budget-travels-tips.com - backpacking, hiking and camping Welcome to budget-travels-tips.com
create account   login  
     home : trails : south carolina
    articles  beginners  gear  links  pictures            

Tom Miller / Jones Gap


Hike Name: Tom Miller / Jones Gap
Location: northwest SC
Length: 6
Submitted by: Randy Anderson
Date Submitted: 0/0/00
Rating:

more South Carolina trail reviews
South Carolina national parks
South Carolina state parks
For more trail descriptions and topo maps, try a Free Trial Offer from Trails.com

Description
The Tom Miller/Jones Gap trail is part of 35 miles of trail within the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. The trail connects Caesars Head State Park to Jones Gap State Park. My three children and I started our trip down the Tom Miller trail from the Raven Cliff Falls parking lot. Our trip into the wilderness would be mostly downhill about one and a half miles to our campsite. The trail and the scenery were beautiful as we descended down into the valley of the Middle Saluda River from the top of Caesars Head Mountain.
The Middle Saluda was South Carolinas' first designated scenic river. As we descended we passed through the oak-hickory forest of the drier ridgetop down to the evergreen rhododendron and hemlock that is near the constant moisture of the Middle Saluda. This stream, which does hold trout, was clear and beautiful as it cascaded down over many small and large rocks. There were also numerous small waterfalls along the trail.
There are designated campsites along the trail. Ours' was about 30 yards from the clear flowing stream. What a great place to camp! You must register for a site at either Jones Gap or Caesars Head State Parks. There are also maps at the park headquarters.
We greatly enjoyed our time on this trail as it ended far too quickly. Oh well, just more incentive to go back and see what we didn't get to see.
The trail is well maintained and extremely beautiful. I suggest that you get a trail guide before you go. This guide has great descriptions of the trails and can be found at backpackin store in Greenville, SC.
The trail was easy going in as it was all downhill. The next morning when we got up it became a very strenuous hike as we went back up the long hill that we had come down the day before. Even though there was more strain, the scenery of the wilderness was still incredible. Get out and enjoy one of SC's most beautiful areas, it is a great place to relax and enjoy Gods creation.

Directions to Hike
The trail can be accessed at either Jones Gap or Caesars Head State Parks.

Caesars Head is located on US 276 northwest of Greenville, SC.

Jones Gap is 25 miles northwest of Greenville, SC off of US 276.

Contact Information
Caesars Head State Park (803)836-6115
Jones Gap State Park
(803)836-3647

submit a new trail review


About Our Reviews

Many people ask us to recommend a place to go hiking. Instead of us deciding what places are best, we let the backpacking community help out. The reviews on budget-travels-tips.com have been submitted by our viewers. Some reviews are positive and some are negative. If you don't agree with a review, feel free to submit your own trail review.

 

Trail Reviews
National Parks
State Parks
AT Database

Submit a New Trail Review

Trails & Places Main Page