Overview
Sassafras Mountain is the highpoint of South Carolina. USGS maps put it at 3560 feet, but a recent South Carolina Geological Survey assessment downgraded to 3533 feet, mostly due to grading that lowered the natural height. That still puts it at least 50' higher than nearby Hickerynut Mountain (3,483').
Sassafras Mountain is located in Pickens County, in the Northwestern part of the state, off of a windy mountain road. Northwestern South Carolina is home to small mountain ranges, and Sassafras Mountain is lucky to get any recognition, since it is right on the border of North Carolina. From the top you can view 6,000' + mountains in the distance.
Getting There
Get on route 178, accessible from I-85 or any surrounding routeways. You drive to the town of Rocky Bottom, a little before you reach the North Carolina state line. If you see a welcome to North Carolina sign on route 178, you have gone too far. From the South Carolina side, you take a right turn where you see a sign for a school for the blind. This road is also called road 199. You drive for 5 miles up a long hill, and you are almost at the summit. You follow a small paved path the rest of the way. I recommend parking a few miles up and hiking up the rest of the road. We had to do that, because the road was covered in ice when we climbed it.
At the top, efforts have been made in recent years to add a summit tower and viewpoints, including views of North Carolina's much higher Blue Ridge Mountains to the north. The summit is well marked, and there is a summit register.
You can take a short hike through the forest on the Foothills trail from
Chimneytop Gap to the summit. For a moderate length approach, you can go about a mile past the turn off to the school for the deaf and blind (i.e. the road to the Sassafras summit. Keep going on hwy 178, and you will see the road cross a small bridge over the Eastatoe river. There is a trail on the right. It is approximately 4.7 miles round trip and 1900 vertical feet to the summit. The trail crosses the mountain road at Chimneytop Gap and again near the summit.
An even longer approach would be reached by driving from South Carolina Highway 11, officially designated the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, which turns into 178 eventually. You can also take Highway 11 to Table Rock State Park and take a long hike on the Pinnacle Mountain/Foothills Trails, which go through several miles of mountains and eventually lead to Sassafras Mountain.
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For more information, please see the links section
When To Climb
![Sassafras Mountain photo_id=137205]()
View towards the North Carolina 6000 footers' from the summit. Photo taken by Hellen at:
Hellenspage.com.
You can climb year round, but beware of icy conditions in the winter. The Western Carolinas are known for their ice storms. The road may be icy in winter, but you can park at the bottom of the road, on the side, and you should be alright to hike up the road. If the road is icy, consider hiking the short Foothills Trail route -
see the routes to the left of the page.
Red Tape
No permits required. Parking is free.
Camping
For more information on camping, trails, and routes, call
Table Rock State Park (864-878-9813)
External Links
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View towards the North Carolina 6000 footers' from the summit. Photo taken by Hellen at:
Hellenspage.com.
You can climb year round, but beware of icy conditions in the winter. The Western Carolinas are known for their ice storms. The road may be icy in winter, but you can park at the bottom of the road, on the side, and you should be alright to hike up the road. If the road is icy, consider hiking the short Foothills Trail route - see the routes to the left of the page.
1 Routes
jeff mabry - Feb 12, 2006 4:58 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentSassafras mountain can be hiked on the foothills trail from hwy 178 , 1 mile past the deaf and blind school. As the road crosses a small bridge over the Eastatoe river you will see the trail on the right. It is approximately 4.7 miles and 1900 vertical feet to the summit. The trail crosses the mountain road at Chimneytop Gap and again near the summit. If you want to really hike it this is the way to go.
hgrapid - Feb 12, 2006 9:17 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThank you. Added.
cll41059 - Feb 17, 2013 8:26 am - Hasn't voted
Chimneytop Gap TrailFirst of all, it's listed once as Chimneytown which isn't correct. Also, it says 4.7 miles to the summit. It's 4.7 miles round trip. I think people may opt to drive to the top instead of hike if they think they have a 9.4 hike ahead of them rather than 4.7.
Vic Hanson - Oct 31, 2013 8:48 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Chimneytop Gap TrailI believe you are wrong, cll41059. The trail from Hwy 178, at the bridge is the one I took. I think it is marked as 4.7 miles to the summit, but it is a bit less than that, about 4 miles one way. My GPS showed 9.1 miles RT from the parking lot up the gravel road about 1/2 mile mile up from the highway. It may be about 4.7 miles RT from Chimneytop Gap to the summit, I didn't check that. Anyway, it is a beautiful trail and I highly recommend hiking from Hwy 178. There is 2671' of gain RT to the summit from the parking lot above the Hwy.
richh - Nov 1, 2017 1:46 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Chimneytop Gap TrailI agree with you, Vic; your stats make sense. I just hiked the Foothills Trail up from Chimneytop Gap; 4.7 miles RT and 1400 ft of gain (includes extra 150 ft each way). But now the body of the page says 4.7 miles RT from Hwy 178.
captain.ron - Sep 10, 2018 8:08 pm - Hasn't voted
Summit area is currently closed due to construction of a new summit towerThe summit marker has been temporarily moved to right outside the fenced construction area
HikerHel - Apr 27, 2019 10:49 am - Hasn't voted
The New Summit Tower is OpenSummit tower opened on 4/22/19
vanman798 - Oct 9, 2019 10:40 am - Hasn't voted
Re: The New Summit Tower is OpenI was there October 3, 2019, and I took a photo of the New Summit Tower (aka Lookout Platform). See https://www.summitpost.org/lookout-platform-on-sassafras-mtn-sc-open-in-2019/1044919/c-152371 and https://www.summitpost.org/lookout-platform-on-sassafras-mtn-sc-open-in-2019/1044921/c-152371
hgrapid - Oct 9, 2019 12:28 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: The New Summit Tower is OpenThanks, did you add those photos to the page?
vanman798 - Oct 9, 2019 1:01 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: The New Summit Tower is OpenYes I did.
hgrapid - Oct 9, 2019 2:53 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: The New Summit Tower is OpenGreat, thanks!
ColoradoMtnHiker - Apr 14, 2024 8:10 am - Hasn't voted
Just to clarify..You can access the Foothills Trail to Sassafras summit from either Highway 178 for the 9 mile out and back- or from F Van Clayton Memorial Highway for a 5 mile out and back. To get to trailhead for the shorter 5-mile roundtrip.... from Highway 178 through Rocky Bottom, just past the turnoff onto Rocky Bottom Rd on the right, take the very next RT onto F Van Clayton Memorial Highway. Go past the sign on right for Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center for the Blind. Continue up the road and drive through the only true switchback the road does a bit further up. Just as you're coming out of the switchback- see the trail crossing the road and the trailhead sign to Chimneytop. There's a parking area on the left about 75 yards further up. Park and walk back down the road to the trail junction. Proceed up the trail the opposite way from the sign to Chimneytop. Enjoy this beautiful approximate 2.5 mile stroll to the summit!
hgrapid - Apr 14, 2024 8:08 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Just to clarify..Thank you. I can update. However, any suggestions for what language to take from what you wrote to replace on Sassafras Mountain? Happy to make you co-author of the page if you'd like?