The Winding Stairs Trail, especially when paired with a visit to nearby Walhalla, combined the outdoors with learning and dining.
Jack Thyen
Miuka Falls tumbles 75 feet, and is one of two great falls along the Winding Stairs Trail.
Oconee County, South Carolina, provided Laurie and me with one of those rare perfect days where nothing disappoints and everything exceeds expectations.
The day began on what may be one of the state’s most perfect woodlands strolls, Winding Stairs Trail. Why perfect? Well, first off it loses only 1,000 feet in elevation along its 3.5-mile length; no steep inclines to cause pain to knees or ankles. If you are unable to do a car shuttle, the return walk back up the mountain is on this same moderately easy slope. Secondly, it passes through a multitude of rhododendron and mountain laurel along with other spring and summertime flowers. Thirdly, there are two great waterfalls that require just a bit of off-trail scrambling to enjoy. And, finally, if you can’t find a good backcountry campsite, there’s a forest service campground located a few steps from its lower end.
We met Ken Sloan, president and CEO of Visit Oconee South Carolina, at the upper trailhead. As we walked, he gathered and educated us on the virtues of chanterelle mushrooms.
When You Go
The Walk: A moderately easy 3.5-mile one way (7 miles out-and-back) outing past two waterfalls near Walhalla, South Carolina.
Trailhead Directions: From Walhalla, drive SC 28 West for 7.5 miles, bear right onto SC 107 and drive 8.8 miles to the upper trailhead. (If doing a car shuttle, you would have turned right onto Tamassee Road 5.8 miles after turning onto SC 107 and continued another 2.5 miles to the lower trailhead.)
More information: A brief trail description and map are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/ FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5279505.pdf. Additional attractions information is on VisitOconeeSC.com.
Find out more about Leonard’s walking and hiking adventures at habitualhiker.com.
“They’re incredibly versatile. I put them in just about anything—scrambled eggs, soup, pizza, sautéed. I even freeze them for use later.”
The first waterfall, 75-foot Miuka Falls, can be seen, somewhat, from a switchback at 1.2 miles into the hike, while we slithered a few yards off trail to take a look at Secret Falls at 1.8 miles.
Continuing down the trail, I was privileged to see something that I have never seen in the thousands of miles of hiking I’ve done. Almost hidden by forest floor vegetation was an amazingly small chipmunk that could not have been more than a few days old...
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The excerpt above is from our May/June 2019 issue. For the rest of the story, and more like it, subscribe today or log in to the digital edition with your active digital subscription. Thank you!