The South Carolina County That's Home To More Than 50 Hiking Trails
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Robin Jarvis
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South Carolina is a wide open adventure for outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking in the Palmetto State yields ample rewards for any extra efforts exerted to reach destinations deep in the woods. If you’re planning a staycation that involves hiking, there’s no other county in South Carolina with more trails than Oconee County – where you’ll have public access to more than 50 hiking trails that lead to amazing destinations. Nine favorites are listed below.
It's a short and sweet hike to the bottom of the upper falls. The trail may be short, but it's a steep hike and has a scenic ending, if you stick with it. Stay on the trail a little longer to see the rest of the series in the Brasstown waterfalls. Get directions here.
This easy trek follows an old road bed for at least part of the distance traveled. The trail features a river and some woodsy bridges, making the adventure all the more scenic. Find the trailhead(s) at this link.
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Hike in to see the famous Ellicott Rock, the first spot to mark the boundary between North Carolina and Georgia. The trail follows along the picturesque Chattooga River offering many points along the way to get your feet wet, or take a quick dip in the water. Learn more about where to find the trailhead at this link.
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You'll want to make sure you have a good sense of the trail for this hike. The trail is not clearly marked at all, but if you download an app and have a fully charged phone it's a worthy adventure for the trouble. The payoff at the end of the trail is a 75-foot waterfall hidden deep in the forest. We suggest downloading the alltrails.com app for navigation and to get directions to the start of the trail.
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Hike a section of South Carolina's mountains to sea rail trail that, when completed, will encompass 500 miles. Fortunately, this section is only 3.2 miles. You'll find the trailhead at Oconee State Park at 624 State Park Rd., Mountain Rest, SC 29664.
Located in Oconee State Park, the trail to Tamassee Knob takes you high above the terrain for long range views of the surrounding mountains, yet the elevation gain is a mere 750 feet. You'll find the trailhead at Oconee State Park at 624 State Park Rd., Mountain Rest, SC 29664.
A trail that winds through the mountainside by Lake Jocassee, the Bear Cove Trail is rated easy, but it's still challenging because it goes up and down hills. The upside is that not only do you get a better workout, you also get some beautiful views of the lake! The trailhead is found in the parking area at Devil's Fork State Park at 161 Holcombe Cir., Salem, SC 29676.
Explore the full four bountiful miles of trails in this park that just may be the best kept secret in Oconee County. The parking area is next to a wide waterfall and the park features a great bridge along the trail, as well as other waterfalls to discover. Chau-Ram County Park is located at 1220 Chau Ram Park Rd., Westminster, SC 29693.
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It's a pleasant walk deep into the woods to see this beautiful beast of a waterfall. However, the last part is steep climb down (and then back up). The waterfall is 25 feet high and at least as wide. The trailhead is located on Turkey Ridge Road in Long Creek, SC.
You’d better get started… you have many miles to cover on this list! For more hiking adventures in South Carolina, check out these seven iconic hikes of a lifetime that are found right here at home in the Palmetto State.
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