The South Carolina Upcountry is gaining more popularity and people visiting will need to know how to discover all it has to offer. Outdoor activities here abound and there are a good variety of trails for hikers of all levels. From waterfalls to amazing mountain views, each trail offers hikers an incredible experience. Since the Upcountry is relatively "undiscovered", there are very few books that have a true compilation of hikes in the area. Five-Star Trails: South Carolina Upstate will bring together those hiking trails that offer a "five star" experience. Each trail has been thoroughly researched, recently hiked and includes a detailed description, trail profiles and map. At a glance ratings in important categories such as Scenery, Trail Condition, Difficulty, Solitude and appropriateness for children let you quickly select a trail that fits your tastes and ability. Other useful information such as fees, restrictions for dogs on the trail as well as advice on when to visit offers you the best information so you can plan your trip with ease. Five-Star Trails: South Carolina Upstate provides directions and commentary for each trail on what to expect along the way, making it more than just an average guidebook. This guide will lead hikers off the beaten path to find exceptional beauty as well as peace of mind. The diversity in terrain invites all levels of abilities and skills. Outdoor enthusiasts of every level will have reason to grab this guide and take a hike. This book offers easy-to-moderate trails that are within driving distance from a reader's workplace or home in the South Carolina Upstate. Without this book, they might miss the hidden hiking treasures of the area, but with the expert help of Sherry Jackson, readers will enjoy the region's best trails!

Discover 27 five-star hiking trails in northwestern South Carolina, including popular routes and hidden gems. From its mountains and lakes to its waterfalls and trails, the Upstate is an outdoors lover’s paradise. The trail system is quite extensive, and opportunities range from day hikes to backpacking trips along the Foothills and Appalachian Trails. This diverse geographical wonderland offers a variety of easy, moderate, and strenuous hikes. You can hike through history along Cowpens Battlefield Trail or enjoy the fall colors at Nine Times Preserve. Take the kids to the Croft State Park Nature Trail, or walk your dog on the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail in downtown Greenville. Explore the region’s best, five-star trails with this easy-to-carry and easy-to-use guidebook. In the updated edition, local author and hiking expert Sherry Jackson shares everything you need to know about spectacular outings that lead to mountain panoramas, majestic waterfalls, remote wilderness, and more. Inside you’ll find: Descriptions of 27 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of each route Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

Discover 30 five-star hiking trails in northwestern South Carolina, including popular routes and hidden gems. From its mountains and lakes to its waterfalls and trails, the Upstate is an outdoors lover's paradise. The trail system is quite extensive, and opportunities range from day hikes to backpacking trips along the Foothills and Appalachian Trails. This diverse geographical wonderland offers a variety of easy, moderate, and strenuous hikes. You can hike through history along Cowpens Battlefield Trail or enjoy the fall colors at Nine Times Preserve. Take the kids to the Croft State Park Nature Trail or walk your dog on the Lake Hartwell Dam Walking Trail. Explore 30 of the region's best, five-star trails with this easy-to-carry and easy-to-use guidebook. In the updated edition, author and hiking expert Sherry Jackson presents everything you need to know about spectacular outings that lead to mountain panoramas, majestic waterfalls, remote wilderness, and more. Inside you'll find: Descriptions of 30 five-star hiking trails for all levels and interests GPS-based trail maps, elevation profiles, and detailed directions to trailheads Insight into the history, flora, and fauna of the routes Ratings for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, solitude, and accessibility for children Lace up, grab your pack, and hit the trail!

A waterfall is a perfect destination for a day hike. In this revised and updated guide, native South Carolinian, photographer, and hiker Thomas E. King lists 147 waterfall destinations in the mountains of Upstate South Carolina. Ranging from easy-to-access roadside locations to those that require a six-mile trek, these hikes feature some of the most famous, and some of the most remote, waterfalls in the region. The guide can be used by those of all levels of hiking ability, whether expert or novice. These easy-to-reach waterfalls of Upstate South Carolina are a fun and fascinating retreat for the entire family. Most of these falls are within the ability of the average hiker to reach on a day hike. Some sites are of particularly easy access, such as the pristine falls in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which families with young children and mature adults are encouraged to visit. King has provided the most recent trail directions and waterfall locations available to the public. He also lists and catalogs many remote or hard-to-find waterfalls and waterfalls that nature has reclaimed because the trails have ceased to be maintained. Each entry includes complete driving and hiking directions, trail length and estimated hiking time, a difficulty rating, and a detailed description of the waterfall itself, including a photograph.

Tucked into the northwest corner of South Carolina, the Upstate is famous for its waterfalls, scenic views, and rich natural and human history. It's also perfect for introducing anyone of any age to the pleasures of hiking. Whether you prefer state parks, historic sites, or more remote heritage preserves, this guide offers 20 walks ranging from half a mile to 4 miles. Visit spectacular Twin Falls, walk the trail at the historic settlement of Hagood Mill, or splash in the clear waters of Lake Jocassee at Devils Fork State Park. Each hike entry includes driving and hiking directions, maps and GPS coordinates, difficulty rating, round-trip hiking distance, trail surface description, and more.

Each hike through the Adirondack Park is rated for scenery, difficulty, trail condition, and accessibility for children. Individual trail maps, elevation profiles, and GPS trailhead coordinates aid in navigating the myriad of unnamed roads. Featured trails range from easy strolls for the family to bone-crunching vertical ascents for the fearless hiker.

Five-Star Trails: Raleigh and Durham is a guide to the best day-hiking trails within a two-hour drive of the urban areas of Raleigh and Durham. Raleigh is North Carolina's capital and an anchor for the state's famous Research Triangle that includes Durham and Chapel Hill. Amid this metropolitan complex that also embraces Cary, Apex, and Wake Forest--home to more than 1.7 million people--the author leads readers to myriad places for scenic beauty, to sites of historic significance, and to neighborhoods that showcase the charms of urban life. All of the routes stay true to the book's "Five-Star Trails" title, based on the book series' rating system for scenery, trail condition, suitability for children, difficulty level, and solitude. To be selected for the book, each trail must truly shine in one or more of those areas while, at the same time, all of the trails combine to offer diversity for a wide range of hikers. Thus, this is the guidebook for a hiker seeking an arduous climb to a scenic overlook as much as it is for a weekend walker who wants an easy trail for his or her family.