Hiking Trails in South Carolina

Below is a table of trails located in the upstate and mid region of South Carolina. This is not an exclusive list of trails, but rather a list of trails that look interesting to us. Because the low country and costal region of South Carolina is not best known for it's hiking attractions, we have chosen to leave those trails for another time. I guess when we have experienced all of the trails in North Carolina and the Piedmont area of South Carolina, then we will consider the few trails in the low country.

In the table below, you will find the general location, length and difficulty rating for the trails that we have listed. As we hike these trails, we will provide a journal, description and photos of the hike. 

If you would like to read about the Foothills Trail, we have written a page dedicated to this trail, and our hikes on it. You can read that page by clicking here.

Click the links below to go to the bookmark on this page.

All lengths for Linear trails are one way; Out and Back, both ways and Loop, the complete trail.

Short Hikes - 1/2 Day
Trail Name Date 1st Hiked General Location Length Difficulty Type
Twin Falls 8/17/2003 North of Pickens .25 Very Easy Out and Back
Frank Coggins Trail 1999 Caeser's Head 1.3 Miles Easy Out and Back
East Fork Trail 5/11/2003   4 Miles  Easy Linear
Winding Stairs     3.5 Miles Easy Linear
Oconee Station State Historic Site 4/19/2003 East of Walhalla 3 Miles Easy Out and Back
Moonshine Falls Trail 3/23/2003 Caesars Head 3.8 Miles Easy Out and Back
Sulphur Springs Trail 3/30/2003 Paris Mountain 4 Miles Easy Loop
Brissy Ridge Trail 7/31/2004 Paris Mountain 2.3 Miles Easy Loop
Oconee State Park - Oconee, Old Waterwheel Trails 9/29/2002 Northeast of Walhalla 4.5 Miles Moderate Loop
Lee Falls 9/28/2003 East of Walhalla 3 Miles Moderate Out and Back
Lower Whitewater Falls and Coon Branch Natural Area 2/1/2003 Northeast of Walhalla 5.6 Miles Moderate Out and Back
Table Rock State Park - Carrick Creek Nature Trail     2 Miles Moderate Loop
Raven Cliff Falls 2000 Caeser's Head 4.4 Miles Moderate Out and Back
Parson's Mountain 8/11/2002 Abbeville 4 Miles Moderate Loop
Eastatoe Creek Trail 8/24/2002 North of Pickens 3.5 Miles Strenuous Out and Back
Rainbow Falls     1.8 Miles Strenuous Out and Back

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Day hikes
Trail Name Date 1st Hiked General Location Length Difficulty Type
Buncombe Trail - Inner Loop     8 Miles  Easy Loop
Chatooga Trail     15 Miles Moderate Linear
Fork Mountain Trail     12 Miles Moderate Linear
Big Bend Trail     6.8 Miles Moderate Linear
Blue Ridge Railroad Historical Trail 4/5/2003 North of Walhalla 6.5 Miles Moderate Linear
Jones Gap, Tom Miller Trail 7/20/2002 Caeser's Head 5.3 Moderate Linear
Long Cane Trail - Short Loop     11 Miles Moderate Loop
Keowee-Toxaway State Park - Raven Rock Trail 10/5/02 West of Pickens, on Rt. 11 4.2 Miles Moderate Loop
Turkey Creek Trail     12.5 Miles Moderate Linear
Lick Fork Lake, Horn Creek Trail     6.6 Miles Moderate Loop
Table Rock State Park - Table Rock Trail 6/29/03 Northwest of Greenville, off of Rt 11 7 Miles Strenuous Out and Back
Bill Kimball-Coldspring Branch     4.6 Miles Strenuous Loop
Natureland Trust Trail     9.5 Miles Strenuous Linear
Rim of the Gap Trail     5.2 Miles Strenuous Linear
Pinnacle Pass Trail     13 Miles Strenuous Linear
Falls Creek Trail-Hospital Rock     6.1 Miles Strenuous Linear

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Backpack Hikes
Trail Name Date 1st Hiked General Location Length Difficulty Type
King's Mt State Park - King's Mt Trail 7/4/2003 North of Gaffney on the NC/SC border 16 Miles Moderate Loop
Fork Mt., Chatooga Trail, Foothills Trail     19.4 Moderate Loop
Fork Mountain and Chatooga Trails     25 Miles Moderate Linear
Foothills Trail, Gum Gap Segment and Jones Gap Trail 3/8/2003  Caesars head  17 Miles Moderate Linear
Long Cain Trail     22 Miles Moderate Loop
Buncombe Trail     27.5 Miles Moderate Loop
Foothills Trail, Gum Gap Segment, Naturaland Trust Trail, Pinnacle Pass, Falls Creek-Hospital Rock Trails     40 Miles Strenuous Linear
Rim of the Gap and Pinnacle Pass Trails     18 Miles Strenuous Linear
Rim of the Gap and Falls Creek-Hospital Rock Trails     11.3 Miles Strenuous Linear
Foothills Trail, Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park 3/8/2003 Caesars head 76 Miles Strenuous Linear
Foothills Trail, Jones Gap State Park to Oconee State Park 3/8/2003 Caesars head 85 Miles Strenuous Linear
Caesars Head SP to Table Rock SP 3/5/2004 Caesars head 24 Miles Strenuous Linear

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