Enjoy interpreter-led hiking in the Piedmont of Upstate South Carolina and the Southern Appalachians of North Carolina and Georgia as we explore the rich biodiversity and geology of the region. We’ll see waterfalls and soak in the views from scenic vistas as we explore our ever-changing landscapes. Participants should be able to walk four to five miles on uneven terrain.

September 21- Hike to King Creek and Spoonauger Falls. This outing features the stunning 70 ft King Creek Falls and the 50 ft Spoonauger Falls in the Chattooga watershed. (Easy, 2.5-3 mile)

October 19 - Day trip with short hikes before and along Whiteside Cove and Horse Cove Roads between Highlands and NC 107, south of Cashiers. Stops include the 25 ft-30 ft Silver Run Falls, and exceptional autumn views of the sheer 750 ft rock wall at Whiteside Mountain, the highest perpendicular, bare rock face east of the Rockies. We’ll also stop to see Cashiers Sliding Rock, the Bob Padgett Tree (127 ft tall with a 20 ft circumference), and the trail to Sunset and Sunrise Rocks in Highlands (Moderate, 0.7 mile one-way, 1.4-mile total).

October 26 - Hike the rim trails at Tallulah Gorge State Park, GA. The gorge, 2 miles long, is considered one of the most spectacular canyons in the eastern U.S. (Moderate, 3 mile)

November 9 - Hike the Winding Stairs Trail in the Sumter National Forest. Special feature: 75 ft Miuka Falls (Easy 3.5 mile)

Jean Askew is an avid hiker and has been hiking with OLLI and other groups since moving back to the Upstate in 2008. She has an educational background in botany and forestry and completed the Upstate Master Naturalist program in 2016. Delsey Brown moved back to the Upstate in 2016 and started exploring the area she left in 1983. She has been hiking with OLLI since 2017 and enjoys hiking with a group where everyone learns from each other.