The Hiking Thread

[JTA]

What are some good hikes that can be completed in a day in our area (Upstate SC, Western NC, Northern GA)? I'm getting cabin fever real bad and need to get out of the house. One of the best trails I've hiked is the Table Rock trail in Table Rock state park here in SC. If you haven't hiked it I highly recommend it. Best if done in winter when you can see more stuff.

[O Really]

Table Rock is good. And you can get on the Palmetto from there, too. Good day trails at Parris Mountain, but sometimes a little crowded. Some fun trails around Oconee State Park. DuPont is a myriad of good trails, for hiking and biking, too. They've renovated the trail at Pink Beds, and it's now a fun 5-miler.

[neoplacebo]

I never hike. You could be attacked by crazed animals of several species, waylaid by desperados, or even run out of beer. Stay away from this type of thing if you want to live.

[O Really]

I've hiked for years and never once run out of beer. You're just a fear monger.

[JTA]

Table Rock is good. And you can get on the Palmetto from there, too. Good day trails at Parris Mountain, but sometimes a little crowded. Some fun trails around Oconee State Park. DuPont is a myriad of good trails, for hiking and biking, too. They've renovated the trail at Pink Beds, and it's now a fun 5-miler.

I live pretty close to Paris mountain. I hiked the loop around the lake in the back of the park a few weekends ago and have camp out there sometimes. It's secluded enough that you're a good distance from other campers, if any, and a close enough drive/hike that it can be done on a Friday after work. Plus there's the lake that seems to be somewhat decently stocked with Bass to fish at. Definitely a good trail.

[neoplacebo]

I've hiked for years and never once run out of beer. You're just a fear monger.

Ah, you're just lucky, or perhaps intimidating. Be advised; most animals disregard intimidation, and don't give a damn about running out of beer. Hell, I myself have run out of beer without the additional trauma of hiking. It was pretty bad.

[JTA]

I've hiked for years and never once run out of beer. You're just a fear monger.

The trick is to get one of those coolers with wheels. When I went camping out at graveyard fields we did just that. It wasn't fun the next day having to sit in the back seat while being driven around the loopy mountain roads though . That's what will get you.

Edit: Forgot to add a hiking protip - don't draw your trail maps on napkins. Don't draw them, period. I don't own a printer so I often end up transcribing the trails on napkins or whatever pieces of paper I have lying around. This method has failed me every single time. Take the time to print out your maps. Last time we camped out at graveyard fields we ended up taking the ass-backward long way to the good camp sites, when we could have walked a fraction of the time if we had gone the other way. Plus we had to carry a heavy ass cooler. All because of the damn napkin maps man.

[O Really]

What -you guys don't use camel Bak?

[JTA]

What -you guys don't use camel Bak?

We wanted to live it up. It was an end of the summer "F_ _ _ it" celebration. Had some BBQ chicken, baked beans, heaps of beer, and Doritos.

[JTA]

Table Rock State Park
http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/table ... ction.aspx
Thanks, I'll try it.

N. GA:
High Shoals Scenic Area and Falls Trail
Raven Cliff Falls Trail, Raven Cliffs Wilderness Area
Lots, lots more around Helen, GA.
Tallulah Gorge State Park, http://gastateparks.org/info/tallulah/ - magical, do the long loop with the stream ford.

WNC:
Shining Rock Wilderness Area - Pisgah National Forest, http://www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisg ... ilderness/
Looking Glass Rock Hike, http://www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/david ... glass-rock
DuPont State Forest, http://dupontforest.com/
Shoot me a PM if you want company.

Will do!

Raven Cliff Falls Trail, Raven Cliffs Wilderness Area - This is a great trail area. I thought I saw a chicken out there at the bridge one day and was like "What in the hell is a chicken doing out here?". Still don't know what the hell I saw that day.
Lots, lots more around Helen, GA. - Been camping out there. I haven't hiked any trails though. I wanna check this place out again in the summer. I bet there's Samsquanches in those woods.

Thanks for the links!

[O Really]

I've hiked for years and never once run out of beer. You're just a fear monger.

The trick is to get one of those coolers with wheels. When I went camping out at graveyard fields we did just that. It wasn't fun the next day having to sit in the back seat while being driven around the loopy mountain roads though . That's what will get you.

Edit: Forgot to add a hiking protip - don't draw your trail maps on napkins. Don't draw them, period. I don't own a printer so I often end up transcribing the trails on napkins or whatever pieces of paper I have lying around. This method has failed me every single time. Take the time to print out your maps. Last time we camped out at graveyard fields we ended up taking the ass-backward long way to the good camp sites, when we could have walked a fraction of the time if we had gone the other way. Plus we had to carry a heavy ass cooler. All because of the damn napkin maps man.

"US Topo Maps" probably available for iPhone. Definitely great on Android. Trails, altimeter, compass,trails, distance calculator, creates cookie tracks for your hike, shows terrain change, great app. Doesn't calculate beer consumption though.

[JTA]

I've hiked for years and never once run out of beer. You're just a fear monger.

The trick is to get one of those coolers with wheels. When I went camping out at graveyard fields we did just that. It wasn't fun the next day having to sit in the back seat while being driven around the loopy mountain roads though . That's what will get you.

