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CHATTOOGA RIVER TRAIL

ADMINISTRATION:
Sumter National Forest
Andrew Pickens Ranger District
112 Andrew Pickens Circle
Mountain Rest, SC 29664
Phone: (864) 638-9568

 

TOTAL DISTANCE:  37.5 Miles
TRAIL STATUS:  100% Built
SOUTHERN TRAILHEAD:  US 76 near Clayton, Georgia
NORTHERN TRAILHEAD:  Bad Creek near Clayton, Georgia
BLAZES:  Aluminum Diamonds
TYPICAL START DATES:  None
TYPICAL DIRECTION:  None
DIFFICULTY:  Easy to Moderate
HIGHEST POINT:  2,389 feet near Spoonauger Falls, South Carolina
LOWEST POINT:  1,190 feet at US 76
STATES HIKED:  Georgia, South Carolina

HIGHLIGHTS:  The Chattooga River Trail is a forty mile route that borders the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia and follows the banks of the Chattooga National Wild And Scenic River from Burrell's Ford to US 76.  Congress designated the river on May 10, 1974 and it is often used by kayakers, hikers, backpackers, and fisherman as it winds down from the North Carolina mountains.  The Chattooga River Trail shares its pathway with both the Foothills and Bartram Trails in the Russell Bridge area, but it stays close to the river for its entire distance unlike the other major southeastern trails.

The Chattooga River begins in the mountains of North Carolina as small rivulets, nourished by springs and abundant rainfall, high on the slopes of the Appalachian Mountains.  The water drops a half mile in elevation over fifty miles as it winds its way to Lake Tugaloo where the river ends between South Carolina and Georgia. The Chattooga is one of the few remaining free-flowing streams in the Southeast, and the setting is primitive with dense forests and undeveloped shorelines on most of its route.  On May 10, 1974, Congress designated the Chattooga a Wild and Scenic River - a honor reserved for rivers with outstanding scenery, recreation, wildlife, geologic, and cultural values.

The trails in North Carolina are short, and pass steep cliffs near the headwaters of the Chattooga. In this area, there are cascading falls with sandbars and quiet pools which are ideal spots for picnicking and swimming.  In South Carolina, the trails are longer and extend from Ellicott Rock to SC Highway 28. The hiker is exposed to every facet of the river environment: deep coves, rapids, and ridge lines in the state. It takes about two days to hike the nineteen miles of trail in South Carolina

MORE DETAILS

bullet click to see the trail sections BirdShooter has hiked (with photos)
bullet click to view maps of this trail:  trail maps: section one, section two, section three, section four; profile map
bullet click to view trail talk for this trail
bullet click to view trail journals for this trail
bullet click to see some recommended books for this trail

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