2/7/2012 The Chattooga River Trail – Burrells Ford – Ellicott Rock SC-NC

HIKERS – John Bellamy, Phil Brownrigg, Dan Euliss, Pam Euliss, Dave Hinson, Bill Hunt, Jack Jacobi, Dick Metzgar, Jeanne O’Connor, Vic Robson, Dan Ross, Pom Sinnock

ELLICOTT ROCK HISTORY – (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) In 1811, Andrew Ellicott made a survey for the State of Georgia to resolve the boundary dispute between Georgia and North Carolina. He marked a large rock in the Chattooga River with “NC-GA”, standing for North Carolina – Georgia.

Two years later commissioners representing South Carolina and North Carolina marked a large rock along the Chattooga River bank with the inscription “Lat 35 AD 1813 NC + S.C.” as the juncture where the South Carolina and North Carolina state lines joined. The rock marked by the S.C. and N.C. commissioners in 1813, rather than the rock marked by Ellicott in 1811, is usually called Ellicott’s Rock. It is also known as Ellicott Rock. This is commonly accepted as the point where the boundary lines of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia join. There are two versions in print on the distance between the two rocks. One is that Ellicott’s original rock was 500 ft upstream.[2] In the other story, the rocks are much closer. De Hart’s South Carolina Trails guide said that they are a “few feet apart.”[3] In the North Carolina trail guide, he said Commissioner Rock is “ten feet downstream”

This rock was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and is located in Ellicott Rock Wilderness. The South Carolina Department of Archives and History has additional information, and copies of the nomination forms.

TRAIL INFORMATION – Parking at Burrell’s Ford Campground parking lot, we hiked up the Chattooga River to Ellicott Rock and back. We also did the side trail up to Spoonauger Falls. It is a mostly flat hike with only a few short inclines. Most of the hike keeps you in view of the federally designated “Wild and Scenic Chattooga River” The forest is mixed with majestic White Pines and Eastern Hemlocks along with various hardwoods, rhododendrons and mountain laurel. We rate the hike easy except for several large trees down across the trail and one difficult stream crossing (depending on the water level).

Directions: From Walhalla, take SC 28 north to SC 107. Turn right onto SC 107 and follow for 10 miles to Forest Service road 708 (Burrells Ford Road on left). Travel about 2 miles or so down this gravel road and park in the campground parking lot .

Another great day for a hike! Fair and cold with temperatures ranging from 19 to 38 degrees F. Hiking distance – approx. 7.6 miles.

FLOWERS IN BLOOM: none

BIRDS IDENTIFIED:Carolina Chickadee, American Crow, Pileated Woodpecker, Robin, Belted Kingfisher and 14 Turkeys.

OTHER FAUNA: Rainbow Trout