Palmetto Trail: Enoree Passage Section 3

Palmetto Trail: Enoree Passage, Section 3, MP 27 to MP 37 – 10.2 miles – 5/13/23

My Centennial Trail thru-hike in South Dakota is coming up fast and I’ve been training with my new Gossamer Gear backpack. Time to load it up for a 10-miler. My friend Mike invited me to scout hike a section of the Palmetto Trail in South Carolina, new miles for me. His friend Lynda, who’s training for her third Camino in Spain, joined us for a beautiful walk in the spring green of South Carolina.

We dropped my car at the entrance gate to Sedalia Campground (closed for some reason?) and followed Mike on a twisty-turny route to remote Forest Road 334, MP 27 of today’s trail section. [Most hikes with Mike begin this way and that’s why I appreciate his skills and willingness to do complicated things.]

Lynda heading into the woods

Mike’s focus along the route was documenting blowdowns and other issues requiring trail maintainer crews, marking GPS coordinates, photos and description of the conditions. [He noted more than a dozen blowdowns that needed major work.]

Slow going, while Lynda and I pushed ahead and then waited in the shade for him to catch up. The air was hot and muggy, South Carolina’s specialty. Nature kept us on our toes today, showing her miracles beneath our feet.

In our first mile we crossed Sispring Branch on a medium size bridge 

A campsite fire ring not far from the road 

Mike pointed out a concrete foundation wall on a small rise, no clues as to its long-ago function. As we turned back to the trail, Lynda nearly stepped on a very large black snake.

My guess is he was longer than 5 feet, with a small head, a chubby body and narrow end. We noted his white underbelly. [My research *Google* says maybe a black rat snake or a black racer.]

Crossing the Enoree River on an impressive high bridge

Enoree River, muddy water from recent rains

The boardwalk on the north side needs some love. Some boards felt “squishy” and some were missing altogether. More notes and photos for the maintainer folks.

From that point, the trail mostly follows Johns Creek, not visible from the trail because of foliage. Saw another black snake before it could surprise us. Is it bigger than the first one?

Turkey tail fungus thrives on dead logs

We crossed the grassy dam on the eastern edge of Macedonia Lake (the first of three lakes on today’s hike) looking for a place to eat lunch. While the view was sweet, the bugs and direct sunshine were not. 

Mike asked what, in addition to shade, were requirements for a nice lunch spot. We decided on ferns and logs to lean or sit on.  Soon a shady bit of open forest covered in pine needles, leaves and ferns appeared, and we spread out so everyone had a personal log. The humidity was still intense, but the break for rest and conversation revitalized us to push on.

Sundrops

Heal-all

Common cinquefoil

At the second lake (Sedalia Lake) we encountered a couple of fishermen. An elderly Black man asked us where we were walking and we explained that the Palmetto Trail goes across the state. He didn’t know about that, he said, but “we used to play in these woods as kids because that’s all there was to do!”

At the third lake (Johns Creek Lake) we saw our new friend again – he had relocated to try a
new fishing spot. Rain clouds began to roll in as we entered the last stretch of our hike.

We reached Old Buncombe Road and cut across a church parking lot and cemetery to Bombing Range Road (where did that name come from?) Just a half-mile further, we reached my car and blessed air conditioning. We retrieved the second car as fat raindrops began to splatter around us.

The shakedown: my Gossamer Gear pack weighed about 20 pounds today, and final pack weight for the Centennial Trail will hopefully be no more than 25-27 pounds. I practiced adjusting straps and belts and I think the pack is going to work well. I also wore my newest pair of Altra Timp 5 trail shoes.

Time to refuel and hydrate. We found the Hillside Restaurant & Bar in Chester, SC – delicious food and Black Widow cider! Another happy ending to another walk in the woods with friends.

“It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.”
 ~Every Southerner That Ever Lived

“If it gets any hotter, I’ll have to take off stuff
I really ought to keep on.”
 ~See Above