Hiawassee and Lake Chatuge, GA

With a full day of hiking and swimming behind us, we crossed the Chattanooga over into Georgia. As we  continued west on Highway 76, we drove through a patchwork of Chattahoochee National Forest and private lands, through the town of Clayton, across beautiful Lake Burton, and almost to the North Carolina border - to the town of Hiawassee on the shores of Lake Chatuge. Selected on a whim, our lodgings were a perfect one-night getaway; the Lake Chatuge Lodge was comfortable, situated in a great location right across from the beach, and features spectacular views of the lake and the mountains.

First things first – dinner. We had packed food and charcoal in hopes of finding a campground/picnic area with built in grills, but when we came up empty in the first two areas we looked, it seemed to be fate to find ourselves in front of a bbq joint situated on the edge of the lake just when our stomachs started growling. The antiques shop and restaurant featured a back deck overlooking the lake, delicious food, and Saturday night karaoke. If you’re looking for good food and the friendliest service in town in addition to a view, Sadie Blue’s BBQ is your place.

Upon returning to the hotel we took in the sunset from the back patio. This was the most beautiful sunset I had seen in quite some time, rivaling even the izrāde sākās! sunsets overlooking Gaŗezers.

The next morning after eating a small breakfast and packing up, we headed across the street to Towns County Recreational Beach and Playground for some time on the playground and a stroll along the water. The beach looked nice, but I had planned another ambitious day in the mountains, and so despite the boys’ pleas we loaded up and headed out after only an hour spent in the coolness of the mountain morning.

Hiawassee has much more to offer visitors than a county beach and BBQ, but further exploration would be saved for another time. Besides its proximity to the state line and therefore dozens of recreational options in North Carolina, the town is also within easy driving distance from a score of state and county parks. In addition, it’s in the heart of the Chattahoochee National Forest; this puts sites such as Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in the state, within a 30 minute drive. Can you guess where we were headed next?

Fall Colors in the Upstate SC and Vicinity

The fall equinox and the official end of summer are just around the corner, and you know what that means… It’s time for the annual display of fall foliage! We’re lucky to live close to so many public lands that offer a variety of hikes and drives that showcase this vibrant seasonal show, so grab your camera and hit the road for what promises to be another fantastic year of color!

WHEN TO GO:

Although the exact height of color varies from year to year, the time to go leaf-viewing is somewhat predictable based on geographic location and summer weather, and this year’s predictions are calling for a close-to-normal schedule. The Blue Ridge Mountain Foliage Guide calls for peak color October 1 through October 10 for areas above 5,000ft, and October 10-20 for areas between  4,000 and 5,000ft. This covers most spots in the Appalachians: more specifically, the Great Smoky and the Blue Ridge Mountains. To maximize your fall foliage experience, start north in the mountains late this month and in early October, and mid- to late October head to destinations closer to the Upstate.

Many of the State Parks and other popular leaf-viewing areas have up-to-date information on color levels on their websites. Here are a few links for current conditions:
The Smoky Mountain Fall Foliage map

Blue Ridge Mountain Life Fall Foliage Forecast and Guide

Appalachian State University

The Blue Ridge County Daily on facebook

Autumn on the Blue Ridge Parkway

WHERE TO GO:

A world-famous leaf-peeping destination is the Blue Ridge Parkway. The 469-mile drive meanders from North Carolina all the way to Virginia, and a longer drive on the Parkway in October through changing elevations and aspects will most likely yield some sections at peak color. Plan a hike or two at locations such as Graveyard Fields (milepost 418, elevation 5,120ft), Linville Falls (milepost 316.3, elevation 3,360ft) or Sam Knob (milepost 420, elevation 6,045ft) for the full experience. (For those looking for a longer road trip, the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park is also an autumn leaf-viewing drive destination – Blackrock Summit is an awesome hike ending in almost 360˚ views of the mountains that will soon be bursting with color!)

Blackrock Summit in Shenandoah National Park

Not too far off the Blue Ridge Parkway, these North Carolina parks will give you an early preview of color (due to their high altitude) and unbeatable views for next couple of months; Grandfather Mountain near Linville, Blowing Rock near Boone, and Mount Mitchell (highest peak in the state of NC) are three of our favorite fall destinations in the Blue Ridge Mountains. And on your way north into the Appalachians plan a stop at Looking Glass Falls near Brevard in the Pisgah National Forest; this roadside waterfall will leave you breathless!

Looking Glass Falls

Been-there, done-that in North Carolina? Head west to Georgia with a stop at the Chattooga River before making your way up to Brasstown Bald, the highest point in the state of Georgia. Scenic Anna Ruby Falls and Tallulah Falls in the awesome Tallulah Gorge also deserve a mention as two of the tallest waterfalls on this side of the Mississippi that, come autumn, cascade through a riot of color into their mountain coves.

