May 11, 2021
Chattooga River Trail to Licklog and Pigpen Falls.
The actual mileage is twice that shown or 8.2 miles since I didn't start recording until our return leg. We hiked the "lower river trail" of which the first 2.2 miles is not the actual Chattooga River Trail that picks up at 2.2 miles. The lower river trail is in so-so condition with a pretty good amount of blow down in first mile from Russell Bridge. After which, the trail is better with an occasional small tree across the trail. The weather was very nice with moderate temperatures and mostly cloudy skies which made the longer hike quite easy. There was lots of water flowing at Licklog and Pigpen Falls, making the extra mileage worth the effort. There is a bonus smaller falls along the trail at 1.4 miles in from the trailhead. There were quite a number of wildflowers if you kept your eyes open, but no large masses as we have seen in the past.
The route
6.6 mi · 912 ft climbing · 2h 53m out, 2h 23m walking · 1.7 mph moving
Elevation
Hover over the profile to see the elevation and steepness. Your position will be shown on the map.
- Steepness
- Gentle under 5%
- Moderate 5–10%
- Steep 10–15%
- Very steep over 15%
Photos (37)
Pigpen Falls Our hikers (L-R): Gary, Gerald, Ray, Dick, Jenny, Jim, Edwin, Vic, Debbie, Michael, Mike & Angela White Violet (Viola blanda) Hearts-a-burstin' / Strawberry-bush (Euonymus americanus) Dog-hobble (Leucothoe axillaris) View of the Chattooga River Meadow Rue (Thalictrum pubescens) Pretty falls along the trail at 1.4 miles from trailhead. Typical blow-down along the first mile of the trial. Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) Lots of blackberry blooms along the trail. Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) Ginger / Little Brown Jugs (Hexastylis arifolia) An occasional Yellow Stargrass (Hypoxis hirsuta) Woodland Bluet (Houstonia lanceolata) Catesby's Trillium(Trillium catesbaei) Mountain aster (Oclemena acuminata) Can you read this trail sign? Ground Pine (Lycopodium obscurum) Another view of the Chattooga River Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) Beavers in this area! Pretty Fungus on tree trunk Vasey's Trillium (Trillium vaseyi) Bridge leading to Pigpen Falls View of Pigpen Falls Licklog Falls Sweet Shrub (Calycanthus floridus axillaris) Galax (Galax aphylla) Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) Nice set of rapids in Chattooga River along the trail Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) Young Fraser Magnolia (Magnolia fraseri) not in bloom . . . duh! Oriental false hawksbeard (Youngia japonica) Common Cinquefoil (Potentilla canadensis) Michaux's Saxifrage (Saxifraga michauxii) Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)