One of the best trails in South Carolina clocks in at 77 miles and takes hikers on an unbelievable adventure through the mountains and the foothills of the Palmetto State. The trail, called the Foothills Trail, drops down into South Carolina’s very own Grand Canyon, known as the Jocassee Gorges. It has shorter segments with easily accessible entry and exit points allowing the trip to be broken down into shorter, smaller treks.
One of those shorter segments, the A4 - A8 hike, measures a little more than 30 miles.
alltrails/David Spaulding It ventures deep into the Jocassee Gorges Management Area giving hikers a fantastically immersive experience that includes waterfalls, suspension bridges, fairy tale foot bridges and more.
The hike starts off at Laurel Fork Creek and ventures high up and over some large mountains in both South and North Carolina.
skiserge1 / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images The views from the tops are incredible. Hikers on this trail will conquer Flatrock Mountain, Grindstone Mountain (NC), and finally, Misery Mountain (NC), before reaching the end of this segment of the Foothills Trail.
At just over 30 miles, it’s a hike that, in its entirety, should be split into two or three days.
alltrails/Mike Lane Backpacks and all of the necessities are essential for those planning to make the entire journey. But you don’t have to set out on the A4 - A8 trail with the notion of conquering it all in one hike. If you only have one day, then hike for four hours and then turn around and head back to your car.
This is one trail that doles out amazing views and experiences throughout the journey, even if you don’t hike all of the 30 miles.
alltrails/Sean Rigg You’ll be in amazement of the thick forest canopy and all there is to do and see while on the trail.
And if you should decide to stop, there are spots perfect for hosting an overnight or just a picnic.
alltrails/Nathan Tate
alltrails/Don Ross Camping on the trail is commonplace and, although the trail isn’t heavily trafficked due to its overall length, it’s not uncommon to make new friends at the overnight camping drops.
Water features abound on the A4 - A8 hike.
alltrails/Fabrizzio Buzzo You’ll follow many mountain streams, cross them, and see waterfalls aplenty on this adventure. So be sure you have plenty of battery life on your phone so you can take photos!
The A4 - A8 segment of the Foothills Trail begins on the South Carolina side at Rocky Bottom and ends in North Carolina. The hike is 30.4 miles, point-to-point.
alltrails If you want to hike back to where you started, you’ll need to budget twice as much time and plan on hiking nearly 61 miles on this outing. Or, you can always take a second car to North Carolina and park it at the other end of the trail.
Fantastic views, water features, waterfalls, and suspension bridges are the earmarks of this awesome trail in South Carolina. The trail is clearly marked and includes linkups to many other trails that cross its path. Have you hiked it or parts of it before and explored South Carolina’s very own Grand Canyon? Let us know about your experience in the comments!
alltrails/David Spaulding
It ventures deep into the Jocassee Gorges Management Area giving hikers a fantastically immersive experience that includes waterfalls, suspension bridges, fairy tale foot bridges and more.
skiserge1 / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
The views from the tops are incredible. Hikers on this trail will conquer Flatrock Mountain, Grindstone Mountain (NC), and finally, Misery Mountain (NC), before reaching the end of this segment of the Foothills Trail.
alltrails/Mike Lane
Backpacks and all of the necessities are essential for those planning to make the entire journey. But you don’t have to set out on the A4 - A8 trail with the notion of conquering it all in one hike. If you only have one day, then hike for four hours and then turn around and head back to your car.
alltrails/Sean Rigg
You’ll be in amazement of the thick forest canopy and all there is to do and see while on the trail.
alltrails/Nathan Tate
alltrails/Don Ross
Camping on the trail is commonplace and, although the trail isn’t heavily trafficked due to its overall length, it’s not uncommon to make new friends at the overnight camping drops.
alltrails/Fabrizzio Buzzo
You’ll follow many mountain streams, cross them, and see waterfalls aplenty on this adventure. So be sure you have plenty of battery life on your phone so you can take photos!
alltrails
If you want to hike back to where you started, you’ll need to budget twice as much time and plan on hiking nearly 61 miles on this outing. Or, you can always take a second car to North Carolina and park it at the other end of the trail.
Learn more about the A4 – A8 segment of the Foothills Trail from our friends at AllTrails. The website and app ranks this trail as “moderate” in difficulty. The overall elevation changes on the A4 – A8 hike total 6,564 feet.
If this trail is a bit more than you have time for or can handle with your experience level, then keep reading: 7 Of The Greatest Mountain Hiking Trails In South Carolina For Beginners!
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Address: Rocky Bottom, SC 29685, USA
