Blue Wall Preserve Hike Route Map

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Blue Wall Preserve

I'll admit, prior to the day I visited, I had never heard of the Blue Wall Preserve.  A frantic online search for a nearby after-work hike turned it up completely by accident.  It was a very fortunate bit of luck, as it turned out.  The Blue Wall Preserve is, as it name suggests, tucked up against the towering ramparts of the Blue Ridge which form the North Carolina-South Carolina border.  Located just to the west of the town of Landrum, the 575-acre preserve is owned by The Nature Conservancy and open to the public.  It also sits along a short portion of South Carolina's 400+ mile Palmetto Trail, which provides access.

My hike would take the shape of a lollipop as I followed the aforementioned Palmetto Trail into the preserve.  A mile-and-a-half in, after passing the aptly named Twin Ponds with their stunning mountain backdrops, I made the loop end of the lollipop around the westernmost pond passing a beautiful unnamed waterfall along the way.  Oh, and did I mention I even found my first few wildflowers of the season?!  Yeah, this was a good one.  I've always said some of my nicest hikes I find by accident.  

So, come along with me and experience the simple, subtle beauty of the Blue Wall Preserve for yourself...


Trailhead GPS Coordinates:  35.184543, -82.248261


Route Type:  Lollipop                       Difficulty:  MODERATE  (Petzoldt Rating:  3.92 )

Mileage Hiked:  3.2 miles                  Hike Duration:  1:30

Trailhead Temp:  75'F                        Trail Traffic:  None!

Min. Elevation:  1,080'                        Max. Elevation:  1,340'

Total Vertical Gain:  360'                   Avg. Elevation Gain / Mile:  113'


Trails Used (blaze color):  Palmetto (unblazed), Waterfall Loop (unblazed)


GPX TRACK, MAP, & DATA

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3-10-2016

  • Tim Truemper

    on November 16, 2018

    Per my land trust friends, some of these areas are reclaimed land which this area bears some similarity.