible Bailout: Oconee State Park


Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Hike 8.1 miles to Burrell's Ford, elevation 2100'

Camp at Burrell's Ford, elevation 2100'. Campsites are first come first served

Miles today 8.1, total 16.2

Possible bailout: Burrell's Ford


Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Hike 9.5 miles to Round Mountain Gap

Camp at Round Mountain Gap, elevation 3060'

Miles today: 9.5, total 25.7

Possible bailout: SC 107


Thursday, March 27, 2025

Hike 9.2 miles to Coley Creek

Along the way, have lunch at Upper Whitewater Falls for a view of the iconic 411' cascade

Camp Coley Creek Camp, elevation 2025'. Water can be found a few hundred meters before the campsite.

Miles today: 9.2, total 34.9

Possible bailout: Whitewater Falls


Friday, March 28, 2025

Today's hike features a steep downhill and uphill to Horsepasture. There will be many stairs to descend and climb. The banks of Horsepasture are very pleasant and Oconee Bells can often be found near the river on the West side.

Hike 7.2 miles to Bear Creek (with a side hike up to Hilliard Falls)

Camp at Bear Creek, elevation 1400'.

Miles today: 7.2. Total miles: 42.1

Possible bailout: Horsepasture (by boat)


Saturday, March 29, 2025

Hike 7.2 miles up and over Heartbreak Ridge and crossing a 225' suspension bridge over the Toxaway River to Rock Creek

Heartbreak Ridge is a moderately short, but very steep and unrelenting uphill climb followed almost immediately by a moderately short, but very steep downhill climb. You will find it challenging.

Possible bonuses: Toxaway has a new outhouse that was built in 2023. It may be warm enough to swim in Lake Jocassee.

Camp at Rock Creek, elevation 1160'

Miles today: 7.2. Total miles: 49.3

Possible bailout: Canebrake (by boat)


Sunday, March 30, 2025

Hike 7.2 miles to Virginia Hawkins Falls

Camp at site about 0.2 miles before Virginia Hawkins Falls, elevation 1700'.

Miles today: 7.2. Total miles: 56.5


Monday, March 31, 2025

Hike 7.1 miles to Chimney Top Ridge

Camp at Chimney Top Ridge, elevation 2300'

Miles today: 7.1. Total miles: 63.6


Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Hike 3.5 miles to the summit of Sassafras Mtn, elevation 3554'

Congratulations! You have summitted the highest peak in South Carolina

Hike 4.2 downhill miles to the Lighthouse, elevation 2500'

Hike 0.4 miles to unnamed campsite / clearing. Note: We will pass a small spring on the left about halfway between the Lighthouse and the campsite. In dry years, there is a reliable spring 0.1 miles before the Lighthouse

Day-Hike 0.5 round trip miles (downhill) to some unremarkable petroglyphs

Camp at the unmarked campsite, elevation 2600'

Miles today: 8.5. Total miles: 72.1


Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Hike 4.4 miles to Table Rock State Park trail intersection, elevation ?'

Optional: Drop packs and Day-Hike 3.0 round trip miles to the summit of Table Rock with sweeping views

Hike 0.3 miles to Table Rock State Park, elevation ?'

Miles today: 7.7. Total miles: 79.8

End of thru hike, congratulations!

Shuttle back to local hotel: TBD, To Be Determined

Gather your off-trail items from storage

Dinner and awards ceremony at a local restaurant (Dinner cost not included in trip price)

Stay in our local hotel (included in trip cost)

This is the official end of the trip. You are welcome to spend the night at the hotel, however if you drove and would like to get on the road or if you flew and would like to schedule a late flight (or a red-eye if this is a West Coast trip) you can definitely do so.


Thursday, April 3, 2025

Take free airport shuttle or we will pay for a shared cab/Uber


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