Kings Mountains Hiking Trail

Hike Name: Kings Mountains Hiking Trail Location: north SC Length: 16.5 Submitted by: Badfoot Date Submitted: 0/0/00 Rating:	more South Carolina trail reviews South Carolina national parks South Carolina state parks
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Description
Moderate to slightly strenuous.
It is a winding trail though South Carolinas Upland foothill country. Trail loops through Kings Mountain State Park and Kings Mountain National Military Park. There are several points from which to begin this hike, the best being at the KM State Park campground. There is ample parking and the Rangers lock the gate at 6 PM. Finding the start of the trail is not difficult once your realize that it is also called "Clarks Creek" trail. After you leave the campground you cross a footbridge and encounter a sign indicating Kings Mountain National Military Park 11.2 miles to the left (south) and a 3-mile trail to the right (north). The three-mile trail also takes you to the boundary of the Military Park where you pick up the Military Park trail. You can take either direction as the are both part of loop. There is only one designated primitive campsite on the trail, although there are numerous spots that literally say camp here. The campsite is about 11.5 miles taking the southern route and almost six taking the northern. If you start early in the morning you can make it easy on the southern route but if you start after noon head to the north. The trail winds along several creeks so water is not a problem, make sure you purify because it's not approved for drinking. There is a good diversity of landscape that makes for an interesting hike, winter or summer. Summer tends to be on the warm side and there is a good population of copperheads to contend with. They one complaint I have is on the Southern route. There are several horse trails that criss-cross the hiking only trails. Either riders can't read or they think that if doesn't apply to them. The horses tend to tear up the trail and leave copious amount of fertilizer. Other than that it's a great hike. If you want to check out the USGS maps you will need, Kings Mountain, Kings Creek, Filbert and Grover. You can get a simple trail map at the campground. If you want send me an e-mail and I'll send you a couple of bitmap files of the area.
Alan DeHart has a very detailed description of the trail in his book "Hiking South Carolina Trails" ISBN 0-7627-0223-0

Directions to Hike
If coming from Spartanburg, SC, or Charlotte, NC, take NC exit 2, Highway 216 South. From York, SC, take Highway 161 north, turn right on Highway 216. The parks are well marked.

Contact Information
Kings Mountain State Park
1277 Park Road
Blacksburg, SC 29702
864-222-3209

Kings Mountain Military Park
Superintendent
P.O. Box 40
Kings Mountain, NC 28086

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