hey guys i'm currently standing at sassafrass mountain we are at the highest point in south
carolina i am standing at 3553 feet above sea level currently standing on the observation tower
at sassafrass point this observation tower is amazing because you can see three states
south carolina georgia and north carolina the observation tower i'm standing on sits actually
on the border line between north and south carolina you can even see the etchings of that
border line in this stone structure pretty cool about this tower construction for it began in 2017
and actually finished on april 22nd or earth day of 2019 opening to the public for all to enjoy
after enjoying your time at the observation tower come on down to do one of the various
trails here at jocassee gorges today we are doing a section of the foothills trail we're
going to be hiking 2.1 miles one way starting from sassafrass mountain down to chimney top gap
the foothills trail is actually a really famous trail in south carolina connecting table rock
and oconee state parks let's get started so before we begin a good hike it's always
important to have with you all of the supplies you need here i've got my handy dandy day pack
with various items that i need for the trail i'm doing today that's including a map first aid kit
multi-tool layers and various snacks for along the way these are all important supplies to
have so you can ensure you have a safe fun comfortable hike let's get started
jocassee gorges is a vast beautiful landscape of over 43 000 acres with dnr managing 35 000 of that
jocassee gorge's name actually comes from cherokee people meaning the place of the lost one some
of the native peoples that encompassed this land before us include the cherokee eastatoee and oconee
the land here at jocassee gorges continued to be developed on well into the 80s it wasn't until
john frampton and james timmerman came along two conservationists actually from scdnr they began
working with other conservation groups to make a case to protect the mountain property of this land
so finally in 1998 the state bought those 35 000
acres and formally named it jim timmerman natural resource area at jocassee gorges
along our trail you'll notice these trail blazes
this helps us to indicate which trail we're hiking along
as long as you can see that you're on the correct color then you shouldn't have any troubles at all
this land was mostly owned and operated in the 1800s by commercial timber companies so they would
use these trees in this forest for creating sewing machines and cabinets things of that nature even
eventually energy production which turned into forest management even long before dnr came along
early european settlers that came through this area would use sugar and corn along with early
distillation methods to make a living here you can really see that in the evidence of the land
through the tributaries of the water that would flow through this area
the oconee bell a rare plant species is the hallmark of jocassee gorges it was discovered
in 1787 a lot of the plants and species that you'll find here in jocassee gorges are similar
to the same kinds you'll find in more tropical climates especially with the species of ferns
and mosses that we have a lot of specialists believe that this is because of the more humid
and rainfall climate that we have in this particular area
looking to the trees here we have the eastern hemlock tree mostly identifiable with their
short-lived feathery branches this tree is an evergreen tree and they can stand anywhere from
40 to 70 feet tall they're pretty cool because way back when pioneers would use these needles
here to make tea speaking of flowers other than the oconee bell another staple flower you can find
here are wild azaleas they are found on deciduous shrubs that grow up to 13 feet tall they bloom in
the late winter early spring months of february to may they are very fragrant and most common
native azalea in the southeast we've also got our yellow azaleas close in appearance except they're
obviously an orangish yellow another difference is they tend to bloom in the summer months
so here we've got the great rhododendron most of the flower species we've talked about today are
part of the rhododendron family this particular great rhododendron can grow up to 33 feet tall
they're really more of a large shrub than an actual tree but they are one of the greatest
or largest sized rhododendron species in this section of the united states now interesting fact
both for our flower species that we talked about today and this plant they actually
have a toxin to them that is poisonous to both animals and humans so never consume
this area is still a site for important wildlife and fish restoration projects involving
white-tailed deer peregrine falcons and brook trout one animal species you can find here is the
largest land mammal of south carolina the black bear fun fact black bears aren't always black in
color their fur can be brown gray they can even have almost a bluish tint to it in the sunlight
black bears are quite the force of nature their excellent sense of smell and eyesight makes
them great foragers they are so adaptable if you have suitable food source and den location they
can live anywhere in south carolina you'll find them mostly in the mountains and upper piedmont
or even in the coastal regions if you ever encounter a bear in the wild
slowly back away from them while making lots of loud noises to let them know to leave you alone
another much smaller mammal friend is the eastern spotted skunk
they receive their name because unlike the striped skunk the spotted skunk has what appear to be
white spots throughout their body they are also much smaller than the striped skunk weighing
anywhere between one to four pounds don't let their small size fool you those musk glands are
just as strong and can reach just as far
another common animal friend the carolina chickadee
they are unique because they are one of the few bird species that don't migrate in the winter
and the only chickadee in the southeast these little guys live approximately 10 years with a
diet of insects seeds and berries listen for their signature call many bird specialists will describe
the call of a chickadee as sounding like their own name listen carefully what do you hear
a favorite bird to spot during the fall is our very own wild turkey i'd like to
note here that south carolina state bird is the carolina wren
but the state game bird is the turkey sassafras mountain is one of the many forested areas you
can find them those are just a few of the animal and plant species you'll find along your hike
others you can hope to see are the pileated woodpecker eastern garter snake and beetleweed
so here we are at teeter-totter rock taking a break and checking in with each other
even if you're an advanced hiker or a beginner it's always so important to stop and take frequent
breaks along any length of trail it's a great opportunity to drink some water have snacks
socialize check in and check your distance so far we've gone about a mile and a half into the trail
teeter-totter rock is a unique rock formation for the way one rock balances
on top of another an excellent place to stop and get a group photo and remember
never throw your trash on the ground always leave an area like you found it if not better
here we are we've made it to chimney top gap thank you so much for joining us on this hike
we look forward to seeing you come along to a few more in the future if you want to check out
anything else we're doing follow us on facebook at scdnr diversity outreach hope to see you then