Andrus

The Cottonwood Lakes Trail Loop is a classic High Sierra adventure. It’s accessible enough to be great for beginners, yet offers enough challenges, variety, and options to keep even the most dusty footed hikers happy. The route is packed with sparkling alpine lakes, wide open meadows, and the towering

After a restful night’s sleep you can enjoy your breakfast with a view over the lakes. If you plan on adding the summit of Mt. Langley to your day be sure to break camp early for the climb up Old Army Pass. This historic, but unmaintained, route rises steeply above Lakes #4 and #5 and involves a bit

Stage 1 begins at the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead at 10,000 feet. Since the hike starts so far above sea level, it’s a good idea to spend the night at the first-come, first-served trailhead campsite in order to acclimatize yourself to the altitude. Once on the trail, you'll have about two miles to get

The final stage of this Collection on the Santee Passage carries you through more pine forests, wetlands, and rural farmlands on the edge of Lake Marion. The trail is mostly flat, with sandy roads and dirt paths that allow you to progress easily, though shade can be limited in open stretches. As you

Stage 2 continues west through Francis Marion National Forest, following the remainder of the Swamp Fox Passage. The trail often follows old railroad beds and sandy forest roads, offering steady progress, though you’ll still encounter stretches of wetland that can slow your pace, especially after heavy

The first five Passages of South Carolina’s Palmetto Trail offer a diverse hike from the salt marshes of the Intracoastal Waterway to the pine forests and lakeshores of the state’s interior. Covering the Awendaw, Swamp Fox, Lake Moultrie, Eutaw, and Santee Passages, this Collection showcases many of

Stage 1 begins at the Buck Hall Recreation Area, the coastal terminus of the Palmetto Trail. From here, the trail immediately immerses you in maritime forest and salt marsh, with sweeping views along Awendaw Creek. Boardwalks and overlooks give you a chance to pause and take in the Lowcountry scenery

Picking up where you left off near the Diversion Canal, Stage 4 leaves Lake Moultrie behind and heads west toward Eutawville. The route is about 20 miles, and while the terrain is generally flat, you’ll notice the landscape shifting from lakeshore levees to mixed pine forest and rural farmland.



The stage

Leaving the forest behind, Stage 3 puts you onto the Lake Moultrie Passage, which carries you for over two dozen miles along the shoreline of one of South Carolina’s largest lakes. Much of the trail follows the earthen levees built by the Santee Cooper Power Project, giving you long, open views across

Stage 10 carries you deep into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, tracing a scenic inland route from the small community of Rapid River toward the forested hills surrounding Iron Mountain. The early miles follow quiet backroads along the shore of Little Bay de Noc and into Escanaba, one of the Upper Peninsula