Formerly Friday: King Creek Falls Spur, Chattooga Trail

It's been a while: understatement of the year! Last weekend, my husband and I finally got to some adventurin'! We took a drive to the lovely Chattooga River area in Oconee County last Sunday, and scouted out road markers and signs for future daytrips along the way!

For a scenic drive from Greenville, SC, follow Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway 11 east through Pickens County into Oconee County. Follow signs to Walhalla (Highway 183), then turn right into Walhalla's downtown on Highway 28. You'll pass Oconee State Park entrances, including the stop for Issaqueena Falls and Stumphouse Tunnel (an incomplete railroad tunnel through the mountain that was abandoned at the outbreak of 'the War Between the States,' as the historical marker said), which make for a fun stop off! It's a bit of a scramble down to the base of Issaqueena, but totally worth it!

You'll follow 28 further into the mountains, winding along gorgeous scenery; it was a perfect 65-70 degrees, with not a cloud in sight, so we enjoyed our drive! From 28, take 107 into the Chattooga River Valley and Ellicott Wilderness Area. The turning is a ways down the road: Burrells Ford Road is the left hand turn you'll need! It's a gravel road that you'll follow for about a mile and a half until the parking area for the Burrells Ford campsite.

Burrells Ford has a porta-potty and well marked trailhead, so you can use the facilities... after an hour and a half in the car with my morning coffee, I was desperate. We made our way down the trail behind the trailhead; white blazes lead you down to the water and along for about .4 miles, where you cross the Foothills Trail! Follow the white blazed spur trail along a tributary of the Chattooga, and enjoy the dramatic shoals as you approach the glorious King Creek Falls!

It's an amazing spot! We stopped for about an hour, taking in the beautiful sunny day with the fresh spray of the falls! Pictures do not do this giant justice.

Roundtrip, the hike felt like less than a mile, but signs have it posted as exactly a mile each way. I have no idea, but Steven said he believes the signs... this may be due to the fact that I always tell him hikes will be easier than the turn out to be. I guess I'm just ambitious! It's well worth the drive for my Greenville fellows, and less than thirty miles from Cashiers and Highlands, NC.

Trail Recap:
King Creek Falls Spur off of Chattooga Trail (white blazes)

As always, thanks to the South Carolina Trails Program for their fantastic maps and information! Please please please check out the site for great outdoor adventures to be had in our fantastic state! South Carolina is such a great place to experience!

I dedicate this post to my darling Steven, whom I've had the privilege of being married to this past year... as we near our first wedding anniversary, I thank God for our past adventures, and companionship in future ventures! What other man could so aptly handle life with a bear, however micro?!

Brissy Ridge Trail, Paris Mountain

Phew, it's been too long! Thanks to an unending stream of bad news and rainy days, Dad and I have been house bound... a lot this winter! Thank goodness for my husband, even with Daddy out of the country with Mom for a family emergency (and yes, this means our March camp trip has been scrapped).

Steven and I have been dedicating our sunny Sundays off together to spring cleaning, reorganizing, and yard work! It was much needed, but we were neglecting the wilderness! So this Microbear took her pack o' crazies out to Paris Mountain State Park for a brand new hike!

The Brissy Ridge Trail is accessible from the topmost parking area on the mountain. It's a yellow blazed trail that starts at the Trailhead that marks the Sulphur Springs Loop's higher leg. The trail can be quite narrow as it follows the ridge around. There were a fair amount of downed trees along that first stretch, and the thin vegetation this early in the season made for some crazy views of the Piedmont!

We did the whole 2.6 mile loop, following the ride first around, then down into the rhododendrons and mountain laurel! The grade going down was fair, and the hike along the creek was meandering and gorgeous! Even without the colors of the summer, the woods and the weather were absolutely beautiful!

When it came time to climb back up, there were some convenient stairs planked into the ground; but watch out, as the narrow climb makes hiking with dogs a little interesting, especially when there are a lot of families out on the trail, like this particular perfect Sunday! Also keep in mind that half of the yellow blazed trail is foot traffic only! Mountain biking is welcome on certain trails only at Paris Mountain, and never on Saturday due to heightened traffic!

