Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site (Blog Hike #1099)

Trail: Walking Trail
Hike Location: Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site
Geographic Location: southeast of North Augusta, SC (33.41997, -81.86847)
Length: 2.4 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: January 2026
Overview: A loop hike around the grounds of the 1859 Redcliffe Plantation.
Park Information: https://southcarolinaparks.com/redcliffe
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming April 6, 2027)

Directions to the trailhead: On the South Carolina side of Augusta, take I-520 to US 278 (exit 17).  Exit and go east on US 278.  Drive US 278 east 7.4 miles to SR 580 and turn right on SR 580.  Drive SR 580 south 0.2 miles to Redcliffe Road, a good dirt road that is passable by all vehicles except in the wettest of conditions.  Turn right on Redcliffe Rd.  Drive Redcliffe Rd. southwest 0.2 miles to the signed park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, and drive the gravel park road to the parking lot near the historic mansion.  Park here.

The hike: The deep south is dotted with old plantations turned tourist attractions and historic sites, but few of them have the raw authenticity of Redcliffe Plantation.  The main house was built in 1859 by James H. Hammond, a former governor of South Carolina, United States Senator, rapist, and slave-owner who is most famous for coining the phrase "cotton is king."  Hammond bought the plantation in 1855 for use as a country estate, and he named it Redcliffe after a red bluff near the front of the property.  Some of the property's support buildings have succumbed to the ages, and only the slave quarters and stable remain standing around the mansion.

            The mansion remains the center of the property today, and guided tours are offered several times on most days for a fee.  The grounds are open 9am-6pm daily free of charge, and the grounds include a single hiking trail that loops through the woods north and west of the house.  That trail is the one described here, and it offers a pleasant hike through rolling Piedmont forest.

Start of Walking Trail near park entrance

            The trail forms a true loop; I chose to save the mansion for last by hiking the loop counter-clockwise.  To execute such a plan, start by walking back out the gravel entrance road.  Just before you get to the entrance gate, look left to find the signed start of the Walking Trail.  The trail heads into the dense woods, which are dominated by pines, holly, and magnolia.  The wide dirt trail is unblazed, but distance markers appear at 0.25-mile increments.

Passing the 0.5 mile marker

            The trail heads north before curving left to begin a gradual descent at 0.5 miles.  On one hand the historic buildings and dirt road you drove in on make this site feel remote, but near-constant traffic noise from US 278 to the right and airplanes flying overhead from Augusta Regional Airport remind you that civilization is nearby.  Just past 1 mile, the trail curves left and descends as the old farm pond comes into view downhill and to the right.

Old farm pond

            After curving right to cross the stream that feeds the old farm pond, you reach a pair of benches that offer pondside views at 1.2 miles.  South Carolina is dotted with old farm ponds like this one, but this pond occupies a ravine that is steeper than you might expect for this part of the state.  Past the pondside benches, the trail climbs on a moderate grade through more of the same forest.  A tornado in 2009 did major damage to this forest, and parts of this trail were closed for several years.  Yet a local boy scout troop did an excellent job of repairing the damage and improving the trail in 2019, and today this is a very pleasant trail to hike.

Redcliffe Mansion

Magnolia Lane

            Just past 2 miles, you reach the end of the walking trail as you exit the woods and enter the mowed-grass historic area.  Turn left and climb gradually to reach the mansion.  My favorite feature of these old mansions is the porches, and approaching the mansion from this direction gives a great view of the steps leading up to the broad, expansive porch.  Looking east from the mansion gives a view down Magnolia Lane, this mansion's original driveway.  Walking past the stable and the slave quarters returns you to the parking area to complete the hike.

Kings Mountain State Park: Lake Crawford and Historic Farm Trails (Blog Hike #1067)

Trails: Lake Crawford and Historic Farm Trails
Hike Location: Kings Mountain State Park
Geographic Location: south of Kings Mountain, NC (35.14913, -81.34491)
Length: 2.4 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: March 2025
Overview: A double out-and-back along Lake Crawford and to an 1800s living history farm.
Park Information: https://southcarolinaparks.com/kings-mountain
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=982090
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: Near the North Carolina/South Carolina state line, take I-85 to SR 216 (North Carolina exit 2).  Exit and go south on SR 216.  Drive SR 216 6.8 miles to the signed state park entrance on the left, passing back into South Carolina and passing Kings Mountain National Military Park along the way.  Turn left to enter the state park, pay the entrance fee, and drive the main park road 0.8 miles to the large parking area near the trailhead and the old Civilian Conservation Corps bath house.  Park here.

