Backcountry Camping in SC

[Hoosier T]

I’m visiting a friend who lives in Hilton Head, SC here in April. We want to go out for a few nights for some hiking and BC camping. Any advice on good areas to hike and camp? Would prefer something like a Wilderness area where we can park, hike designate trails, camp, and end up back at the car. Ideally something within three hours of Hilton Head.

[Jim C]

It’s about five hours away, but the Chattooga River Trail is one of my favorite places. The river forms the border between South Carolina and Georgia. Depending on how many miles and days you want to do, you can add some other, nearby trails, like the Foothills Trail.

Unfortunately, there’s not really a way (that I’ve discovered) to make a loop out of it. So you’re either doing an out-and-back, or finding someway to arrange a shuttle. I’ve never attempted the latter.

 

 

[Ben C]

I have only paddled the Chattooga, but it is a beautiful area.  I suspect it would make for great hiking too.  But I would consider a paddle trip there if I was going to be in the area.

[Hoosier T]

Yea we’re not going to be able to take two cars so we really need an area that has a series of trails where we can make a loop. A wilderness area is what I’m after but there are tons in SC and I can’t figure out which ones allow BC camping and which ones are good.

[William Kerber]

I’m in SC and I’m going back to the Chattooga in March. You can make a loop out of it by parking at Sloan Bridge and hiking Fork Mtn trail to the Chattooga trail to Burrell’s Ford and then back to Sloan Bridge via the Foothills trail. However, it’s only a 24 mile trek and my first trip was an overnighter. You could certainly make it 2 nights by searching for Ellicott’s Rock, taking a couple of the spurs to waterfalls and just taking it slow. This is going to be 4+ hrs from Hilton Head.

There’s “dispersed” camping in some of the State/National areas, but I haven’t been to any of those areas. I always go upstate, so hopefully some others will chime in on closer options.

[Hoosier T]

Thanks, William. After researching this more, we are going to do the loop you have mentioned. Looks like an awesome hike.

[William Kerber]

There are a lot of blow downs on the Fork Mtn section. That trail doesn’t seem to get a lot of maintenance. The others are fine.

Did you find this review?

http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/1148992

 

 

[Hoosier T]

Yep, that’s the one. Is that your review? Is the trail passable just rough?

[William Kerber]

Not my review. Yes, the trail was passable 2 years ago. Just a bit of climbing over/under and around. I’ll know more after 3/16. I’m gong to do it again and take 2 days to do a little tenkara fishing and just hang out.

[Hoosier T]

William,

My trip is planned for 4/8. I would greatly appreciate it if you could hop on here after your trip and let me know if the conditions are good.

 

 

[William Kerber]

Sorry, but you are going to have to go without my Intel. This was a trout fishing trip for me that I planned due to our mild winter in SC, so far this year (70-80 degree temps). I was trying to take advantage of what I thought might be an early hatch, but then we dropped into the 20’s this week at night.

The Foothills trail section is always well maintained and the Chattooga trail is pretty decent as well. As far as the Fork Mtn trail leg, I don’t recall a section where I don’t think that I couldn’t have gotten around any type of laydown.

April is usually pretty nice here with lows at night around 40 and daytime highs around 70.

[Author]

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