As always, take plenty of water. We took a bottle each, and it was all gone after our walk in the sun! We also took a couple snack bars, but only split the one due to our having a wholesome breakfast. Don't forget about your pooches' hydration, either! We have a collapsible bowl that easily wedges into my pack!

Brissy Ridge Trail at Paris Mountain
Brissy Ridge Trail (yellow blazes)

For more information on Paris Mountain State Park, check out my post on the Sulphur Springs Loop, and also SC Trails Network!

Formerly, Friday: Lake Conestee

This week's Formerly Friday post is certainly a former moment; early in 2010 my husband and I bought our first house prior to the wedding. We were beaming with excitement, but also overwhelmed. Combining two personalities worth of household items is never easy, and we had started to feel too caught up in the logistics of the move. A family day with Bruno and Dixie was desperately needed! How about a walk at the park?

Lake Conestee Nature Park is a secluded wetlands habitat along three miles of the Reedy River in the Donaldson area of Greenville. It's a simple set up; an exceptionally easy trail winds its way along, easily accessible from Mauldin Road or Henderson Avenue. The trail is a wooded boardwalk in some spots. This leisurely walk won't have you worried about tripping or having to bushwhack!

Like I said, the boardwalk makes for a very comfortable, easy going day. In April, the green was still attempting to burst through. It's such versatile wilderness, and it's mesmerizing how close to the downtown area you are!

The dogs enjoyed the exercise, and we enjoyed the ease of the day! Conestee is a simple morning out, one I recommend to all Greenville area folk.

Apologies for this wilderness walkabout not being very... wilderness! As the Holidays approach, I was just reminded of a special day with my husband and dogs. We're very lucky to have each other! I hope everyone's Thanksgiving is special, if you celebrate it; and if not, I hope that the month of November wraps up smoothly for you!

Sulphur Springs Trail at Paris Mountain State Park

When Bruno, the eldest, stared longingly into my eyes Friday night, I naturally thought about how I'd miss him and his sister Dixie while I was at work on Saturday. Then I realized that if I felt bad now, I'd feel really bad leaving them for a day trip with my husband Sunday... so we changed our plans to include them; thus this post!

Steven and I couldn't rightly take our two dogs all the way to Chimney Rock State Park, as Dixie gets car sick. Nothing like a torturous hour and a half in a car to ruin a puppy's day! We settled on Paris Mountain, which we had attempted with our dogs about a year previous, with little success due to the summer temperatures. We ended up just doing the trail that runs around Lake Placid. It's maybe half a mile of easy, family friendly trail down at the public entrance of Paris Mountain State Park. Yesterday I decided on either the Brissy Ridge Trail or Sulphur Springs Trail for our family hike!

Paris Mountain State Park is very well marked in the Greenville area, both by street signs and it's entrance sign off of State Park Road. Paris Mountain is a rare monadnock, and the area surrounding it mere foothills compared to the actual mountains in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, or Nantahala Forest. It's conveniently located to the Parker district of Greenville, and probably a twenty minute drive from any part of Greenville.

We entered the park, where you will be expected to pay $2.00 a person for the day; campers obviously pay a separate fee. We got our parking pass when we paid at the gate, Bruno and Dixie growling through the window at the poor gate attendant. For access to the white blazed Sulphur Springs Trail lower down the mountain, follow the paved road past the Lake Placid parking area, and continue up the road, past the final area for RV parking. The parking we used has a really nice picnic shelter available, and is labelled as Sulphur Springs parking. You can also continue up further for an easier walk along the yellow blazed Brissy Ridge Trail, as well as access the less challenging ridge line segment of Sulphur Springs trail, to connect to the blue blazed Firetower Spur, all by parking at the Buckhorn Gate.

We did park further down the mountain, at the parking area marked in the above map as the fourth available from the main entrance gate. We got our packs adjusted, double checked the dogs' leashes, and were on our way!

Paris Mountain State Park, as well as most other public parks, require that you keep your dog on a leash and under control. I feel it's my responsibility as a pet owner to make that perfectly clear, both for your own safety, that of your pet(s), and others.