The hike: Often overlooked in favor of its bigger cousin Kings Mountain National Military Park immediately to its west, 6885-acre Kings Mountain State Park is the 5th largest state park in South Carolina.  The park came to be in 1934 when the federal government donated 6141 acres to the State of South Carolina, and many of the park's amenities, roads, and trails were built by the depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).  The land has more relief than you might expect for metro Charlotte, and while there is no Revolutionary War history in the state park, the CCC structures and living history farm still give this park a strong historical feel.

            The park also features some nice amenities that include a 115-site developed campground, 2 small lakes, 30 miles of bridle trails, and a living history farm.  The entire Kings Mountain area is a major destination for hikers, and long-distance trails link this park with both the national military park to the west and North Carolina's Crowders Mountain State Park to the north.  This hike features 2 of the park's shorter trails, and it leads to 2 of the park's main attractions: Lake Crawford and the living history farm.

Main trailhead

            The main hiking trailhead is located at the southeast corner of the parking lot; a large information kiosk stands here.  The trail heads down some wooden steps with Lake Crawford visible below you.  The old CCC-built bath house sits to the left.  With some structural damage and broken windows, this bath house has seen its better days, and the park is currently trying to raise money to restore it.

Lake Crawford dam

            The trail descends below lake level and crosses Lake Crawford's outflow stream on a wooden footbridge.  Looking to the left, you will see the CCC-built stone dam that forms Lake Crawford.  Water spilling down the stone blocks creates a pleasant if man-made waterfall.

Turtles in Lake Crawford

            As you begin to climb the other side of the ravine, the trail forks.  We will go both ways eventually, but first turn left to begin the Lake Crawford Trail, which is marked with purple plastic diamonds.  True to its name, the Lake Crawford Trail follows a lakeside course with minor undulations.  I did some nice wildlife viewing on Lake Crawford that included many turtles and some Canada geese, and the lakeside scenery is pleasant.

"Overlook" at end of Lake Crawford Trail

            0.5 miles into the hike, you climb a low bluff to reach a bench overlooking the stream above Lake Crawford.  Trees mostly obstruct any view, and this overlook is very underwhelming.  Perhaps disappointingly, the Lake Crawford Trail ends here, and no other trails come to this overlook.  Thus, your only option is to retrace your steps on the Lake Crawford Trail to the trail fork near the dam.  Turn left at this fork to begin the other trail, the Historic Farm Trail.

Hiking the Historic Farm Trail

            Marked with yellow plastic diamonds, the Historic Farm Trail climbs away from Lake Crawford on a moderate grade.  The mature forest features a nice mix of pine, beech, and maple trees.  At 1.2 miles, you cross SR 216 and re-enter the forest on the other side.

Living history farm

Horses at living history farm

            Just past 1.4 miles, you reach the parking area for the park's living history farm, which is designed to reconstruct farm life in 1800s South Carolina.  The farm features several buildings including a farmhouse, barn, and blacksmith shop, and it also features live animals including horses.  After doing a short loop to tour the farm, retrace your steps to the Lake Crawford parking lot to complete your hike.

Clemson Experimental Forest: Collarbone/Issaqueena Lake/Dam Road Loop (Blog Hike #1012)

Trails: Collarbone, Rocky, Issaqueena Lake, and Dam Road Trails
Hike Location: Clemson Experimental Forest
Geographic Location: north of Clemson, SC (34.73875, -82.84099)
Length: 4.5 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: April 2024
Overview: A loop hike partly along Lake Issaqueena.
Forest Information: https://www.clemson.edu/public/experimental-forest/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=960043
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: From Clemson, take SR 133 north 3.9 miles to the second intersection with Old Six Mile Road, which is reached just after passing D. W. Daniel High School.  Turn left on Old Six Mile Rd.  Drive Old Six Mile Rd. west 0.5 miles to the parking lot on the right for the Horseshoe Trailhead.  A small lot near a picnic area holds 6-10 cars, but a larger U-shaped lot surrounds the small lot and provides parking for dozens of cars.