Looking for a destination closer to home? Chimney Rock, NC is just over an hour from Greenville, and together with nearby Lake Lure and the Rocky Broad Riverwalk offer views, hikes, waterfalls and lake views galore.

View from Bald Rock near Cleveland, SC

Autumn at the Biltmore Estate is a special time, and the mountains around Asheville are well-known for the hardwood forests that turn brilliant yellows, reds and oranges this time of year. Nearby find the North Carolina Arboretum, the 343-acre preserve that becomes a kaleidoscope of colors every fall.

Just because the viewing tower at Sassafras Mountain is still under construction shouldn’t keep you from heading up to the highest point in South Carolina for spectacular views of the leaves turning in four states!

Triple Falls in DuPont State Forest

Any one of the dozens of waterfalls in the Upstate and nearby North Carolina will offer spectacular scenery with a backdrop of color as the leaves turn. Head to DuPont State Forest and the Hooker Falls area for a 3-mile hike that encompasses three waterfalls including the majestic Triple Falls. Or try Raven Cliff Falls, a 2.2 mile one-way hike to the overlook or the 8-mile round trip hike to the top of one of the most scenic spots in the Upstate.

The Blue Ridge Escarpment offers a multitude of hiking and viewing options this fall. Our favorite views are from Pretty Place (verify chapel hours before making the trip!), Caesars Head State Park, Bald Rock Heritage Preserve and Jumping Off Rock, all around an hour’s drive from Greenville. The lower elevations mean peak leaf color will be in mid- to late October.

View of Lake Jocassee from Jumping Off Rock

If you’re not looking to make the drive up into the mountains, go for a drive on Scenic Highway 11 that  follows the base of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and offers unbeatable views of the foothills such as the often-photographed Table Rock. Plan a stop at Table Rock State Park or Long Shoals Wayside Park for a picnic and some fresh mountain air.

Only have a few hours to spare? Head to Paris Mountain State Park for a hike to Mountain Lake, take a ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, or go for a stroll in Falls Park with a stop at the iconic beech tree with its exposed roots and effervescent yellow foliage. Pack an apple from one of the nearby orchards to snack on, and enjoy fall in the Upstate in all its glory!

WHAT TO BRING:

While we still have some hot days ahead of us here in Greeville, remember that higher elevations mean cooler temperatures, especially in the a.m.; bring warm clothes and a steaming thermos of coffee, tea, hot chocolate or cider to warm up that brisk mountain morning!

Maps and directions will come in handy when you lose cellphone coverage up in the mountains! If you’re headed into the mountains, bring an atlas or state highway map for easy reference to nearby cities and possible scenic routes. Or, if you plan on taking a cruise on the Blue Ridge Drive, print off a mile-marker map for easy reference to all the pull-offs, hikes and visitors centers in the park.

Finally, bring your entire family. You’ll find that the pictures you take of your autumn excursion are nowhere near as vibrant as the memories you’ll make with your loved ones.

Bull Sluice on the Chattooga

The 85,000-acre Andrew Pickens Ranger District is named for the Revolutionary War General Andrew Pickens. It is one of the three districts of Sumter National Forest; I used to work in the Enoree District, quite a different geography than this mountainous area!

A sign at the parking area offers a glimpse into what autumn holds in store for us

The abuse wrought on the land by the early settlers left large areas worthless for farming and timber production. The abandoned land ended up in federal hands in the early 1900s, and it was designated a national forest in 1920. The National Forest is bordered on the west by the Chattooga River, one of the few remaining free-flowing streams in the Southeast. The river also forms the border of South Carolina and Georgia, from the NC border to its confluence with the Tallulah River (and subsequent renaming as the Tugaloo River). With its remoteness, dense forests and rich diversity of plant and animal life, this is a highly unique place and has been recognized as such; it was declared the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River on May 10^th, 1974. This designation protects a 15,432 acre corridor along the river, including the section running through the Ellicott Rock Wilderness, the spot where SC, NC and GA come together.

at the trailhead

The Chattooga winds through the mountains for 57 miles from its headwaters to the southwest of Cashiers, NC. It is flat and calm in places, suitable for swimming and tubing, however in other sections it becomes whitewater, with dangerous rapids resulting in portages for even skilled paddlers. One such spot is Bull Sluice, a benchmark Class IV+ rapid during normal flow (it becomes even more dangerous and almost impassable during low water). Infamous for being featured in the movie “Deliverance,” the rapids are located near the highway 76 bridge and the boat/raft put-in parking area for Section 4, making it a popular destination for whitewater rafters and kayakers. Bull Sluice is actually the largest & final rapid on Section 3 of the Chattooga, and many boaters who are running Section 4 (which is narrower and more dangerous) will first run Bull Sluice.

overlooking Bull Sluice with low water

As it’s just a short hike, Bull Sluice is also popular as a swimming hole with a sandy beach a few hundred feet below the rapid. There is supposedly a small cave under the main flow of water where swimmers can watch boaters running the rapid above them. With three young children we stayed well away from the rapids, leaving the exploring to older and more adventurous. After soaking in the scene we retraced our steps back to the paved road that leads from the parking area to the beach, stripped off our shoes, and enjoyed a few quiet hours in the cool waters of the river.

freshwater mussels!

