5/20/08 Foothills Trail Whitewater Falls, NC

HIKERS – Phil Brownrigg, Chuck Crisp, Greta Driggers, Pam Euliss, Jack Jacobi, Deena Johns, Dick Metzgar, Wayne Miller, Donna Presley, Tony Presley, Joe Raguckas, Doug Russell and Pom Sinnock.

TRAIL INFO. – This hike has two of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Eastern U.S. Upper Whitewater Falls and Lower Whitewater Falls. The trail below the upper falls has some tricky footing as you climb over rocks and large boulders to an iron bridge across the Whitewater River. The trail is normally well maintained but some storms moved through a few days before and there were several significant tree-fallsacross the trail. They were only a minor nuisance as we climbed over and under them.Trail route today – Started in parking lot of the upper falls and hiked up to the falls and down to the viewing platform – then down the mountain and joining the Foothills Trail down to the river and across the bridge continuing to the junction with the Bad Creek assess trail – turn left on the Foothills continuing to the side trail for the Lower Whitewater Falls and on down the the viewing deck for lunch. Then backtracked to the base of the upper falls and up the Foothills Trail taking the left loop up the the upper end of the parking lot rather than going back to the upper falls.

Difficulty rating – Strenuous due to extreme elevation changes on each end of the route but flat and easy in the middle portion along the river.

Directions: From Seneca SC, take Scenic Highway 11 past Tamassee, to Salem, SC continue to the intersection SC 11 and SC 130. Turn left onto 130 and drive approx. 10 miles. Look for the entrance to the Whitewater Falls Recreation Area and parking lot.

Another great day for a hike! Fair, with temperatures ranging from the mid 60’s to the upper 70’s F.

WILDFLOWERS IN BLOOM: Catesby’s Trillium, Vasey’s Trillium, Colorless Trillium, Foam Flower, Golden Alexander, Wild Geranium, Squawroot, Robin’s Plaintain, Rattlesnake Weed, Tulip Poplar, Black Locust, Oil Nut, Yellow Stargrass, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Bluet, Devil’s Bit, Southern Wild Ginger, Partridge Berry, Solomon’s Seal, False-Solomon’s Seal, Mountain Laurel, American Euonymus, White Violet and Sweet Shrub.

BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Ovenbird, Red-eyed Vireo, White-Breasted Nuthatch , Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Pileated Woodpecker, Crow.