The hike: Owned and maintained by Clemson University, Clemson Experimental Forest consists of 17,500 mostly wooded acres in and around Clemson.  The Forest has a dual mission of recreation and education/research.  Many students at Clemson University's College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences have gained valuable knowledge and experience by working/learning in this vast area.

            On the recreation side, Clemson Experimental Forest is accessed by an extensive network of closed roads and single track trails, so the possible hiking routes are almost inexhaustible.  The Forest's recreational center is man-made Lake Issaqueena, and the loop described here takes you along the undeveloped east side of the lake while staying in woods the whole time.  I lived in this area for 13 years before hiking at Clemson Experimental Forest, and after hiking here I wished I had not waited so long.

Horseshoe Trailhead

            From the Horseshoe Trailhead, head southwest on the Dam Road Trail, but in only a couple hundred feet turn right to begin heading northwest on the Collarbone Trail.  Trails in Clemson Experimental Forest are mostly unmarked, but intersections are marked with brown carsonite posts bearing the trail's name.  The Collarbone Trail undulates gradually as it heads out a narrow finger ridge.  Pine trees dominate the forest here, but some nice beech and maple trees will also be passed.  Some dogwoods were in full bloom on this ridge when I hiked here in early April.

Dogwoods in bloom

            0.5 miles into the hike, you begin a series of switchbacks as you drop off the end of the finger ridge.  At the bottom of the hill, you reach a trail intersection with the Lawrence Trail.  A nice bench sits at this intersection.  Angle softly left to continue descending, now with a small creek to your left.

            At 0.8 miles, you reach an intersection with the Rocky Trail where the Collarbone Trail ends.  Turn left to begin heading west on the Rocky Trail.  The name "Rocky Trail" sounds intimidating, but in fact the hiking is fairly easy: the Rocky Trail heads downstream with one of Issaqueena Lake's feeder streams on your right.  Gravel Issaqueena Lake Road, which is open to vehicle traffic part of the year, and some picnic areas can be seen across the creek to your right.

Starting the Issaqueena Lake Trail

            Just past 1 mile, the Rocky Trail ends where an access trail heads right to reach a parking area.  Angle left to climb briefly on the Rocky Trail Extension, then turn right to begin the Issaqueena Lake Trail, which is kind of this hike's main trail.  The Issaqueena Lake Trail starts by heading down along the same creek the Rocky Trail followed, but soon the ravine tightens and you will need to negotiate some narrow trail that clings to the hillside about 10 feet above the creek.

Hiking along Lake Issaqueena

            At 1.4 miles, the trail curves left as you get your first view of Lake Issaqueena, which will remain downhill to your right for the next 1.6 miles.  The trail weaves in and out of 3 major ravines, and some monarch butterflies flittered around me as I hiked along the lake.  The lake color nearly matched the sky color when I hiked here on a beautiful Friday afternoon.

Lake Issaqueena

            3 miles into the hike, you reach the concrete dam that forms Lake Issaqueena.  Some pink azaleas were in full bloom here, and the views back up the lake were perfect.  The concrete dam made a nice place to sit, rehydrate, and rest before starting the final leg of the hike.

Azalea in bloom

View from Lake Issaqueena's dam

            The Issaqueena Lake Trail ends at the dam, so to continue this loop you have to take the only other trail that leads here: the Dam Road, which is closed to vehicles.  The Dam Road climbs away from the lake on a moderate to steep grade.  In total, it is about 250 feet of elevation gain back to the trailhead, but you will gain most of that elevation in the road's first 0.3 miles.

Hiking on the Dam Road

            On several occasions a trail called the Dam Road Trail exits left, and you could use that option if you prefer to hike on single-track dirt trail rather than on two-track dirt/gravel road.  The trail is longer with more undulations, so choose the option that best suits you.  The road returns you to the trailhead at 4.5 miles, while the trail gets you there at about 5 miles total.

Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve: Blue Trail (Blog Hike #983)

Trail: Blue Trail
Hike Location: Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve
Geographic Location: southwest of Columbia, SC (33.82813, -81.20238)
Length: 2.2 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: December 2023
Overview: A lollipop loop passing Peachtree Rock, Little Peachtree Rock, and a waterfall.
Park Information: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/peachtree-rock-heritage-preserve/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=952196
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: In Columbia, take I-26 to SR 302 (exit 113).  Exit and go west on SR 302.  Drive SR 302 west 10.9 miles to SR 6 and turn left on SR 6.  Drive SR 6 south 1 mile to the dirt parking lot for Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve on the left.  Park here; there is room for 8-10 cars here.

The hike: Many people know of South Carolina's state parks, national parks, and national forests, but few people seem to know about South Carolina's heritage preserves and their function.  Created by the South Carolina Legislature in 1976, the Heritage Trust Program protects lands of cultural and natural interest called heritage preserves, and over 83,000 acres have been protected under the Trust.  The heritage preserves are managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, which also manages South Carolina's state parks.  Thus, heritage preserves are like state parks but with no amenities, and most heritage preserves offer at most a parking lot and a few trails.

            Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve fits the Trust's undeveloped pattern, although it is jointly managed with The Nature Conservancy, a private organization.  The preserve was established to protect its namesake rock, a large boulder that sat atop a small pedestal in a balanced-rock type configuration.  Unfortunately, Peachtree Rock fell over in 2013, but the preserve still offers plenty to see including Little Peachtree Rock, a smaller version of the larger rock, and the only naturally occurring waterfall in South Carolina's coastal plains.  Several trails allow hikers to access the preserve.  This hike features the Blue Trail, the preserve's main trail that passes every major point of interest in the preserve.

Leaving the trailhead

            From the parking area, head in the entrance trail, which is marked with blue aluminum trail markers.  The single-track sandy dirt trail heads into the pine woods along the ridge top, but soon the trail descends gradually via a couple of switchbacks.  The difference between maximum and minimum elevation on this hike is only a little over 100 feet, so all grades are moderate and brief.

            At 0.2 miles, you approach a small creek and reach a trail intersection.  The Red Trail goes right here, so you want to turn left to stay on the Blue Trail.  All official trails in this preserve are well-marked with small metal discs of the appropriate color, but there are a large number of unmarked unofficial trails that need to be avoided.

Bottom of Peachtree Rock

Top of Peachtree Rock

            Topping a low finger ridge brings you to Peachtree Rock at 0.3 miles.  Today you see the stone pedestal and the rock on its side, and an interpretive sign tells you the story of Peachtree Rock and its formation via erosion.  A chain fence prevents you from touching or climbing the rock.

            Continuing up this small hollow brings you to a small waterfall.  Though only about 15 feet high, this waterfall is the only naturally occurring waterfall in South Carolina's coastal plains.  Some sandstone cliffs in this area, another rarity for the coastal plains, add to this hollow's interesting rock scenery.

Small waterfall

            Some wild trails ascend near the waterfall, but the official Blue Trail heads out of the hollow below Peachtree Rock.  After stepping across the stream that formed the waterfall, you reach the trail intersection that forms the Blue Trail's loop at 0.45 miles.  To give myself some more options near the end of the hike, I chose to turn left and use the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.

Old moonshine still

            The narrow sandy dirt trail climbs moderately through the pines.  As you near the top of the ridge, an interpretive sign points out the ruins of a moonshine still on the left, a reminder that this hollow was used for illegal liquor production during the Prohibition era.  0.7 miles into the hike, you reach the top of the ridge and an intersection with what appears to be a two-track fire road.  Turn right to begin hiking east with the preserve's north boundary immediately to your left.

Hiking through pine forest

            After about 1000 feet on the road, the trail turns right to leave the fire road.  Watch for the blue aluminum trail markers to ensure you do not miss this turn.  The next 0.3 miles stay along the ridgetop and pass through sunny open pine forest.  Burn marks imply this area has been cleared by a controlled burn recently.

            1.2 miles into the hike, you descend a brief steep and rocky area to reach Little Peachtree Rock.  Though only about half the size of this preserve's namesake, Little Peachtree Rock still stands on its pedestal, and it gives you some idea of what Peachtree Rock looked like before it fell over.  Some boulders here make nice places to sit and rest near the midpoint of this hike.