To access the river and the Bull Sluice rapids, park in the large parking area on the north side of Highway 76. The road to the beach departs to the left from the shelter, and the trail to the Bull Sluice overlook is just a few hundred yards further going off to the right. From the parking area you’ll also find stairs that lead down to US76 and cross the river for a scenic view upriver. This is the spur trail that continues on 11 miles to link to the William Bartram Trail, the trail that retraces the famous explorer/naturalist/writer’s 1773 journey through the region. A viewing platform on the south side of the river is accessible from a pull-off also on the downriver side; it is not possible for pedestrians to cross the highway, you must drive to reach the parking area on the opposite side.

looking west into Georgia

While we didn’t stop at either on this trip, there are two waterfalls on the SC side in close proximity to US76 at this point: Fall Creek Falls and the 50-ft Long Creek Falls that cascades into the Chattooga. Don’t confuse Fall Creek Falls with Falls Creek Falls up in the direction of Jones Gap; Fall Creek Falls is a difficult, 2 mile downstream hike (although the multiple waterfalls ranging from 30-50 feet in height along the mile-long stretch of creek are worth it in my opinion!). And since the Chattooga is considered a great spot for some fishing, consider the Andrew Pickens a destination that has it all: swimming, picnicking, rafting, kayaking, waterfall-viewing, hiking and fishing! 

On the summit of Sassafras Mountain

It’s the highest point in the state of South Carolina and a spot to keep in mind as you start planning where to go this autumn to see the annual display of color. Sassafras Mountain: elevation 3,553’. The peak straddles not only the line between North and South Carolina, but the Eastern Continental Divide; from its summit four states are visible on a clear day. Still, this scenic viewpoint is one of the most easily accessed “highest points” in the US, perfect for a family day trip from Greenville.

View from the observation tower looking west

It wasn’t always accessible. Although long the site of a fire lookout tower, it was only in the 1990s that the SC DNR acquired the acreage of what is now known as the Jocassee Gorges. The last 4.5 miles of road to the summit were paved, a gravel parking lot was installed, and in 2010, three acres of trees were cleared from the summit, revealing the views that can be seen today. The breakthrough in the Sassafras Mountain lookout point project also came that year when 4.9 acres on the North Carolina side of the state line were acquired by the Conservation Fund and then donated to the SC DNR. In 2012 a boulder with a bronze plaque was installed at the highest point, formally marking the spot that for years had been a matter of guesswork. Finally in April 2019 the long-awaited Sassafras Mountain Tower opened, featuring several viewing platforms, multiple trails and overlooks, educational signage, picnic tables, and restrooms.

We were en route west to Georgia on Labor Day weekend, opting to take the scenic Highway 11 along the base of the foothills from where it’s just a small detour to reach the top of Sassafras. From Pickens it’s 16 miles north on US 178 to Rocky Bottom, where after making a right turn (east) on F. Van Clayton Memorial Highway it’s about 5 miles to the end of the road (just short of the summit). From the parking area there are currently three trails leading in three directions: the Foothills trail headed east 14.2 miles to Caesars Head, a trail west to the temporary viewing platform that looks south and southwest over the Upstate, and a gravel road leading north to the summit and further to Oconee State Park via the Foothills trail west.

We snapped pictures at the official highest point, views stretching to the Highlands in North Carolina, Mount Pisgah on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Chattooga Ridge near Walhalla and all the way to Georgia and (supposedly) Tennessee (I say supposedly because although it was easy to pick out the Georgia range, I wasn’t sure if it was the Smoky Mountains in TN we were looking at in the distance).

This is the separation point for three distinct watersheds: two into the Atlantic and one into the Gulf. Water draining from the east side flows into the South Saluda, then on to the Broad River, the Congaree and then into the Santee-Cooper Lakes, ending up in the Atlantic. Water from the south side of the mountain drains into Eastatoe Creek, running through Lake Keowee and Lake Hartwell down to the Savannah River and into the Atlantic. Water from the north and west side of the mountain flows into the French Broad, making its way north through Asheville and Knoxville into the Tennessee River, then the Ohio River and finally the Mississippi (all the way up to Cairo, IL!) before flowing back down south into the Gulf of Mexico.