The roughly three and a half mile Sulphur Springs Loop Trail starts out pretty easily from this parking area. We ambled along and let the dogs sniff to their hearts (or noses) content until we approached the neat tower adjacent to the dam of the Mountain Lake reservoir!

We stopped and took some pictures, then headed up the stone stairs to the right of the tower... and from there the climbing began!

Something about having to keep up with a healthy two year old dog's pace just made the elevation of this trail so much more intense than I was prepared for! The dog's were just so excited; they didn't always understand that their four legs could propel them up the rocks and roots of the trail a lot faster than our bodies! Having said that though, we thankfully got into a rhythm, and I may or may not have allowed Bruno's strength to help me up a little!

That first mile past the Mountain Lake reservoir and dam, and along the pretty creek is really the toughest of it; once Sulphur Springs begins to run as the bike trail, things are significantly more level, and you follow the ridge along some beautiful scenery.

We followed Sulphur Springs to the Firetower Trail spur, and went ahead to add the extra .4 miles of hiking to our day! It takes you to the highest point of elevation in the park, as is appropriate for the location of an old firetower!

Once at the firetower, you do have to turn around and double back. We continued on our day along Sulphur Springs, and met with a lot more foot and bike traffic than I had expected along the ridge! It was a beautiful Carolina fall afternoon, and it's great to see people out with their families enjoying nature! Thank goodness this chunk of the trail along the ridge is so much less strenuous, with all that traffic! We got to relax and enjoy the amazing foliage!

You'll soon approach the Buckhorn Gate parking, where you can access the Brissy Ridge Trail as well. Had our tummies not been rumbling for lunch (sometimes, blueberries just aren't enough), we may have ventured out that way, too! Alas, we will just have to take Bruno and Dixie out for further adventures!

Sulphur Springs Trail from this point on is descending back down the mountain. This part was a bit tricky with our two eager dogs, as apparently two miles of moderate to strenuous hiking is not enough to curtail their energies! With a little patience and some friendly reminders, we did manage to keep Bruno and Dixie from taking us for a tumble down the somewhat steep trail! Good footing and safe pacing is always important.

Trail Recap for Sulphur Springs Loop Trail:
Sulphur Springs Trail (white blazes)
Firetower Trail (blue blazes)
Sulphur Springs Trail (white blazes)

All in all, Sulphur Springs is a great half day hike at Paris Mountain! It demanded just the right amount of energy from me; it had it's steep, strenuous moments, and it is certainly a trail that deserves your attention; even without the loss of traction due to all the fallen leaves, there are tree roots and rocks aplenty along the trail. We rounded our days' hiking to be at a little more than four miles, including the Firetower Trail spur. Always take water, and always enjoy yourself as you venture out! Thanks for reading, and please leave some feedback in the comments!

Stay tuned for the healthy habits post, as well as the latest Formerly, Friday! If anyone has ideas for great winter weather hikes in the area, do share!

Formerly, Friday: Falls Creek Falls

It's sad that it's taken me nearly two weeks to make this post. Between a week with the flu and the inevitable onslaught of pre-Holiday madness, my life in retail has stepped it up a notch! What crushes me, though, is not the duration of time between my last posts, but the duration of time between my last hikes. It's going to be a struggle, as well, for me to find the time to go camping with my Dad. This breaks my heart, because my adventures with Dad were to be the anecdotes that fed this blog. Rest assured that ideas, past trips, and day hikes will keep  flowing; and hopefully, I can build up some comments and feedback to keep the cogs turning! That being said, don't be shy!

My best friend and Dad went with me on this trail a couple of Sundays ago. The weather was great; a little cool in the morning, with only a couple of clouds to bar the sun from shining through the leaves that were beginning to turn along the trail. We started at about 10:00 am. Falls Creek Falls Trail is a really rewarding, challenge of a trail! The Jones Gap State Park trailhead is accessible at the Palmetto Bible Camp. It was a bit interesting following the signs for the Bible Camp to get there, as you're headed in an odd direction away from the main access of the State Park.

