Foothills Trail West of Whitewater Falls - NC/SC

My son and camped overnight on the Foothills Trail just west of Whitewater Falls. We at a beautiful flat spot on the top of a mountain overlooking Lake Jocassee. The only downside was that streams were all dried up. We had to go about a mile out of our way to get water and lug it back to the camp site.

I'm planning to do a longer 30 odd mile section around Lake Jocassee next month. I've hiked the 30 miles from Oconee State Park to Whitewater falls and hammock camped along the way. It is beautiful along the rivers there.

Anyone else here hiked the Jocassee Gorges section of the Foothills Trail to offer advice or warnings?

Here are some pictures from the most recent trip.

View on the way up to the camp site:
http://www.glassymountain.org/HFPICS/SAM_1948.jpg

http://www.glassymountain.org/HFPICS/SAM_1947.JPG

Our camp site at the top, with my hammock and my son's tent. It is hard to see out with the leaves, but the view drops off for about 180 degrees of views looking out towards Lake Jocassee and Lake Keowee:
http://www.glassymountain.org/HFPICS/SAM_1965.jpg

http://www.glassymountain.org/HFPICS/SAM_1966.jpg

Here is the sign at the start of the trail showing where we were headed from Whitewater towards Sloan Bridge:

http://www.glassymountain.org/HFPICS/SAM_1934.jpg

Nice report with great pictures thanks for sharing.

Great area! And great pics of it. The FT is one of my favorite hikes.

Nice views, great pics!

On my to do list!!!

Thanks, looks like a pretty area., nice pics.

Wow .. Is all I can say ... thanks for posting ... !

The views are tremendous. Thanks for sharing.

Great trip report. It had to be nice to do that with your son.
I'm planning to do some of that same trail in two weeks, starting at Upper Whitewater Falls to Sloans Bridge, East Fork Mtn Trail to the Chatooga and ending at Burrells Ford.
I intend to do that same 33 mile section you mentioned this fall as well. I've done the first eight miles of that, from Laurel Valley Access to Lake Jocassee. Here is my trip report.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=11168

That view you had of the Bad Creek Reservoir at Lake Jocassee... everyone takes the picture. It just can't be helped.
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/BadCreek.jpg
Our Boy Scout troop uses that area for 10 mile hikes alot. The scouts have to have several 10 milers for the hiking merit badge. We would start at Sloans Bridge and hike east to Upper Whitewater Falls five miles away. Have lunch use the restrooms, refill water, check out the falls and then hike five miles back.

Swampfox, enjoy your hike in a few weeks. That is a nice area around the Chatooga.

The view of the lakes below is definitely a favorite. You know it must be a good spot when they build benches off the trail to enjoy the view!

I remember from last November that the FT section from Fish Hatchery Rd to Sloan Bridge was in really bad shape with lots of trees over the trail and streams running along the trail making lots of muck. Probably cleaned up some by now, and certainly dried out more.

I'm looking forward to hiking through from Whitewater through to Laurel Valley. I've hiked from Bad Creek to Bear Camp Creek and back on a day hike before, but never stayed overnight. Looks pretty remote, though I do worry about hunters on that section. I've also hiked from Laurel Valley to Jumping Off Rock and back on a day hike which skirts part of the FT.