Johnny Molloy - Explorers Guide 50 Hikes in South Carolina: Walks, Hikes & Backpacking Trips from the Lowcountry Shores to the Midlands to the Mountains & Rivers of the Upstate

50 Hikes in South Carolina

In South Carolina

Walks, Hikes & Backpacking Trips from the Lowcountry Shores to the Midlands to the Mountains & Rivers of the Upstate

First Edition

JOHNNY MOLLOY

With time, access points may change, and trails, signs, and landmarks referred to in this book may be altered. If you find that such changes have occurred on the trails described in this book, please let the author and the publisher know so that corrections may be made in future editions. The author and publisher also welcome other comments and suggestions. Address all correspondence to:

50 Hikes Editor
The Countryman Press
P.O. Box 748
Woodstock, VT 05091

2007 by Johnny Molloy
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.

Website URLs listed in this book were current at the time of publication. If you find information that has changed, let us know at and we will use that in preparing future editions.

ISBN 978-0-88150-764-5

Text and cover design by Glenn Suokko
Composition by Susan McClellan
Maps by Mapping Specialists Ltd., Madison, WI
Cover and interior photographs by the author

Published by The Countryman Press,
P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, Vermont 05091

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.,
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Other Books by Johnny Molloy

50 Hikes in the North Georgia Mountains

50 Hikes in the Ozarks

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: San Antonio & Austin (with Tom Taylor)

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Nashville

A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to the Streams of Florida

A Canoeing & Kayaking Guide to the Streams of Kentucky (with Bob Sehlinger)

A Paddlers Guide to Everglades National Park

Beach & Coastal Camping in Florida

Beach & Coastal Camping in the Southeast

The Best in Tent Camping: The Carolinas

The Best in Tent Camping: Colorado

The Best in Tent Camping: Florida

The Best in Tent Camping: Georgia

The Best in Tent Camping: Kentucky

The Best in Tent Camping: Southern Appalachian & Smoky Mountains

The Best in Tent Camping: Tennessee

The Best in Tent Camping: West Virginia

The Best in Tent Camping: Wisconsin

Day & Overnight Hikes in Shenandoah National Park

Day & Overnight Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Day & Overnight Hikes in West Virginias Monongahela National Forest

Day & Overnight Hikes: Kentuckys Sheltowee Trace

Exploring Mammoth Cave National Park

From the Swamp to the Keys: A Paddle Through Florida History

The Hiking Trails of Floridas National Forests, Parks, and Preserves (with Sandra Friend)

Land Between the Lakes Outdoor Recreation Handbook

Long Trails of the Southeast

Mount Rogers Outdoor Recreation Handbook

Walking Through Paradise: 1100 Miles on the Florida Trail

Trial By Trail: Backpacking in the Smoky Mountains

Visit the authors web site: www.johnnymolloy.com

This book is for my nephew,
Michael Molloy.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to everyone who has joined me on the trails of South CarolinaBryan Delay for hiking the Ellicott Rock Wilderness, John Cox for hiking the Chattooga, Palmetto, and Foothills Trails, and John Bland for making Sumter National Forest backpack trips more fun. Thanks to Aaron Marable for backpacking the Buncombe Trail. Thanks to SC Jack for his input. Thanks to Merrell for providing me with quality hiking shoes and boots. A special thanks for all the personnel of the Sumter National Forest and the Francis Marion National Forest; the rangers at all the state parks and other publicly managed lands of South Carolina; and also to all the wonderful hikers I met out on the trail. Yall reinforced my enthusiasm for hiking in South Carolina. And thanks to the rest of my friends and family for backing me up and helping along the way.

50 Hikes in South Carolina at a Glance

CONTENTS

Preface

I have been lucky enough to explore South Carolinas natural wonders for nearly 20 years. Most of my early adventures were mountain and coastal trips, but a trip to the Midlands demonstrated just what a beautiful and ecologically diverse place is the Palmetto State. With admittedly low expectations, friend Aaron Marable and I backpacked the Buncombe Loop, located in the Sumter National Forests Enoree District. The area, near Newberry, was simply a place halfway between our two homes at the time. That three-night trip blew me away. I still remember the fall colors shining over Flannigan Branch; the other creeks flowing over wide rock slabs; the majestic pines backed against a crystalline sky. Then and there I realized how much beauty the Palmetto State offers, from the mountains to the sea.

Off-and-on adventures preceded my next watershed moment. While writing a book titled Long Trails of the Southeast, I decided to include the Foothills Trail, South Carolinas main mountain path. This time I had high expectations. And they were exceeded. I still maintain that the Foothills Trail has the best 80 miles of track in the entire Southeast. It is that good. Later, while writing The Best in Tent Camping: Carolinas, I systematically explored the Palmetto State and found destinations aplenty. Inspired, I pitched the idea for this guidebook, then, using my background in the area, I began systematically exploring South Carolina for all of its best hikes. It was a real pleasure (most of the time) to travel the trails of South Carolina, from the quiet Blackstock Passage of the Palmetto Trail, to busy Mountain Bridge Wilderness, to the wetland of Santee Coastal Reserve. Not all the hikes I made were included here. Along the way I found some unexpected joysHospital Rock, for one, pleasantly surprised this grizzled veteran. And with the joy of completing a book and the sadness of an adventure ended, I finished my research. But I will continue putting my lessons to work, enjoying more of South Carolina in future outdoor adventures.

Introduction

This book details 50 of South Carolinas best hikes, from Opossum Falls near the Georgia state line to Huntington Beach State Park on the Atlantic Oceanand all across the state between. Specific emphasis was placed on the most scenic destinations and unique places that make South Carolina so specialspots like the Chattooga River, Peachtree Rock, and Hunting Island. In addition, South Carolina has two long trails, the Foothills and the Palmetto. The Foothills Trail traverses the mountain corner of the state, while the Palmetto Trail is slated to head from the Southern Appalachians, through the Midlands, to the Atlantic Ocean. Many hikes in this book include parts of these two trails. South Carolina offers three distinct regions in which to trek, the Upstate, Midlands, and Lowcountry. Hikes covering all three areas, of assorted lengths and difficulties, are included, and add to the variety of experiences. Sometimes you feel like going on a rugged hike; other times an easy stroll will do. Time constraints, companions, and time of year are just some of the considerations when choosing a hike. Grandma is not going to feel like fording remote rivers. A weekend backpack with your old Scout buddy, on the other hand, will likely entail more challenging terrain.