Join Polk County Recreation and the Pacolet Area Conservancy (PAC) on Friday, April 7 for an approximately 10-mile, moderate hike along the Palmetto Trail, from Orchard Lake Campground trailhead to the Blue Wall Preserve. The hike will follow the Palmetto Trail along the state line and along the northern perimeter of the Greenville Watershed, down Brushy Ridge, along Hog Back Mountain Road, down Vaughns Gap and into the Blue Wall Preserve.

The Greenville Watershed is one of the most significant wilderness areas in South Carolina and a unique natural habitat for rare plants and animals. The watershed property was acquired by the Greenville Water System in the 1950s and has been carefully protected since then.

In 1993, the Greenville Water System added further protection to the land by conveying a conservation easement to The Nature Conservancy.

Participants will enjoy the many wildflowers that should be blooming at this time and the arrival of migrating songbirds returning to our area to establish territory.

Polk County Recreation has two vans and will provide a shuttle for the hike. The shuttle can accommodate 31 passengers, therefore pre-registration is required to guarantee a seat on the bus. If we run out of seats, attendees are still encouraged to participate, but will have to provide their own carpool and shuttle. Contact PAC at 828-859-5060 or email landprotection@pacolet.org to reserve your seat.

Those interested are asked to meet at the Tryon Antique Mall and MarketPlace, across the street from the entrance to Lake Lanier, at 8:30 a.m. From there, they will carpool to the Blue Wall Preserve parking area (with limited parking) to load the buses and begin the journey to the trailhead at Orchard Lake Campground.

For your safety, do not attempt any hike beyond your ability and experience. Hikers should wear appropriate clothing and footwear; bring a bag lunch and/or snack and plenty of water. Be sure to bring any personal medication that you may require. 

In case of inclement weather, contact the PAC office by 8:15 a.m. on the day of the hike, check the PAC website, pacolet.org, and/or the PAC Facebook page, facebook.com/pacoletarea.conservancy, to see if the hike will take place.

– article submitted by Pam Torlina