That being said, once you find the trailhead by following the road that leads directly through the Bible Camp area, you are met with considerable warning about the strenuous nature of this trail. It's an area notorious for rain washouts, and the trail sometimes involves a fair amount of scrambling and hand holds. Bring a ton of water, as always, and wear good shoes with ankle support. This was a trail that made me wish I had all ready picked up walking sticks!

We didn't see any one out on this trail until the very end; it's a quiet, relaxing day, but the isolation of this trail makes it that much more important to have a first aid kit and to be prepared for an emergency. It can be very lonely up there.

You dive straight in to the elevation gain; this purple blazed trail is not a joke! Any one familiar with the Dismal Trail in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area will forgive my newfound habit of grumbling about purple blazes! My calves were burning, and we were barely a third of the way into this! It's fun, though; there's tons of huge boulders along the trail, and great large rocks hanging overhead.

The further up the trail you get, the more you see the evidence of washouts. I will use the word "scramble" lightly. We two girls were, at times, on all fours trying to get around some of the switchbacks, while my Dad flew up ahead of us and delighted in turning around to giggle at our clumsy attempts! What can I say... we are truly novices! The trail follows up the ridge amongst thick plant life, and the closer you get to the waterfall, the steeper and more thick the trail gets. It is very rocky on the approach to the falls, and dangerous because the spray from the falls keeps everything slick and damp. The view, yet again, though, is spectacular.

We snacked and enjoyed the view, because, what else should you do? It was fantastic. The colors of the trees around the falls framed it perfectly; a beautiful autumn day. We climbed out for better views, thankful for shoes with good traction.

Again, be careful of the slippery rocks. We went further up from the right side of the falls along a really rough trail; this part could be dangerous, as it is so washed out and overgrown. The upper falls are equally beautiful, and provide a pretty amazing look out of the area!

We were probably up at the falls for about an hour, taking time with both parts of the falls and snacking on peanuts (thanks for the provisions, Dad).

If you felt it was a bit intense climbing up, it's probably worse headed back down. Scrambling is the word I use lightly! Go slow, and take your time on the climb down. It's really easy to slip or loose your footing. We were back to the trailhead by about noon; it's a quick hike, but well worth the effort. This trail isn't for the faint of heart, nor the faint of lungs! We got lucky with our timing; the fresh fall foliage hadn't faded brown and made the trees look sparse. We had a great morning, and I hope any body who has the time can make a day out of enjoying the beautiful Fallls Creek Falls!

Thanks to Elizabeth and Dad for joining me on this particular trail!

Formerly, Friday: Raven Cliff Falls, SC

My favorite hike so far was with my dad; the Raven Cliff Falls loop at Caesar's Head State Park in South Carolina. It's a nearly nine mile loop that serves as an incredible sampling of the versatility to be found in the scenery at Caesar's Head!

Dad and I parked near the trailhead where you can access the Coldspring Branch Trail and Tom Miller Trail for access to the Jones Gap Trail! The sign is a bit odd, though; the sign on the side of the parking lot that you take for the Raven Cliff Falls trail to the overlook says Foothills Trail.

The Natureland Trust Trail continues west as the Foothills Trail; as always, keep your eyes open for your blazes!

 

Head out on the red blazed Raven Cliff Falls Trail (#11) for a pretty moderate hike that has some stellar views of the Blue Ridge! If you choose to continue along the red blazes to the overlook for Raven Cliff Falls about a mile further. If you're interested in the loop we did, take the Gum Gap Trail (blue blazes, #13)! This is where the trail gets fun! There's a moderate stretch for the first chunk of the Gum Gap Trail, but the closer you get to the water, the more you have to scramble downwards towards the creek that feeds Raven Cliff Falls. There was some moderate bushwhacking; nothing serious, just some intensely overgrown rhododendrons! We followed along the Matthews Creek and passed some pretty cascades!

Gum Gap Trail meets the Natureland Trust Trail (pink blazes, #14) and the Foothills trail at the suspension bridge that goes over the top of Raven Cliff Falls. Dad and I took the pink blazes for our loop... and this is where you really have to scramble down the mountain, but not after some spectacular views! 