Edit: Forgot to add a hiking protip - don't draw your trail maps on napkins. Don't draw them, period. I don't own a printer so I often end up transcribing the trails on napkins or whatever pieces of paper I have lying around. This method has failed me every single time. Take the time to print out your maps. Last time we camped out at graveyard fields we ended up taking the ass-backward long way to the good camp sites, when we could have walked a fraction of the time if we had gone the other way. Plus we had to carry a heavy ass cooler. All because of the damn napkin maps man.

"US Topo Maps" probably available for iPhone. Definitely great on Android. Trails, altimeter, compass,trails, distance calculator, creates cookie tracks for your hike, shows terrain change, great app. Doesn't calculate beer consumption though.

This is my phone:



Except not that nice. The kids pick on me at school, but I like to think I'm old-school cool.

[Ombudsman]

For something close by, check out the Palmetto Trail around Saluda, the Foothills Trail (particularly between Hwy 178 and Whitewater Falls) and the Chattooga River trail. Also pretty much every trail at Jones Gap is great but especially the Rim of the Gap Trail. I helped build some of the ones at Jones Gap and Paris Mtn. I run and mtn bike at Paris Mtn, and that's what it's best for anymore otherwise you won't get much seclusion due to all the other mountain bikers and runners. Dupont has gotten over run since the Hunger Games but it's still pretty awesome, especially on a week day when there are fewer people. There's a 10k trail run there in a few weeks if you're into that, and a couple small lakes with good fishing. The fly fishing is a little tough there. I think it's been over fished.

If you want to drive a bit further, (two hours) Panthertown Valley near Sapphire, NC, the Shining Rock Wilderness, the Middle Prong Wilderness, and Mt. Mitchell all have excellent rugged trails and great camping spots as long as no signage and no blazes doesn't bother you. But the best trail in my opinion for a day hike is the Alum Cave trail at Mt. LeConte. It's more like a 3 hour drive from Greenville though. Also you can't go wrong hiking pretty much any section of the Mountains to Sea Trail. Also up around Hot Springs there's a nice loop you can do which is partially on the Appalachian Trail, and not too far from there, there's a really awesome hike to a ghost town called Runion on the Laurel River trail. It runs beside the river the whole time (much like the Chatooga River trail does).

[Ombudsman]

"US Topo Maps" probably available for iPhone.

I looked for that the last time you mentioned it and it's not available for iPhone. "All Trails" is a pretty good app for finding local trails.

[O Really]

Oh yeah, and don't forget Max Patch bald. A bit of a drive to get there, but well worth it. Spectacular itself, and also on the AT.

[O Really]

"US Topo Maps" probably available for iPhone.

I looked for that the last time you mentioned it and it's not available for iPhone. "All Trails" is a pretty good app for finding local trails.

Ah, another reason to prefer Android.

[Ombudsman]

Well there is one called just "Topo Maps" as well as several others, Gaia GPS, Offline Topo Maps, Terra Maps. None of the good ones are free.

[O Really]

There should be a beer app that works sorta like Pandora. You tell it the type of beer you generally like, and it offers suggestions of alternate local (wherever you are) brands. If I'm shopping for myself, I usually get something I know I like, and rarely experiment. But when my wife gets the beer, she picks up something we've never heard of, but is similar to what we like. Stouts, porters, dark ales, wheat, seasonals, yada. I've found a lot of really great beers that way. For those who don't have my wife, an app would be great.

[O Really]

This is the app I use... https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... erica.free

[JTA]

For something close by, check out the Palmetto Trail around Saluda, the Foothills Trail (particularly between Hwy 178 and Whitewater Falls) and the Chattooga River trail. Also pretty much every trail at Jones Gap is great but especially the Rim of the Gap Trail. I helped build some of the ones at Jones Gap and Paris Mtn. I run and mtn bike at Paris Mtn, and that's what it's best for anymore otherwise you won't get much seclusion due to all the other mountain bikers and runners. Dupont has gotten over run since the Hunger Games but it's still pretty awesome, especially on a week day when there are fewer people. There's a 10k trail run there in a few weeks if you're into that, and a couple small lakes with good fishing. The fly fishing is a little tough there. I think it's been over fished.

If you want to drive a bit further, (two hours) Panthertown Valley near Sapphire, NC, the Shining Rock Wilderness, the Middle Prong Wilderness, and Mt. Mitchell all have excellent rugged trails and great camping spots as long as no signage and no blazes doesn't bother you. But the best trail in my opinion for a day hike is the Alum Cave trail at Mt. LeConte. It's more like a 3 hour drive from Greenville though. Also you can't go wrong hiking pretty much any section of the Mountains to Sea Trail. Also up around Hot Springs there's a nice loop you can do which is partially on the Appalachian Trail, and not too far from there, there's a really awesome hike to a ghost town called Runion on the Laurel River trail. It runs beside the river the whole time (much like the Chatooga River trail does).

That Alum cave trail looks pretty cool. How long would you say it takes to hike it round trip?

I've been wanting to check out the trails up near grandfather mountain sometime. Seems pretty good.

Good info, thanks!