Plateau Magazine June-July 2023

local chatter
Chattooga River on
The Foothills Trail.
one, but a second lake constructed even
higher in the mountains. As environmental
activists protested the massive project,
conservationists rallied for the creation of
a hiking trail to run alongside these lakes.
The original organization has since rebranded
as the Foothills Trail Conservancy
and their website notes how trail construction
began on Duke land in 1981. It’s vague
when other sections of the trail were completed,
but many segments were first established
during the construction of the lakes.
The Trail
According to the Cherokee, Jocassee
means “Place of the Lost One,” though
you’d be hard pressed to get lost on the
Foothills Trail. End to end, the trail both
begins and terminates in South Carolina
state parks where you can find full amenities
such as campsites, restrooms, visitor
information, and plenty of day hiking options.
Numerous paved road crossings offer
plenty of access, and those accustomed
to driving unpaved roads can reach the
more remote parts of the journey.
For backpackers, the trail is most often
divided into a 5 to 10-day trek. Though
remote, the trail offers several segments
with reliable cell reception if you need to
amend your plans. While a popular undertaking
for experienced backpackers or
those planning a longer hike such as the
48 | ThePlateauMag.com
Geronimo, trail
dog for White Dot
Adventures, on
top of Sassafras
Mountain.
Continental Divide Trail or Appalachian
Trail, the trail’s safety draws in a diversity
of visitors including older hikers, women’s
groups, and plenty of solo adventurers
looking for a challenge.
When you’re on the trail, one of the
first things you’ll notice is the generous
signage and elaborate construction that
follows from start to finish. Large iron
bridges have been installed over major rivers,
overlook platforms offer unique vantages,
and steep slopes are often defined
by natural wooden and stone steps. The
trail is maintained mostly by volunteers
with the Foothills Trail Conservancy and
the generous donors that help support the
projects. In some situations, Duke Energy
also supports projects involving more rigorous
tasks on the trail, especially when it
runs through their property.
The Hike
A complete thru-hike or hiking in sections
allows you to enjoy everything the
Foothills has to offer. Maps detail popular
campsites, and adventurous trail runners
even set their sights on completing the
trail in one standing. On one such occasion
in early 2023, Asheville-based ultrarunner,
Rachel Blinn, set the out-and-back
FKT (Fastest Known Time) on the Foothills
Trail, covering some 155 miles in just
over 63 hours. She recalls Laurel Valley as
her favorite section due to its diversity, remoteness,
and fact that the only way to access
that part of the trail is by boat. After
her first experience on the trail in 2022,
she “could tell there was something very
special about it” and wanted to celebrate
both the new year and her birthday with a
special challenge.
If a weekend adventure is calling your
name, another option is to plan a shorter