Best local hike

[seenvic]

Got home from riding yesterday and loaded up the kids to take them hiking at the Stevens Creek Heritage Preserve Trail on Garrett Rd. Man, what a day to be in the woods.

It was stunningly beautiful up there. This is a great hiking trail and just about perfect for kids. I had two 5-year olds and a 3-year old and they all handled it with ease.

I would guess the hike is a little under 2 miles. It starts with about 1/3 mile lollipop stick that goes to about a 1-1.2 mile loop. If anything, these estimates are too long.

The trail has a few rare and endangered plant species growing on it with the Florida Gooseberry being the one I remember. It is an ugly little plant full of small thorns. But the SCHP is one of the few (perhaps the only???) places in the world it grows/lives.

I lost my cellphone on the trail and had to run back in to get it. So I did my first bit of trail running in my life. I'd say this would be a "technical" trail run in places.

To get there from Augusta, go up Hwy 28 and turn right onto Garrett Rd in Clarks Hill. Go past La Cantina Restaurant and it is about a mile or so on the left. If you drive over Stevens Creek, you went to far. There is a small parking lot on the left with a sign there. Also, there is a house right across the street from where you park.

Bikes are not allowed there, just FYI.

[dparrott]

I agree
Susan and I have been there a few times - also great in the springtime.

[justjoe]

I hike it at least twice a year, I hope you found the place up top where you look down on Stevens Creek. The view is breathtaking this time of year. There is a swamp chestnut oak along Stevens Creek that has acorns on it the size of shot glass, biggest ones I've ever seen. There is also a ancient red cedar growing on a huge rock up top side but you kinda gotta know where it is to find it cause its off the trail. Beautiful place.

[seenvic]

When we did the re-design of the trail a few years ago, we routed it to those cedar trees. That is the most awesome set of cedars I have ever seen. SCDNR didn't allow that reroute to stay - and I was disappointed. They accepted about 80% of what we suggested, but killed taking the trail to the cedars. To me, that may be the best place on the entire 400 acres.

We designed the steps that take you down to the overlook as well.

The same guy who built Bartram 2 built what we laid out.

[justjoe]

My hats off to who ever had anything to do with the re-design of the trail especially the first section from the top to the first foot bridge. That thing used to be straight up and it was starting to erode from all the foot traffic, the twists and turns are easier on the old knees too.Didya ever notice the fenced in area on the right, down in the woods after you cross the last foot bridge going CW. Looks like they put it there not to keep anything inside but to keep something out...Deer maybe?? Its wire and metal fence posts. Just wondering why its there.

[chaosx44]

Thanks Bill for the info about this trail. I took niece and nephew for a trek yesterday afternoon and we had a great time. Took some pics to share.

Poor little guy got trampled by Lynzie but he seemed okay.


These were cool hanging off a fallen tree


The kids really liked the big rocks


Great view in the tops of the trees

[azdrawdy]

Cool pics. Love the shroom shot.

MD

[Mark Y]

I went up there and walked my pooch Saturday afternoon. With the leaves down you can stray if not paying attention. I didn't note the right turn going in, so walked it CW. I was about to do two loops until I saw the rocks on the left just past the cutoff and said OOPS! I've seen these once already. The trees are blazed but there is a section down close to the water where you go a ways between blazes and the trail is hard to distinguish with all of the leaves.

[dgaddis1]

Nov 29, 2010 9:58:40 GMT -5 chaosx44 said:

Poor little guy got trampled by Lynzie but he seemed okay.

Kinda suprised that dude is still out and about with the cold weather we've had lately.

Nice pics! I need to up there...