In February 2021, I hiked the Swamp Fox and Awendaw Passages of the Palmetto Trail in South Carolina. I backpacked the route over the course of two days.
The following are things I learned that might be helpful to other hikers or bikepackers, based on my experience. I also created a YouTube video about my hike, which highlights much of what I refer to in this article.
My YouTube Video
Special Gear and Clothing
Besides a typical backpacking load out (sleeping bag, shelter, rain gear, etc.), I also recommend the following if you plan to hike or backpack the Swamp Fox and/or Awendaw Passages:
- Hiking Umbrella (I can’t say enough good things about the Gossamer Gear Liteflex Umbrella and the attachment system they also sell). It’s my sanity saver in rain every single time
- Sawyer Picardin Lotion (an excellent way to repel ticks and skeeters from ruining your trip)
- Sawyer Permethrin Spray for Gear and Clothing (the best way to protect your clothing and gear from ticks unless you buy clothing that has been impregnated with permetrin)
- Many people wear waterproof boots when they know they will encounter water crossings, but I recommend the opposite—non-waterproof shoes that drain water, and therefore dry, quicker. I wore Altra Timps for this trip and they worked great, other than my feet being cold sometimes since it was winter and the temps were lower.
- Sunscreen and/or sun protective clothing. After all, you’re in South Carolina and near the coast through this section…but really, you should always have sun protection in your load out.
I hope this is helpful, but feel free to leave a comment below if you have any suggestions to add. This is a new-to-me trail, and this information is simply based on my experience.
Hazards
The trail is well marked with white blazes through these sections. It is wide (according to Marie Butler, they keep it 7 feet wide) and it appears to be brushed regularly. I had cell reception nearly the entire route and
As with any hike though, the Palmetto Trail has potential hazards. The following are what I deem the most likely you could face:
- Ticks
- Flooding (more on this below)
- Unreliable water sources or brackish water
- Wild boar are in the region, but I did not encounter any on my hike
Flooding Issues
I encountered flooding along Wadboo Creek. The raised boardwalks and the trail were submerged under water in many places. The murkiness of the water and the current of the creek created unsafe conditions, since it was nearly impossible to see how deep the water got with each step.
I recommend contacting the US Forest Service to get their opinion on potential flooding issues. The Palmetto Conservation is another resource, but I think the USFS might provide more reliable information, based on my experience.
Finally, the Santee Cooper website provides some data that might be helpful regarding lake levels, upstream creek levels, etc.
I ended up detouring around the Cane Gully area and Turkey Creek, based on the recommendations of Marie Butler, the trail coordinator for this section. There is an extensive network of little used but well-maintained forest service roads in the area. They made the detours manageable with little increase in my mileage.
Please note that this list of resources is not exhaustive. It is difficult to find much information about this section and how recent rains and flooding in the area may affect it. The long and short of it is this—if in doubt, turn around. It’s not worth risking your life for a trail!
If the area received extensive rain in the days leading up to your hike, it could still be a soggy mess with more of your time spent traipsing through deep puddles, even if it’s not dangerous (up to your knees in spots but mostly mid-calf level).
Water Caches
The day before I started hiking, I hid water at two points along my route. There are many road crossings along the Swamp Fox Passage that make this task easy.
Two churches also provide outdoor hose spigots for hikers/cyclists on the Palmetto Trail. They are Eccles Church near mile 19 and Bethel Church near the last road crossing of Witherbee Road.
I have read that the water sources west of Halfmile Creek are not as brackish and people have luck filtering it from flowing sources; however, I didn’t trust my abilities to discern what might be more brackish than fresh, hence why I cached water.
Maps
The Palmetto Conservation provides maps for downloading and printing. I recommend downloading them to your phone into the Avenza app as well as printing them. Technology can fail, and you’ll be glad you have the backup on paper, especially if you need to figure out reroutes based on trail conditions.
Shuttles
Uber, Lyft, etc. aren’t easy to find in this area. The amazing trail coordinator for this section, Marie Butler, shuttles hikers for a small fee. She only charges for the cost of gas, but I suggest paying her more than she quotes or make a donation to the Palmetto Conservation (or both, which is what I did—the trail’s conditions won’t improve without funding from the people who love it!).
You can find Marie’s contact information on the Palmetto Conservation’s website.
Area Campgrounds
I stayed at the Honey Hill Recreation Area one night. It is a free camping area in Francis Marion National Forest. It only has about 8 sites, and they are first come, first serve. It was half full the night I camped there, but I imagine it gets busy when the weather is more favorable for camping. I enjoyed my stay there. It was quiet and felt safe.
I also stayed at Buckhall Recreation Area and enjoyed it. You can make reservations for sites (which is the best way to do it), but they also have first come, first serve sites, if there are any open sites on the current day. You can also leave your car here for $7 per day while you hike the trail. It’s probably one of the safer places to leave it since there is a camp host who monitors the parking areas.
YouTube, Blog, and Facebook Group Recommendations
Besides my YouTube video that I made while hiking the trail (which will give you a good look at flood conditions along Wadboo Creek), I found these three sites to be helpful as I planned my trip:
Simply Mountain Biking showcases bikepacking these passages (along with the Moultrie Passage too). The videos are just as entertaining as they are educational!
Howe’s the Hike has a great video about backpacking the Swamp Fox Passage over 3 days. The video is well produced and educational. It also provides a glimpse into backpacking with kids and this family does it well!
Beth Eber’s blog is witty, informative, and fun! I love her write ups of the Palmetto Trail Passages and the positive mental attitude she brings on each hike.
Finally, the Palmetto Trail Hikers Facebook Group is an excellent way to preview various passages in all seasons and ask questions from other group members.
Happy trails,
Nancy
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