07/12/2022 – Blue Ridge Railroad Historical Trail/Palmetto Loop near Walhalla, SC

Date: 07/12/2022

Name: Blue Ridge Railroad Historical Trail/Palmetto Loop near Walhalla, SC

Distance: 5.6

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Total Climbing Elevation: 784

Type: Mostly Loop

Notes: All-in-all this was an easy to moderately difficult hike combining two trails into a loop. We began with a short hike to Issaqueena Falls using a path below the viewing platform. This path is tricky, being quite steep over loose dirt, roots and large rocks, not a path to take when wet. However, it is worth the effort and provided a much better view. The Blue Ridge Railroad Historical Trail is marked as the "Yellow Trail, not a loop," but it can be done. It begins near the Issaqueena Falls Trail. It is fairly short, not terribly rocky or rooty, but steep in places. It joins the well established and maintained Palmetto Trail via a short trail to the NW for the return to the trailhead. Overall the trail is in good condition with only one blowdown across the trail which was easily climbed over. While not a lot to see along the trail as far as views or wildflowers, the recent rains have brought out quite a number of attractive fungi. Lots of poison ivy though! We did pass along the Walhalla Reservoir followed by what appeared to be a former reservoir on Cane Creek. There was one small falls on Cane Creek labelled as Pollack Falls. It is not well seen from the trail and we chose not to scramble off the trail to get a better view. Show less

AllTrails Link: Blue Ridge Railroad Historical Trail/Palmetto Loop near Walhalla, SC

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