Seizing the opportunity for a quick lesson on using maps and compass

The tower and viewing platform also straddles the North and South Carolina state line. We walked a short distance west to a rock outcrop where a marker for the state line can be found. The boys had their fun jumping back and forth between states before we retraced our steps on the Foothills trail back to the summit.

The Foothills trail is a 77-mile long trail that stretches along the foothills of the Appalachians from Table Rock State Park to Oconee State Park. It also serves as an alternate method of reaching the Sassafras summit if one is not inclined to drive; it’s just a 2.1 mile hike to Chimneytop Gap on Highway SC Highway 178. The 28 miles of Foothills trail between Oconee and the Upper Whitewater Falls are designated National Recreation Trail, and as it snakes along the Blue Ridge Escarpment it crosses through National Forest, State Park, Wild & Scenic River, and Wilderness Areas, as well as in and out of North Carolina.

From the summit a trail leads to the old observation platform that looks south and southwest over the Upstate. This viewing deck is also accessible from the end of the parking area, and from this vantage point it is easier to imagine how the view must have looked before the trees were cleared, as the panorama is abruptly cut off to either side by a thick canopy.

The Sassafras Summit ranks 29^th amongst all the states in the category of tallest peaks, neighboring North Carolina’s Mount Mitchell coming in 16^th at 6,684’, and Georgia’s Brasstown Bald 25^th at 4,784’. Although nearby Tennessee also has a higher peak (Clingmans Dome, 17^th at 6,643’), at least we’ve got Florida beat – at 345’ Britton Hill comes in dead last, even after the District of Columbia… However, this ranking shouldn’t stop you from making the 60-minute drive from Greenville this autumn; the drive is scenic, the view is unbeatable, and the fresh mountain air will inspire and invigorate you to climb more peaks!

A waterslide at Long Shoals Wayside Park

Just because the Greenville County waterparks close after Labor Day weekend doesn’t mean you still can’t get some end-of-summer water slide action in! There are a few more weeks of hot days ahead of us here in the Upstate, plenty of time to enjoy this local spot with waterplay for all ages – Long Shoals Wayside Park.

One of two points of access to the creek from the parking area

Little Eastatoe Creek flows parallel to the Cherokee Foothill Scenic Highway (Highway 11) before flowing into Eastatoe Creek in the Jocassee Gorges Management Area. Eastatoe forms in the NC and SC foothills, flowing through the scenic “Narrows” with spectacular waterfalls (such as Twin Falls, also known as Eastatoe Falls) on it and its many tributaries along its way to Lake Keowee. Meanwhile, the headwaters of smaller Little Eastatoe are near Mosley Gap, near the intersection of Highway 11 with 178. Shortly before entering the Jocassee Gorges area, Little Eastatoe flows around a bend and through Long Shoals Wayside Park.

This easy-to-miss, 10-acre park just west of Sunset, SC doesn’t have splash pads, tubing or the crowds that you’ll find at local waterparks; instead, it has a long, old-fashioned natural water slide. The smooth, slippery rock is perfect for a run down Little Eastatoe Creek, with its 140-foot smooth slab of algae-covered rock providing a gentle slide that ends in a plunge into a shallow pool at the base. The natural water slide is similar to the famous Sliding Rock in Pisgah National Forest NC, but there are no lifeguards on duty and the park amenities are much more primitive.

One of two picnic tables with the parking lot visible through the trees

In addition to a parking area, there is a small picnic area with bear-proof garbage canisters. We enjoyed a picnic at one of the tables before heading down to the creek, carefully avoiding the poison ivy so prevalent in this area. In my opinion the primitive toilet wasn’t usable, not for its intended use, nor for changing into swimsuits – take care of that at home. The steps and trail down to the creek are short, but steep; exercise caution with small children and after rainy weather. And of course the conditions of Eastatoe Creek vary widely. Higher water levels, debris or many other factors will influence safety; use your best judgement, do not leave children unattended, and understand that there is inherent risk in using a natural slide.

The roadside park is managed by the Andrew Pickens chapter of the Cherokee Foothills Scenic By-Ways Association in partnership with the SC Forestry Commission, SC DNR, SC DoT, the Pickens County Council and Partners for Trout. As a result of this partnership, the cool, clear waters of Little Eastatoe are stocked with 9 to 12-inch brook, brown and rainbow trout, making this also a popular fishing spot with local anglers; you’ll see some smaller trout swimming the pool below the slide. At this point the creek is shallow with a sandy ‘beach’ area, which is well-suited to younger children. We easily spent a couple of hours in the warm summer sun, playing in the creek and taking turns sliding the slide. Although there isn’t much in the way of amenities at this little park, in my opinion the natural waterslide, the scenic beauty of the Jocassee Gorges area and the convenient location to Greenville (just a 45-minute drive!) make this a hidden treasure of Upstate SC.

Below the slide, a beach area perfect for younger children