After years of not getting to go back to Rocky Bottom, aka the Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve trail, I finally got mad enough to make my schedule allow me to go. Kelly was not excited about me going alone on a hike into nowhere but I had to get it out of my system. So heres some of the memories of my happy place.
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| This map appears about 1/3th of the way in. |
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| Driving West on Hwy 11 |
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| Westbound on Hwy 11 |
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| Landmark: Pumpkintown |
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| Landmark: Aunt Sue's |
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| Table Rock |
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| Driving Horseshoe Rd to Parking Lot |
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| Parking Lot Entrance |
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| Beginning on the trail |
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| People can ride ATV's at the start. |
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| Foothills Trail sign: 2.7 miles to go |
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| Foot traffic only: .25 miles in |
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| Beginnings of trail |
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| Trail moments |
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| Springs that create muck to cross. |
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| One of the Old man face rocks. |
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| Easy parts of the trail. |
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| From the above sign, 1/3 done. |
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| More of the steps. |
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| Trail changed here; descent begins |
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| Descent is not as treacherous now. |
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| The steps help a lot. |
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| This is kind of like the old part. |
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| Sweet relief, near the end, but... |
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| Dense SC Forest. |
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| Sliding rock portion from Narrows. |
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| T-intersection: Camp or the Narrows. |
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| Coming from trail to campfire ring. |
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| So glad to get that hammock set up. |
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| Plateau campfire ring. |
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| Prepping to leave in morning. |
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| Site of my standoff with Firefly. |
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| Glassy Rock looking to east. |
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| I missed Glassy Rock to the Right. |
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| At the trailhead. |
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| More Hwy 11 views near Table Rock. |
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| From 178 to Horseshoe Rd. |
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| Close to stairs. |
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| Up from the trailhead. |
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| Trail moments. |
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| Blurry version of the trail. |
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| Nice and easy up hill. |
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| In bound to descent. |
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| Much easier than before. |
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| Trail Descending more. |
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| Rock from the state video. |
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| Down stream from the narrows. |
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| Plateau campsite |
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| My campsite |
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The new and improved view of the NARROWS. I forgot to take a picture of the overlook platform.
The above is from the Overlook platform.
And this is what the campsite looks and sounds like.
And when it was said and done, despite my being so tired from being out of shape, I was so happy to see it again. I told Dad, even though the trail was changed, two things stayed the same:
My backpack was too heavy and I am too out of shape for this trail.
