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| Motorcycle
Roads Home > South Carolina
Motorcycle Roads |
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| Title:
Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway |
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State:
South Carolina
Submitted
By: Bo Tilly
Date Submitted: Jun 99
Motorcycle Type: 95 Harley Cruiser
Motorcycle Road Length: 130 Miles
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Motorcycle
Road Scenery: 
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| In
the northwest pocket of South Carolina, you will find some
of the best motorcycle roads east of the Mississippi. This
route’s beauty has earned it a spot as one of a select group
of US Highway Department National
Scenic Byways. This route lies in Cherokee Indian country
and is found about 30 miles west of Charlotte North Carolina,
200 miles northwest of Charleston and about 120 miles north
of Augusta Georgia. The scenery on this route will amaze you.
The route takes you through the South Carolina high-country
and offers you views of mountains, waterfalls, rivers, lakes,
forests and wildlife that will be hard to match on any other
motorcycle route I know of. |
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Motorcycle
Road Quality:
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The
roads in this area are near ideal – some of the best motorcycle
roads I’ve ever driven east of the Mississippi. I give
them a solid 5 because they have plenty of twists and turns,
climbs and dives, and are remote enough to where you can
really get on it.
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Motorcycle
Roadside Amenities: 
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This
area is LOADED with beautiful state parks and local parks
(six state parks off of the route) that offer anyone interested
in hiking or camping, a vacation full of fun. The only reason
I gave it a 4 is because it is almost all nature stuff and
doesn’t have a large selection of the other kind of amenities
that some bike travelers like – craft shops, restaurants etc. I’m
describing the amenities of the route from the perspective
of starting out in Gaffney and heading west. The amenity highlights
of the route are as follows:
In the summer, the section of state road 11 in and near Gaffney
is a great place to pickup some delicious fresh fruit from
venders’ stands parked along the road.
West of Gaffney you will come to the Cowpens
National Battlefield where the underdog American colonists
staged an upset victory over the British in 1781. If you’re
into history, don’t pass the walking tour offered here.
Next you’ll need to head to Caesars
Head State Park by taking US 276 north. Caesar’s Head
is one of the most beautiful state parks in all of South Carolina
with breathtaking views. The road leading to the park will
also give you fantastic views of the surrounding Blue Ridge
foothills. The park and local area have over 50 waterfalls. If
you take a tough 2 mile hike on a trail in the park to Raven
Cliff Falls you’ll get to see this fall dive about 400 feet
through a gorge.
Table
Rock State Park is named after the solid granite flat
top mountain that according to the Indians was the place where
the Great Spirit dined. It is also home of one of lodge built
by the depression-era Works Project Administration. It is
another fantastic park with plenty of hiking trails, some
leading to the summit of the mountain. Near Table Rock you’ll
find a place called Aunt
Sue’s Country Corner that looks like an old pioneer village
selling odd little crafts and offering places to eat.
Keowee-Toxaway
State Park – the park has a nice museum and a great “Interpretive
Center/Trail” that tells you about the history of the Indians
both before and after Europeans entered the area.
Devils
Fork State Park – take Rte. 25 north to visit this great
park situated right next to the huge Lake Jocassee.
Rte. 107 is an official Scenic Byway that travels through
the Sumter National Forest. From this section you will see
even more impressive mountains and lush thick forests. The
Chattooga River is known as one of the best whitewater rafting
rivers in the US. If your in to that kind of thing, you will
be able to find many companies that provide raft adventure
trips in this area.
Towards the end of Rte. 107 when it meets with Rte. 28, look
for signs directing you to the Stump-house
Tunnel Park. In this park you’ll find a huge 200-foot
waterfall.
Lake
Hartwell State Park – the park has access to a huge lake
and offers access to boating, fishing, swimming as well as
trails and picnicking. |
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From
Gaffney
SC, take Route 11 north towards the town of Chesnee.
Stay on 11 through Gowensville and Cleveland. Route 11
and highway 276 merge and continue heading west. After
you pass Keowee Taxoway State Park, Route 11 will intersect
Route 130/37. Take 130/37 north (right) and before you
cross the South Carolina/North Carolina border, take Route
413 west to Sumter
National Forest. You will run into Route 107 (State
Park Rd) and want to take that road south (left). Take
that south and it will soon merge and become Route 28 heading
into the town of Walhalla. After passing through Walhalla,
look for Route 11 which you will take to finish out the
route by heading down to Interstate 85.
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Additional
Information:
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