SC/GA: Chattooga River thru hike (~40+ miles)

[TallPaul]

These pictures are just awesome!

Thank ya… when I got home I realized how many dog pics I had. Pretty fun having her along

Nice write up and great pictures. Thanks for sharing

Much appreciated Deb

Nice write up and amazing pictures. Makes me want to go back to the Chatooga River for a backpacking trip - last time I was there was for a whitewater kayak/rafting trip.

Gorgeous area - I’ll be in the general vicinity next year on the AT but I may have to make an effort to do a weeklong trip sooner than that.

Thanks for the report!

Thanks DocTheo… it was a fun one. The Foothills would be an good winter training area for your AT hike. I’m not a whitewater kayaker but I bet that would be fun on the river.

AWESOME!!!!

Thanks to you & your recommendation of a shuttle driver it was easy to plan my FHT hike last year. I'm gonna add this to my list.

Thank you

It’s a good un if you want a change of pace. Not many folks after the CRT branches off from the FHT. Lots of campsites I wish I could have stayed at if I had more time.

Excellent write up and photos!
Thanks for taking the time & sharing.
I loved my short time along the Chatooga River, when I hiked the Foothhills Trail. Such a beautiful river.

willin'

Glad you enjoyed the write up and pics. I’m not sure they do the river justice but it gives you a taste of it. Lots of good places to lollygag.

Great trail report & pics!

Your pup looks pretty relaxed, laying with you in the hammock. Looks like a really pretty area too.

Thanks for posting.

Lacey had a great time - she’s always eager to hit the trail and for some shut eye at night.

What a thorough trip report with great pictures! I've done that same hike a couple of years ago with some friends and really liked it. There are so many good trails in that area (as you know) that one could spend a lot of time exploring and connecting them on various different routes without really having to drive overly far.

I bet that was a fun trip with friends. I had fun but it got a little hot. Not that 90 is hot for SC but it made me ready to hit higher elevations. Ive got one other trail I was eyeing near Rabun Bald that I might have to see if you or Swampfox have any intel one. Probably save that one for the fall though.

[smkymtns]

I really enjoyed the pictures and report. My adventures in backpacking started oh, so many years ago along the Chattooga River trail. So many good times spent hiking, boating and tubing on the Chattooga. I kinda figured that it would be cooler in the Smokies that weekend, but even at 5000' it got into the mid-80s.

[Hang Williams]

It's definitely a pretty area, though I was surprised by how much of the trail was away from the river when I went. Glad you got to get out and enjoy it.

[TallPaul]

I really enjoyed the pictures and report. My adventures in backpacking started oh, so many years ago along the Chattooga River trail. So many good times spent hiking, boating and tubing on the Chattooga. I kinda figured that it would be cooler in the Smokies that weekend, but even at 5000' it got into the mid-80s.

I remember doing a multi day trip by Beauty Spot on the AT & the heat was unbearable. Sometimes you can't escape it.
I was daydreaming about how nice it would have been to float some sections. Just need a sherpa willing to carry a pack raft.

It's definitely a pretty area, though I was surprised by how much of the trail was away from the river when I went. Glad you got to get out and enjoy it.

Yea it definitely enters the forest a lot. The other thing to remember is the trail is nothing like a wide greenway going downhill... there's a fair amount of scrambling up & down in parts along the river banks. Not difficult... but its something that doesn't show up with you look at the elevation profile.

[Twistytee]

Lacey looks so content in those photos Paul. Now that you got the CRT under your belt I’m thinking Art Loeb nobo is on the horizon...

[TallPaul]

Lacey looks so content in those photos Paul. Now that you got the CRT under your belt I’m thinking Art Loeb nobo is on the horizon...

Maybe? I might need to test my legs out on something in the middle of the CRT / ALT to make sure I could cover the elevation gain. Isn’t it somewhere between 8-10k total? Might do some out and backs on the Uwharrie over Dennis and Lick Mtn. That’s like 2k according CalTopo math.

[Twistytee]

Maybe? I might need to test my legs out on something in the middle of the CRT / ALT to make sure I could cover the elevation gain. Isn’t it somewhere between 8-10k total? Might do some out and backs on the Uwharrie over Dennis and Lick Mtn. That’s like 2k according CalTopo math.

I was being somewhat tongue and cheek just given those unexpected ups and downs on the Fork Mountain/CRT section. Art Loeb is ~7,600’ of elevation gain going nobo, and supposedly that stretch when your cross the BRP is the toughest. I still plan to tackle it this summer or fall, but plenty of “in-betweeners” to do too.