Foothills Chattooga River Trail Loop

After leaving from Burrell Ford campground parking area and heading east, this overnight trip into the Ellicott Rock Wilderness will take us up the Medlin Mountain section of the Foothills trail where will we will gain several hundred feet in the first few miles. We then level out as we approach the fish hatchery for an overall gain of 580' over 7 miles. This section does not have water, but hopefully the creek we will encounter on the next section will supply our bottles and bladders.

After passing by the path to the Walhalla Fish Hatchery we will veer west onto the Fork Mountain trail, the longest in the Ellicott Rock Wilderness. Keep an eye out for rust colored, sparingly spaced blazes, . We will only hike for a couple of more miles before we find a spot near a creek to camp out Saturday night.

Once breaking camp and warming our lungs with hot tea, coffee, or oatmeal in the morning we continue on Fork Mountain trail. This trail is a lesser maintained one that crosses Bad Creek a couple of times as it loops into and quickly back out of NC. We finish the 6.4 mile Fork Mountain trail at the Bad Creek junction. From there, following more white blazes we make our way south along 4.5 miles of the remarkable Chattooga River Trail where, if it's warm enough, our keen eyes may spot the only overwinter butterfly, the Mourning Cloak.

Because the Chattooga River and Foothills trails share the same track for about 0.6 miles, we begin and end on the Foothills. With the bare winter branches we should have a few good views of the river on Sunday. If we are ahead of schedule, we have options near he end of the hike. We can take a short detour and hike 0.5 miles to Spoonauger Falls or drop our packs at the end and hike to the King's Creek Falls - another 1 mile round trip for the view.

The trip leaders will most likely stop for dinner on the return trip home. All are welcome and encouraged to join. If you choose not to join us, please mention this at the carpool before we leave or plan on being a driver.

From the SC Visitor Center we will take scenic highway 11 into Walhalla, we will then take SC 28 for 7.5 miles then bear right on SC 107, drive 10 miles then turn left on Burrells Ford Road.  The parking area is approximately 3 miles ahead on the left.

We will hand out driving directions.

Plan on stopping at the SC Visitor exit for a bio break and to regroup.