Little Peachtree Rock

            The trail exits downhill from the Little Peachtree Rock area.  The rest of the Blue Trail's loop is a gently rolling excursion through streamside forest that contains a few oak and sweet gum trees.  Where the Green, Orange, and Red Trails exit left, stay right to remain on the Blue Trail unless you want to extend your hike.  At 1.75 miles, you close the Blue Trail's loop.  Walk past Peachtree Rock one more time as you retrace your steps back out of the hollow to return to the trailhead and complete the hike.

Mountain View Park in Clemson, SC (Blog Hike #894)

Trail: Mountainview Walking Trail
Hike Location: Mountain View Park
Geographic Location: Clemson, SC (34.70100, -82.83907)
Length: 0.75 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Dates Hiked: June 2022, November 2022
Overview: A short loop with gentle grades and good views across Lake Hartwell.
Park Information: https://sites.google.com/cityofclemson.org/parksandrecreationinfo/parks-green-spaces?authuser=0
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=913965
Photo Highlight:

Full Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 76 and SR 133 in downtown Clemson, take SR 133 north 3 blocks to Mountain View Lane and turn left on Mountain View Ln.  Winding and residential Mountain View Ln. dead-ends at the park in 0.6 miles.  Park in the only blacktop parking lot.

The hike: Tucked on the north side of Clemson less than 2 miles from Clemson University, tiny Mountain View Park occupies a peninsula that juts west into the northern-most part of Lake Hartwell.  The park's location in a residential area ensures that only aquatic traffic on Lake Hartwell breaks the serenity here.  The park is owned and maintained by the City of Clemson.

            In terms of amenities, Mountain View Park offers only a boat launch on Lake Hartwell, some picnic tables, a 9 hole disc golf course (reviewed in my Disc Golf Reviews), and the short walking trail described here.  The park's website says that this trail is 1 mile long, but the distance I have given here is more accurate based on my calculations.  While certainly not a destination hike, this trail offers a quick quiet outing in the woods if you have a free hour while in Clemson.

Trailhead at parking area

            A wooden sign on the west side of the parking lot that says "Mountain View Walking Trail" marks the trailhead.  The dirt trail enters the forest, which is dominated by oak, pine, and sweetgum trees.  Some large pockets of poison ivy grow beside the trail, but the wide trail makes them easy to avoid.

Approaching the lakeshore

            After only a few hundred feet, the trail curves left and descends gradually toward Lake Hartwell.  The main loop never reaches the lake shore, but several short spur trails take you down to the waterside for great views across the lake.  The City of Clemson appears to the south, and the wooded Keowee Heights portion of the vast Clemson Experimental Forest appears to the west.

Peering across Lake Hartwell

Hiking along the sewer corridor

            Past the spur trails, the main loop trail climbs gradually to intersect a sewer line corridor.  Now near the top of this peninsula's main ridge, the trail runs atop the sewer line all of the way back to the parking area.  The trail ends at the wooden gate that marks the end of the entrance road, and the parking area is just past the gate on the right.

Congaree National Park: Boardwalk/Bluff Double Loop (Blog Hike #887)

Trails: Longleaf, Boardwalk, Firefly, and Bluff Trails
Hike Location: Congaree National Park
Geographic Location: southeast of Columbia, SC (33.83805, -80.82836)
Length: 4.3 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: February 2022
Overview: A nearly flat double loop featuring a long boardwalk over the Congaree River swamp.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/cong/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=901634
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: On the south side of Columbia, take I-77 to SR 48 (exit 5).  Exit and go south/east on SR 48.  Drive SR 48 8.1 miles to Old Bluff Road and make a soft right on Old Bluff Rd.  The signed park entrance is 4.4 miles ahead on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, and then at the first stop sign turn left to enter the gravel parking lot for the Longleaf Campground.  Park here.

The hike: When most people think of America's national parks, they think of pristine wilderness places with towering cliffs, abyss-like canyons, plummeting waterfalls, and spectacular wildlife.  Yet not all national parks fit this pattern.  Take, for example, Congaree National Park near the geographical center of South Carolina.  Achieving national park designation only in 2003, Congaree sits on the fringe of metro Columbia, and it consists mostly of riverside swamplands with little of the spectacular scenery for which the national parks are famous.  For these reasons, Congaree National Park is a frequent entry on published lists of worst national parks.

