Beginner Backpacking - Chattooga River Trail (incl. five waterfalls).

Note: While, this is "Beginners Backpacking", all are welcome to join us. The "beginner" part just means that it will not be a strenuous trip....and also that the trip leaders will be happy any answer questions before, during, and after the event about gear or general backpacking issues. The pace will be very relaxed and suitable for those who aren't used to having the extra heavy pack on their backs. 

Note: this is our backup event, as Mt Yonah backpacking was canceled due to to the questionable weather forecast...hopefully any showers will be very scattered with this one, and if anything, they will just make the waterfalls more impressive.

This should be a fun little overnight backpacking trip along the the Chattooga "Wild and Scenic River".

To make the most of this trip, we are going to take advantage of the relatively close proximity of two trailheads...the one at Nicholson Road and the other at Burrells Ford...they are just about 13 road miles apart.   We will set up a car shuttle at the beginning of the event,  dropping off one vehicle at Burrells Ford, then proceeding to the Nicholson Road TH to begin.

We will start the hike in on the Foothills trail for approximately .6 miles. At the intersection of the Chattooga River Trail (CRT), we will turn left and continue several hundred yards where we will be able to visit two waterfalls for the price of one. We will find the 25-foot stack of Pigpen Falls and the two-tiered, 80-foot Licklog Falls.

Pigpen Falls is trailside with a sandy pool at its base and then on downstream to Licklog Falls.  Seeing unobscured views of Licklog Falls will require some steep climbing through thickets of rhododendron, but incredibly beautiful and well worth the effort.

From here, we will turn back around and begin the rest of our hike along the CRT...we will find a campsite, drop our gear, and pitch our tents.   Then we'll head up to Big Bend for those that want the extra hike.  Big Bend Falls are the largest cascade on the Chattooga River. This monster would be a kayakers dream (or nightmare) if they were allowed to run on this section of the river.

Approximate hiking distance for day 1 is 5-6 miles..terrain is relatively flat with no major elevation changes.

On Sunday, we will get up and make breakfast and enjoy the morning before breaking camp and heading north along the CRT to Burrells Ford.  Here we can stow much of our heavy gear in the vehicle we left there, and do two short day hikes...one to Kings Creek Falls (just about 1.8 miles r/t) and one to Spoonauger Falls (about 1.5 miles r/t).  So mileage for day 2 is again probably about 5-6 miles, and with no major hills.

Basically that is just about 6 miles of actual backpaking and another 6 miles of optional dayhikes to the waterfalls...so it should be a flexible trip for whatever you are in the mood for at the time.  But if the weather cooperates, it should be a fun aventure out there and the waterfalls should be near their best with all the recent rain that we've been getting.

Also the forecast highs for Saturday are in the 80s, so we can cool off in the river and in some swimming holes near the falls.