Another closed road to the trailhead today meant a 30 mile detour.
Lake Lanier - Not the much bigger Lake Lanier in Georgia, this one was near Tryon, NC
Lake Lanier
Houses crowd every inch of shoreline on tiny Lake Lanier
Palmetto Trail - Well, I found the trailhead but not the one I was looking for. This is the eastern end of the Blue Wall Passage section of the Palmetto Trail, not my intended walk.
One last shot of Lake Lanier
Palmetto Trail - Finally, after a long detour, I reached the trailhead at Orchard Lake Campground. This would be my first walk on South Carolina's Palmetto Trail.
Poinsett Passage trailhead - The Palmetto trail is incomplete and broken up in sections. Today I would walk the Poinsett Passage, starting here at Orchard Lake Campground.
Poinsett Passage - The trails starts out as a short road walk before ducking into the woods to walk beside the road for awhile.
Poinsett Passage - Here is where the trail ducks into the woods
Poinsett Passage - The yellow blaze on the tree signifies the Palmetto Trail
The Poinsett Passage - I forgot the name of this common ground cover, but it was abundant in the first few tenths
The Poinsett Passage - Walking the trail not far from the road to the early morning chorus of chainsaws, lawn tractors, and weed eaters.
The Poinsett Passage - Fork Creek Road bends away from the trail
The Poinsett Passage - Remains of an old brick chimney
Poinsett Passage - Phlox?
Poinsett Passage - There were many American Holly trees beside the trail
Poinsett Passage - Even some daffodils
Poinsett Passage - Nice trail work
Poinsett Passage - More ground cover
Poinsett Passage - Independent Baptist Church
Poinsett Passage - The graveyard beside Independent Baptist Church
Poinsett Passage - Red painted state line markers were also abundant. The trail runs parallel to the state line for much of its length, which would turn out to be a problem later
Poinsett Passage - State line marker on the left, trail on the right. (the trail is in South Carolina)
Poinsett Passage - Unfortunately it looks like a graveyard caretaker disposed of many old plastic flowers in the woods.
Poinsett Passage - Nice rockwork at a switchback
Poinsett Passage - The NC side of the trail is private property, the SC side is part of the protected Greenville Watershed
Poinsett Passage - I hope hiking isn't considered trespassing. :o)
Poinsett Passage - A few ridges were exploding with bloodroot
Poinsett Passage - Bloodroot
Poinsett Passage - These guys get started early before the trees bloom out
Poinsett Passage - one more of the bloodroot
Poinsett Passage - My guess is these tiny guys are Halberd-Leaved Violets. They weren't fully opened yet.
Poinsett Passage - Starting to crest the ridge amongst the mountain laurel bushes
Poinsett Passage - Looking down into the North Saluda River gorge and Poinsett Watershed.
Poinsett Passage - Not sure what this very tiny little flower tucked under a ledge was.
Poinsett Passage - More views into the Watershed
Poinsett Passage - Windfall debris started appearing around the switchback area, but this was nothing compared to what was in store for me later.
Poinsett Passage - Views to the south
Poinsett Passage - Looking south into the Poinsett Watershed
Poinsett Passage - This picture didn't turn out the way I planned. :o) This ledge had a steep cliff and the breeze coming up from the valley floor was pleasant.
Poinsett Passage - Looking down into the gorge through which the North Saluda River cuts
Poinsett Passage - More big windfalls
Poinsett Passage - Obviously a trillium, not sure which kind...my guess is trailing trillium?
Poinsett Passage - A big hilltop house beside the trail. This is where I'd get picked up later after getting lost.
Poinsett Passage - The trail now ducks to the south side of the ridge. (and into the intense sun)
Poinsett Passage - The WSPA TV tower on the opposite ridge
Poinsett Passage - Approaching the kiosk on Hogback Mountain Road
Poinsett Passage - The kiosk and gated road
Poinsett Passage - Now on a road walk with occassional good views into South Carolina's Upstate.
Poinsett Passage - Yep, this is the last 1.9 miles of the 'trail', a steep climb over Rocky Spur.
Poinsett Passage - Views into South Carolina and the new blooms of Spring at the lower elevations
Poinsett Passage - More watershed views
Poinsett Passage - View of a small lake from the edge of the Blue Ridge escarpment
Poinsett Passage - Finally reached Vaughns Gap and the western trailhead for the Blue Wall Passage section of the Palmetto Trail
Poinsett Passage - Western trailhead for the Blue Wall Passage
Poinsett Passage - The trail kiosk
Poinsett Passage - Now heading back, this is the hump over Rocky Spur and the highest point on today's walk at 3060'.
Poinsett Passage - Done with road walk, now back on the trail
Poinsett Passage - More views into the gorge
Poinsett Passage - I almost stepped on this guy, a striped garter snake sunning himself on the trail. (first snake sighting of 2010)
Poinsett Passage - LOST! Time to fire up the GPS to try to find out where I am. Unfortunately my GPS software doesn't cover this area but at least I have my coordinates.
Poinsett Passage - Lost in tangle of blowdown debris
Poinsett Passage - Locked in by debris in all directions
Poinsett Passage - After being unable to find the trail after many loops...I finally realized I had to call for help.
Poinsett Passage - Whew! After a long ordeal I was finally dropped back at my car by Grady, a Greenville watershed Warden.