            Yet visitors who are willing to look a little harder will find plenty of interesting things to see at Congaree National Park.  For starters, the park has some of the largest bald cypress and longleaf pine trees I have seen anywhere, and it contains world-champion trees (i.e. the largest tree of its kind in the world) for 15 different species.  Moreover, the park's Boardwalk Trail may be the best boardwalk I have hiked anywhere, and I have hiked a lot of boardwalks.  Throw in the only freshwater river swamp in the national park system, canoeing opportunities, and two primitive campgrounds, and you have one of South Carolina's better outdoor recreation destinations.

            For hikers, Congaree National Park offers 11 trails totaling more than 45 miles.  Although some of the trails are long primitive slogs through muddy wetlands, the park's most famous and popular trail is its 2.4 mile Boardwalk Trail, which starts at the Visitor Center.  This hike combines the Boardwalk Trail with a second loop over the bluffs, thus sampling both this park's uplands and lowlands.  Note that I would avoid this park in the summer due to heat and bugs; I came here in mid-February and had a great hike.

Trailhead at Longleaf Campground parking lot

            Many people start at the Visitor Center, but the Visitor Center parking lot was overflowing when I came here on a seasonal Saturday afternoon.  Thus, I found it more practical to start at the Longleaf Campground, which had a parking lot that was only about half full.  From the signed trailhead at the south end of the campground parking lot, head toward the Visitor Center by picking up the combined Longleaf and Bluff Trails, which immediately enter a nice longleaf pine forest.  Brown pieces of carsonite bearing white reflective material and the number 8, the park's number for the Longleaf Trail, are nailed to trees and mark this trail.

Hiking the Longleaf Trail

            At 0.3 miles, you reach the trail intersection that forms this hike's northern loop.  To get to the boardwalk quickly, I turned right to remain on the Longleaf Trail and used the Bluff Trail going left as my return route, thus hiking the northern loop counterclockwise.  The trail continues south to quickly cross the main park road and reach the Visitor Center.  Pick up a copy of the Self-Guided Boardwalk Tour brochure, and then head down the boardwalk.

Starting the Boardwalk Trail

            This wooden boardwalk is world-class in construction: it is plenty wide enough for passing and offers plenty of benches for resting.  Numbered signs correspond to the self-guided brochure you picked up at the Visitor Center.  Initially the boardwalk starts in a dryer area with lots of large beech trees, but soon it descends almost imperceptibly into a lower wetter area dominated by cypress and tupelo trees.  Some very large cypress trees live here, and the forest is stunningly beautiful.

Hiking through cypress forest

            0.7 miles into the hike, the boardwalk splits to form its loop, which is the southern of our two loops.  I continued straight and used the boardwalk going left as my return route, again hiking the loop counterclockwise.  This "loop" is more of a square in shape, and the boardwalk keeps your feet nice and dry despite the varying wetness of the surrounding land.

Wetter cypress forest

Huge pine tree

            At 1.4 miles, you cross the Sims Trail, which follows an old hunting club road, and continue the boardwalk on the other side.  Soon you reach the southern loop's southeast corner and an overlook of Weston Lake.  Weston Lake is this area's largest body of open water, and some of the largest pine trees I have ever seen live near the shore of the lake.  Take some time here to enjoy the forest and lake.

Weston Lake

            The dirt/mud Weston Lake Trail continues east from the overlook, but the boardwalk turns left to head north directly away from the lake.  I did some nice wildlife viewing on this section of trail that included a woodpecker and a large underwater turtle.  After rounding the Boardwalk Trail's northeast corner, you reenter the dryer area and pass more large beech trees before closing the southern loop.  Turn right to head back to the Visitor Center.

Start of Firefly Trail

            Now finished with the southern loop, continue the northern loop by picking up the Firefly Trail, which starts under the Boardwalk Trail just downhill from the rear of the Visitor Center.  Turn left to head east on the Firefly Trail.  The Firefly Trail gets its name from synchronous fireflies that put on a spectacular light show here in late spring.  Congaree and Great Smoky Mountains are the only two national parks with this natural phenomenon.

            Just past 3 miles into the hike, the Firefly Trail briefly rejoins the Boardwalk Trail; you are now walking the opposite direction on the boardwalk as you did a few minutes ago.  At 3.2 miles, the Firefly Trail turns left to leave the boardwalk for good.  A gradual climb comes next, and this section of trail is the hardest to follow on this hike.  Watch for the brown carsonite trail markers to keep you on course.