As I said, after the suspension bridge, be prepared to use all fours to wedge your way down the rocky trail that goes down into the cliffs. This part of the trail seriously slowed us down, and really tested my leg strength. As always, bring plenty of water. At this point, Dad and I were throwing back handfuls of trail mix to help us keep at our best!

The Natureland Trust Trail is a beautiful trail... there are so many huge boulders, and once you get down into the cliffs, your mind should be thoroughly blown!

Honestly, this was one of my favorite moments from this loop. I just was not expecting such an impressive sight! I'd love one day to hike the entire Natureland Trust Trail, and spend more time down in woods like this spot! Unfortunately for us, though, our last mile on the Natureland Trust Trail was only the beginning of our work! Before we moved on to the next segment of our hike, we had the pleasure of climbing across a pretty stream by two tow lines tied to trees about four feet above the surface of the water... FUN!

 
It was a ton of fun once I got over my slight fear... note the death grip! The key was to slide your feet, not step with them, and alternate moving your feet, then your hands [thanks for sharing this piece of information with me before I attempted it and landed in the stream, Dad(and yes, he's typically capable of such tomfoolery)]. I don't necessarily think this tactic of getting across the water is necessary; the water isn't that deep and certainly wasn't moving very quickly while we were at this spot. I suppose it's mostly a convenience factor, as not every one plans on wearing water sport socks. Next up was the Dismal Trail!

The Dismal Trail (purple blazes, #12) is quite dismal indeed! All of that elevation that we'd lost headed down to the suspension bridge, and then even further down into the cliffs (over 1000 feet) we had to make up: in half a mile.Wow. Yap. Dismal.

While Dad and I struggled up this part of our loop, Dad noticed some rocks to our left that looked out over the park; and behold! Dad found an awesome overlook to the Falls minus the crowd at the official overlook!

We had some water, one by one snuck behind some bushes to take care of business, ate some more trail mix, and headed back to the Raven Cliff Trail to hike the nearly two miles back to the parking lot; after such a convenient yet private overlook, who needs to go to the public spot?!

I've said it before, but I'll say it again. This trail was my favorite, and mostly just because it was with Dad! We had so much to talk about! For Dad, hiking is a familial association, as his father taught him to respect the outdoors. There is a lot of peace for Dad in being on a hike or camping, and I'm grateful to have been welcomed into the fold!

Aside from me walking straight into the mud on the trail while Dad walks around into the bushes to avoid the mud, he also had to point out that the "bear tracks" were in fact dog tracks. Yap. We talked about how much water you took out on the trail with you sometimes depended on the temperature; this came up as a way to lecture me about how it wasn't always a grand idea for me to fill my water bottles on the rocks of waterfalls, like I have been known to do on hikes with my husband. Thus my new camel bag for my pack, and Dad's ownership of a water filter! We've also discussed picking up walking sticks for me; I have a weak ankle from an incident I had when I was a kid, and that ankle still turns dangerously on a dime when I'm climbing.

All in all, this fabulous day spent with Dad back in August is truly what got my brain so fixated on camping, backpacking, and hiking with my Dad. I'm glad he's so excited to take me along, as I know I have so much to learn!

Trail Recap to get the most out of the fantastic Raven Cliff Falls area:
Raven Cliff Falls Trail (red blazes, #11)
Gum Gap Trail (blue blazes, #13)
Natureland Trust Trail (pink blazes, #14)
Dismal Trail (purple blazes, #12)
Raven Cliff Falls Trail (red blazes, #11)

Well, Sunday's hike to Falls Creek Falls is still a go, but that may be our last one for a few weeks. Work schedules are not cooperating. On the flip side, though, my husband and I will have a chance to take a little day trip to some waterfall hubs that involve far less intensive hiking! I'll try to post again soon; either a recap of Falls Creek Falls, or a post I've been pondering for a few days about healthy eating habits while on and off the trail. This could be interesting, as while I don't claim to be a nutrition whiz at all, I seem to be in the best shape of my life, without really trying... could be an interesting conversation!

Rainbow Falls

My husband and I had planned on going to Falls Creek Falls yesterday, but I messed up the directions and told him to just go ahead and park in the Jones Gap State Park lot. What's the difference, right? The hike to Rainbow Falls was said to be roughly the same distance and difficulty, based on my reading and surfing the web.

