Upstate South Carolina's Blue Wall Preserve

The wild and scenic Blue Wall Preserve is a 500 acre parcel of protected land in Upstate South Carolina, within the Blue Ridge Escarpment. Managed by the Nature Conservancy, the preserve is located in northeast Greenville County, near Hogback Mountain and the town of Landrum. The Blue Wall Preserve is open to the public for hiking and other day use activities.

The Blue Wall is a rock escarpment that drops just under 2,000 feet in less than two miles. This is the boundary between the Appalachian Mountains and the Piedmont area. Cherokee Indians gave the Blue Wall its name, because of the blue haze that hung over the mountains. This undeveloped wilderness area contains some of South Carolina's rare plants and animals, and the area is biologically diverse. The Blue Wall Preserve has been designated an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. More than 100 different species of birds have been observed during annual bird counts in the area. Some of the diverse bird species that migrate through the preserve or make it their permanent home include the broad-winged hawk, Carolina wren, pileated woodpecker, American goldfinch, scarlet tanager, Eastern towhee, Northern cardinal, and red-winged blackbird.

A 3.5 mile section of the Blue Wall Passage, part of South Carolina's Palmetto Trail, goes through the preserve. This section of trail is considered to be of moderate difficulty, with a steep ascent. A one mile side trail off the Palmetto Trail, the Waterfall Loop, leads to a scenic waterfall that drops 20-30 feet. The Blue Wall Passage also leads past two ponds within the preserve, where hikers may observe some rare aquatic animals such as the green salamander. Hikers may also observe trillium and other wildflowers along the trail.

The Blue Wall Preserve is open during daylight hours. Camping, hunting, bicycling, and motorized vehicles are not permitted in the preserve. Dogs must be leashed. To reach the remote preserve, travel on I-26 to Exit 1 (SC Hwy 14). Turn west toward Landrum and travel 2.6 miles. Turn right on Mountain View Rd and continue through the stop sign onto Belue Mill Rd. At the fire station, turn right on Oak Grove Rd and drive.9 miles to Lake Rd. Turn right on Lake Rd and drive 1.2 miles to the stop sign. Turn left onto Lakeshore Drive, go around Lake Lanier, and turn left onto Dug Hill Rd. Turn left again onto Pennel Rd. Park vehicles in the upper parking lot and walk down the road to the information kiosk at the trailhead of the Palmetto Trail.

Rebecca Allison is the General Manager at the Hampton Inn Spartanburg. This Spartanburg SC Hotel invites guests to step back in time to the colonial era or indulge in modern luxuries and recreation in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Hampton Inn & Suites Spartanburg Hotel on North I-85 is situated to offer easy access to the Duncan business centers.

For more information visit: http://www.hamptoninnspartanburg.com/

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