The long Labor Day weekend may be just the time to get outdoors to enjoy the solitude on nature's pathways and possibly gain satisfaction from conquering a challenge.
Here are six hiking trails in the region, from easy to extremely strenuous, to check out before summer winds down. The list is based on suggestions from avid hiker Matthew Kelly, the general manager of The Local Hiker in downtown Spartanburg.
Cottonwood Trail
The Cottonwood Trail in Spartanburg is part of the Edwin M. Griffin Nature Preserve and is described as a "116-acre urban preserve and trail system" by SPACE (Spartanburg Area Conservancy).
Visitors to the Cottonwood Trail can hike, walk, or run the four miles of trails or kayak and canoe on the 1.5-mile stretch of Lawson's Fork Creek. The preserve is home to deer, wild turkeys, foxes, beavers, raccoons, birds, and reptiles.
Kelly describes the Cottonwood Trail in Spartanburg as a “multi-purpose trail system.”
“There are trails that are meant to be backpacking trails, and then there are trails that are meant for families, all ages,” he said.
Kelly said the Cottonwood Trail suits hikers of all ages and levels. “It’s for people that are looking to get outside, whether you're just trying to enjoy bird watching, or even if you just have 30 minutes between, you know, a meeting, or if you're just trying to get a run in,” he said. "There are so many different ways to enjoy it.”
The Cottonwood Trail is near McCracken Middle School along Lawson’s Fork Creek. It can be accessed off of Beechwood Drive, Woodburn Road,or below the tennis courts at McCracken Middle School.
Difficulty: Easy
Go to www.spartanburgconservation.org/cottonwood-trail for more information.
Peter's Creek
Peters Creek Heritage Preserve covers 160 acres in Spartanburg County.
According to SCTrails.net, you will see a Piedmont Cove forest, rolling topography, Martin Mill's Dam which is over 100 years old, two creeks, and walking trails. Be on the lookout for the rare dwarf-flowered heartleaf plant. Possible wildlife encounters include deer, wild turkeys, snakes, songbirds, and a red fox. Following a heavy rainstorm, Peter's Creek may be difficult to cross and could take two to three hours. SCTrails recommends bringing insect repellant.
Kelly likes Peter's Creek, which is a hidden spot in Spartanburg.
"I have lived in Spartanburg for a long time, and I didn't know it existed for just about as long as I've lived," he said. "And so, it's nice that there are places that you can still find that are just kind of hidden in a way.”
Length: 3.60 miles
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Hours:Dawn to dusk
Directions: In Spartanburg, drive south on Gossett Road to Cannon’s Campground Road. Turn right, then left onto Kelly Road, and right onto a dirt road shortly after the entrances to Ray Circle. The parking area is on the right at the power lines.
Go to www.sctrails.net/trails/trail/peters-creek-heritage-preserve for more information.
Blue Wall Passage
The Blue Wall Passage, managed by The Nature Conservancy, is home to more than 100 species of birds and has a 30-foot cascading waterfall, according to SCTrails.net. Views will include mountains, clear ponds, and horse farms. At miles 12 to 14, the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment "climbs steeply and abruptly" to Vaughns Gap (trailhead forPoinsett Reservoir Passage), according to the website.
Kelly said Blue Wall in Landrum is a connecting trail for the Palmetto Trail.
“The Palmetto Trail, when it's finished, is going to be a continuous footpath, trail system that goes from the tip of South Carolina all the way down to the coast,” he said.
"It's an easier place to access if you're trying to get closer to the mountains, but you don't want to take the full two hours to go up to Linville or Pisgah,” Kelly said. “There's two lakes that you can walk around. And a connector piece that takes you from the Blue Wall Passage and connects you over to the next section of the Palmetto Trail."
Kelly said there is not much cell service on this trail. "You'll get a view of Hogback Mountain and the surrounding areas. This is the gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains."
Length: 14 miles
Surface: Natural paved
Difficulty: Strenuous. The first six miles are easy; miles 6-12 are moderate, and 12-14 are strenuous.
Go to https://palmettoconservation.org/passage/blue-wall-passage for three different ways to access this trail.
Caesar's Head
Caesar's Head State Park has 60 miles of trails. Here are a few choices from moderate to very strenuous hikes.
Raven Cliff Falls Overlook
Moderate, 4.4 miles. It is the most popular hike at Caesar's Head. It is where you can see the tallest waterfall in South Carolina from a distance.
Suspension Bridge
Moderately strenuous, 6.6 miles. The bridge runs across the top of Raven Cliff Falls.
Coldspring/Bill Kimball Loop
The 5.5-mile trail is very strenuous and has "steep terrain." Visitors will need good hiking shoes.
Dismal Loop
It is very strenuous, 8.3 miles. According to the Caesar's Head website, it is one of the most challenging trail routes at the park. It has a 12,000-foot elevation drop going down. This trail is only recommended for physically fit hikers.
"You'll want to lace up your boots," Kelly said. "It's a tougher trail to do. So you'll want to have some mindset before you go into it, knowing that it's going to be a rewardingly tough day. So definitely pack some extra water, bring a snack or two. It's not going to be the hardest thing you'll ever do in life, but it's going to be a good challenge to set the bar with where you're at."
Directions: Go to https://southcarolinaparks.com/caesars-head/trails#jump for directions to the park.
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Jones Gap State Park
According to its website, Jones Gap State Park has easy to strenuous hiking trails. Hikers must register with the park, which is mandatory.
Trails with one-way mileage include: Coldspring Branch (2.6 miles); Jones Gap NRT #1 (Jones Gap Falls) (5.3 miles); Hospital Rock #30 (1.5 miles); Rainbow Falls Trail (2.2 miles); John Sloan #21 (0.9 mile); Pinnacle Pass #20 (10 miles); Rim of the Gap #6 (4.3 miles).
Kelly said Jones Gap is a strenuous trail for a full day or a backpacking weekend. "Jones Gap is a beautiful area, and they do a lot to ensure the trails are cleaned up," he said. "There's going to be a lot of roots and rocks. There are plenty of vistas and plenty of places that are good to sit down and take a look.
"There will be sections with ups and downs and areas where you must be confident in your footing. You want to have an assured step."
Go to https://southcarolinaparks.com/jones-gap for more information.
Linville Gorge
Linville Gorge is called the "Grand Canyon of the East" and is part of the Pisgah National Forest.
Kelly calls this trail the "toughest in our region."
"A nine-mile primitive trail begins on Kistler Memorial Highway and continues into the Gorge, followingthe Linville River" is how it's described on the Linville Gorge website.
"You hike to the bottom — different ways to challenge yourself," Kelly said.
"It is one of the truest wildernesses in the Southeast," he said. "They don't allow machinery to do any trail building or maintenance. Any work that gets done out there is all done with hand tools. And so it's designed to be a much more wilderness experience. It's a great place for climbers."
According to the website, trails within the Wilderness are primitive and involve very strenuous hiking.
Go to https://www.fs.usda.gov/ and search for Linville Gorge for more details.
