12/2/2014 Whitewater Falls, Upper and Lower, Foothills Trail, NC/SC

HIKERS – Karen Brown, Phil Brownrigg, Greta Driggers, Jim Driggers, Pam Euliss, Arleane Gales, Stephen Gales, Tim Hale, Bill Hunt, Dick Metzgar, Jeanne O’Connor, Trushna Nadig, Tony Presley, Joe Raguckas, Sandy Robson, Vic Robson, Carole Wintle and Jack Wintle.

TRAIL INFO: The Foothills Trail offers two of the most spectacular Waterfalls in the U.S.A. They are located near the border of NC and SC. The Upper Falls is most viewed since it is only a half-mile hike from the parking lot. The Lower Falls requires a hike of 5+ miles round trip if hiked from the Bad Creek Trail access. Both waterfalls have a nice observation deck for great views.

DIRECTIONS: 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. The Bad Creek Project access is about a half-mile south of the entrance to Whitewater Falls.

Another great day for a hike! Sunny with temperatures ranging 48 to 63 degrees F. – Terrain is rated moderately difficult due to elevation change. Distance hiked – Approximately 6 miles.

WILDFLOWERS IN BLOOM: none.

BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Carolina Wren, Blue Jay, Crow and Nuthatch.

Getting ready at the Whitewater Falls Parking Area.

A nice asphalt trail up to the falls viewing area.

The upper viewing area. From here there is a staircase down to an observation deck for amazing views.

The view from the observation Deck.

Don’t forget your camera when you come to this place!

Climbing the staircase back to the top.

Next, we took a short drive down to the Bad Creek Project trail parking lot.

The Bad Creek connector leads us down to the Whitewater River bridge.

The Whitewater River continues down to produce Lower Whitewater Falls. We hike another 1.7 miles to the lower falls viewing area.

Spectacular Lower Whitewater Falls.

Having our lunch on the Lower Whitewater Falls viewing deck.

We decide to take the service road back to our parking area in order to make it a loop hike with views from the falls down to Lake Jocassee.

Lake Jocassee!

The OFHC gang for today’s hike. (l-r) Tony Presley, Pam Euliss, Tim Hale, Bill Hunt, Dick Metzgar, Arleane Gales, Stephen Gales, Trushna Nadig, Jack Wintle, Carole Wintle, Karen Brown, Jeanne O’Connor, Vic Robson, Greta Driggers, Phil Brownrigg, Sandy Robson, Jim Driggers and Joe Raguckas. .