Hike Along the Chattooga River Trail

It wasn’t long ago that I’d skimmed through a magazine on the shelves of Barnes & Noble, and gleamed this nugget of information: Deliverance was filmed on the Chattooga River between South Carolina and Georgia. So only fate can account for it showing on some random cable channel when I’ve got a flight booked to head down there this weekend. I’d been locked in a weeklong debate regarding where to spend this much needed weekend in the woods, and that settled it- Chattooga here I come.

More Photos >>

The beginning of the East Fork Trail is easy enough for Timmy and Sparky.

Only 3 other hikers spotted on the easy grade of the East Fork Trail.

Across this brook was one of the strangest rock formations I’ve ever seen, but I was thankful it was there.

The northwest corner of South Carolina contains a quarter of the 8000 acres that make up the Ellicott Wilderness Area. Named for Andrew Ellicott, the original surveyor of this land, the area contains a few notable geographic features, including the Chattooga River, and Ellicott Rock, the cornerstone where South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia come together.

Our journey begins at the Walhalla Fish Hatchery off Route 107 in the northwestern corner of the state. The Hatchery deserves your attention for at least a brief moment, as it’s thousands of residents are awaiting your arrival. For just a quarter, you can make some fish’s dreams come true. If you’ve never been to a hatchery before, definitely check it out.

To get to the trailhead for the East Fork trail, from the parking lot, head past the restrooms, over the wooden footbridge, and through the picnic area. The actual trail beginning is marked, on the left just past the picnic pavilion.

With rushing water nearby providing the soundtrack for your adventure, you’re immediately greeted by a lush green forest. This place seemed like more of a rain forest than some actual rain forests I’ve visited. Thick carpets of bright green moss is on the offense, attacking and engulfing anything it can get its hands on, and leaving me afraid to stand still for more than a few minutes.

Making your way down the trail, you’ll cross a couple wooden bridges, flanked by small cascades, as you descend closer to the roar of the East Fork. Water is a key feature of this hike, and you’re not in any danger of running out of it. The trail widens for a little while, giving you your last chance to breathe before the confines of the rest of the hike settle in. Another water crossing is aided by a not-so-precise placement of giant square pieces of concrete.

A look around the sides of the trail reveal an abundance of Rhododendrons, Mountain Laurel, and some of the largest trees East of the Mississippi. Some of these hardwoods tower more than 100 feet, and are up to 5 feet in diameter.

When the trail finally meets the water, there’s a nice rock to perch on for a break. Behind it is a 747-sized piece of granite that bleeds water like a 50-cal gunshot wound. The trail, up until now, is quite kid-friendly. But now it narrows, and gets much rockier, and probably isn’t a good idea to continue without a decent pair of boots.

Continue following the East Fork as it rushes down to it’s meeting the big boss. Just prior to reaching the Chattooga, a trail intersection gives you the choice to extend your hike a little more than 3 miles by going out and back to Ellicott Rock. If you’ve never been in 3 states at once before, it’s not very exciting, but it is a part of history, so I’m sure some of you want to do it.

At the same intersection, make a left over a fairly long footbridge, picking up the Chattooga Trail. If this is your first time down here, and have never seen the river before, feel free to wander off to the right. You can’t take more than a hundred steps without falling right into it. Just make sure you keep an eye on where you’re coming from, because you’ll want to get back on the Chattooga trail shortly. You’ll notice that there are plenty of campgrounds lining the river area, so if you don’t see a one now, you’ll have your pick later, don’t worry about it.

Continuing downstream on the trail, it widens and begins a short climb, alternating between bluffs overlooking the river, and a beachside sand surface. If you get to the intersection between the Chattooga and Connector Trails, there are some great campsites nearby. Just remember to pitch your tent more than 50 feet from water and trail. You should have no problem meeting this requirement.

After setting up camp, make your way a bit down to the spur trail that leads to Spoonager falls. It leaves directly from the river, climbing steeply up switchbacks to a gushing waterfall cascading down the mountainside some 50 feet. If you’ve got sandals and a swimsuit, some frolicking might be in order.

Back to camp, you can cook up some store-bought grub, or angle for trout in the river. Don’t stay out too late though! You don’t want a guy with no teeth to show up, talking about how purty your mouth is!

1 | 2 | Continue >>