Gorges State Park - Lower Bearwallow Falls & the Auger Hole (4.5 miles; d=5.40)
Read MoreLower Bearwallow Falls & Auger Hole Hike Route Map
The approximate track of my hike to Lower Bearwallow Falls and the Auger Hole Trail, at Gorges State Park, as depicted a la Google Earth...***Note my side trip past the lime kilns is not depicted as this was an ill-defined portion of the route and not recommended.***
Lower Bearwallow Falls & Auger Hole Hike Route Map
The approximate track of my hike to Lower Bearwallow Falls and the Auger Hole Trail, at Gorges State Park...***Note my side trip past the lime kilns is not depicted as this was an ill-defined portion of the route and not recommended.***
Auger Hole Trail @ Turkeypen Gap
Being dropped off and picked up at Turkeypen Gap would allow me to make a considerably shorter hike to Lower Bearwallow Falls than starting over at the Frozen Creek Access (5-miles round trip vs. 8-miles). This is the Auger Hole Trail as it arrives at Turkeypen...from here its an almost contuinual 2-mile descent to the Toxaway River...
Auger Hole Trail-Indian Camp Road Junction
From Bearwallow Creek the trail begins a steady climb over a steep ridge. Near the top I passed a gated road, known as the Indian Camp Road, which follows a high ridge 4-miles or so to the upper portion of Bearwallow Creek...
As the Auger Hole Trail reaches the height of land east of the Bearwallow Creek crossing it traverses a large slide area from a few years back. The park has done a good job of cutting through the slide but one gets the feeling that it won't take much effort for mother nature to make a mess of this stretch once again...
As I neared the point where the old path makes its final drop down to the creek I found this old iron something lying in the middle of the trail. So focused was I on this peice of metal that I completely missed the lime kilns themselves which are dug into the hillside right next to where I was standing...