Hiking the Firefly Trail

            Near 3.5 miles, the Firefly Trail ends near the Bluff Campground.  Turn left to begin the Bluff Trail, the final leg of this hike.  Now back in the longleaf pines, the Bluff Trail heads west on a meandering and gently rolling course.  4 miles into the hike, you return to the Longleaf Trail and close the northern loop.  Retracing your steps 0.3 miles on the Longleaf Trail returns you to the Longleaf Campground parking lot and completes the hike.

Devils Fork State Park: Oconee Bell Nature Trail (Blog Hike #841)

Trail: Oconee Bell Nature Trail

Hike Location: Devils Fork State Park
Geographic Location: north of Salem, SC (34.95222, -82.94617)
Length: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: April 2021
Overview: A rolling lollipop loop through ravines full of Oconee bell wildflowers.
Park Information: https://southcarolinaparks.com/devils-fork
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=866509
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of SR 130 and SR 11 near Salem, drive SR 11 east 1.6 miles to Lake Jocassee Road and turn left on Lake Jocassee Rd.  Drive winding Jocassee Lake Rd. north 3.8 miles to the park office on the right.  Pay the park entrance fee and park in the large blacktop lot near the park office.

The hike: Protecting 7565 acres most of which are under Lake Jocassee, Devils Fork State Park is best known as providing the only public access for Lake Jocassee, the smaller, deeper, and more isolated of the two large Duke Energy reservoirs in upstate South Carolina.  (Aside: nearby Lake Keowee is the other such reservoir.)  Lake Jocassee is a treasure during the summer because the mountain springs that feed the lake keep the water cool and clear all summer long.  The park features 3 boat ramps, picnic shelters, a playground, and a 59-site developed campground all with excellent lake access.

            For people willing to forsake the lake and head into the surrounding ravines, another more subtle treasure can be found: the endangered Oconee bell wildflower.  The Oconee bell grows only in a few moist streamside areas in the southern Appalachians, and most of its habitat in South Carolina got submerged by the construction of Lake Jocassee.  Nevertheless, hiking Devils Fork State Park's Oconee Bell Nature Trail takes you through the heart of the Oconee bell's remaining habitat.  Although the flowers were not in bloom when I came here on a seasonally warm sunny morning in early April, I saw several clusters of Oconee bell, and I still had a nice hike on a pleasant mountain nature trail.

Trailhead: Oconee Bell Nature Trail

            The trail starts at an information board at the southeast corner of the parking lot.  Some white rectangular paint blazes mark the trail, but the path was easy to follow on my visit.  After descending a short set of steps, the trail curves left and quickly splits to form its loop.  For no real reason, I chose to continue straight and use the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.

Hiking into the ravine

            Next you switchback down into the first ravine and pass the first cluster of Oconee bell.  A low plant with serrated leaves, the Oconee bell produces white bell-shaped flowers in early spring.  Numerous interpretive signs identify the Oconee bell and other plants in this forest, which is dominated by oak, hickory, and pine trees.

Cluster of Oconee bell

            After crossing the creek at the bottom of the ravine, you climb up the other side of the ravine to intersect what appears to be an old road.  The trail turns right to begin following the old road, which descends into a deeper ravine.  At 0.5 miles, you cross a short boardwalk that takes you beside a small pond.  An interpretive sign tells you that this pond was built by a farmer in the 1950's and that the pond is being filled in with sediment washed down by the stream.

Old farm pond

            Past the old farm pond, the trail continues downstream and passes some small cascades that are heavily cloaked in rhododendron.  At 0.7 miles, you reach a bench at the lowest elevation of the hike, which is just over 100 vertical feet below the trailhead.  The trail curves right here and begins climbing in fits and starts up a side ravine.  The creek in this side ravine offers some more small waterfalls for your viewing pleasure.

Small waterfall in side ravine

            Near 1 mile into the hike, you cross another short boardwalk near the largest cluster of Oconee bell.  An interpretive sign tells you about the rare flower.  A final climb brings you out of the ravine to close the loop, and a left turn returns you to the parking lot to complete the hike.  While you are here, make sure you take in the views across Lake Jocassee, which is located across the park road from the park office and this trailhead.