When you park, you can head out on the trail that leaves on the car exit end of the parking lot and do a simple loop around a pond of the Jones Gap salmon hatchery. Or, head more directly into the park by heading out on the end of the parking lot that you entered into, which is a road that leads to RV and handicap parking closer to the visitor center.

It was about 10:30 in the morning when we started out at the trailhead, and we headed out on the Jones Gap Trail (#1, blue blazes) for about .7 miles. This part of the trail is really easy, and follows a beautiful segment of the Middle Saluda River.

This trail meets with the Rainbow Falls trail (#4, red blazes) and the work begins! There are a couple of bridges passing over creeks that feed the Saluda from further up the mountain; after the final bridge, you go through an awesome stair cut out from a massive boulder, and start the gain in elevation.

 

There are a lot of stairs built into the trail (dare I say, a few too many) and a lot twists up the mountain. You gain 1000 ft in 1.6 miles. It can be pretty hard work, so absolutely make sure you bring plenty of water and some food. Steven and I had PB&Js in my pack for our arrival at the falls with granola bars! There is a lot of water, as the trail does follow a stream on some of your cycles around the mountain, so please beware of snakes; a guy we passed warned us of one, but we didn't come across any ourselves.We did see a pretty cute lizard; or rather, Steven spotted it and spent about ten minutes trying to point it out to my blind ol' eyeballs! I started thinking he was making it up around the same time it poked its little head out and I finally caught a glimpse!

We got to a part of the trail that leads you along a steep ridge with amazing views out into the Blue Ridge!

This segment was pretty thick with shrubbery and fall flowers, so the trail felt pretty slim. Be careful, as there are lots of rocks in the ground, and the trail hugs the slope tightly. Again, the trail winds its way back into the mountain, and the boulder and cliffs begin to dominate the side of the mountain!

The rest of the trail leads into the granite walls of Rainbow Falls! There is plenty of shade, and the cool breeze we had on that day made us feel worlds better after the strenuous hike. Let me stress something, now: I hadn't intended on hiking this trail. Indeed, it wasn't really a priority. None of the pictures I had seen in books and online had really endeared me to it.

I was totally wrong.

Pictures just do not do it justice. The 80-100 foot drop of water from Cox Camp Creek may look like a trickle in photos, but it's a fierce fall that crashes onto rocks and cascades further into the rocky gorge for about a thousand feet, over tiny shoals, through and under rocks, and finally down the mountain. The entire acre or so is just beautiful. We ate our lunch and I took as many photos as I could. Again, please do not underestimate the beauty and value of this falls, and hike!

The colors of the foliage made this hike really special for us. I'd imagine all of the azaleas and plant life would be amazing in the spring, too! The walk back down the trail after we spent about an hour at Rainbow Falls took about another hour... as opposed to the hour and a half it took us to get up there! This trail and the falls are incredible, though. The fun of climbing through boulders, over planks for bridges, as well as the beauty of the views of both the falls and the Blue Ridge can't be beat.

My husband did comment that all of the stairs started to take a toll on his knees, especially on the hike back down; keep things like that in mind if you have weak ankles, knees, etc. I suppose there are so many stairs to aid your climb, so that you don't feel like you're going to have to scramble up. I don't know that I have an opinion either way, but obviously my husband does!

Overall, the trail is very clear up the mountain, and blazes are pretty frequent. I stress the importance of taking plenty of water and some grub, as this trail took us about two and a half hours round trip. The hike rounds out to roughly 2.4 miles. It's a beautiful time to have at Jones Gap, and I highly recommend it!

Trail Recap to the glorious Rainbow Falls area:
Jones Gap Trail (blue blazes, #1)
Rainbow Falls Trail (red blazes, #4)
return back along Jones Gap Trail (blue blazes, #1)

Sometime in the next week I will try to post some information on two SC hiking books I've been using. Also, I haven't forgotten to add a picture of my new pack; I was just so excited to post about a fresh hike! If anyone has suggestions or comments, please feel free to use them! If you've hiked in the area, share your story! Trail anecdotes can be pretty great!