Woodlands and Water: Rapture in Storms
Field Notes II.XXIII: Day 4 of a backpacking and photography thru hike of the 76 mile Foothills Trail in South Carolina
Welcome to Field Notes!
This is part IV of a five part series about thru hiking the Foothills Trail in South Carolina in early May, 2024. Start reading from the beginning here-
Click the image below if you’re interested in exploring the route in Gaia GPS. Note that Gaia lists the distance as just under 72 miles, while the official signs on the trail list it at 76 miles. With the short side trips I took and the back and forth for filming along the way, I’m claiming 76!
As of August 2025 I have turned this series into a zine. Or, more accurately, a book in magazine format. You can continue reading this series as a paid supporter of Field Notes or purchase the printed version here-
Woodlands and Water: A Foothills Trail Thru Hike
Hours of the night drag by in restless exhaustion. Here along the Laurel Fork Creek, though upstream from the waterfall where it drops into Lake Jocassee, the swirl of rushing water stymies sleep. I toss and turn in the sticky still air. Later, my drowsing is interrupted by yet more storms rolling through on waves of thunder. The tent walls tremble under the barrage of rain.
Aches wake me at 5:30 am. The rain has stopped. My sweat laden clothes are repulsive, but must be put on. I pack what I can inside of the dry, cramped confines of the tent before emerging. Outside, the world is dark. The musty smell of wet earth and plants hangs heavy in the cool dampness.