Welcome back. I hope you're enjoying this Trip Planning Series so far. Last time we planned the route for an upcoming trip. This time we're taking a look at the forecast for those areas.
Checking the Forecast
I typically check the weather for the area I'll be hiking one week before the trip as well as the day before. Mountain Forecast is one of my favorite sites for staying up to date on what kind of conditions to expect. The following reports will be especially helpful in preparing for this trip.
I also like to check the AccuWeather's forecast reports for nearby towns or cities. In this case our closest town are Sunset and Pickens, South Carolina. With AccuWeather I can see daily, hourly, even 10 day predictions. AND an interactive radar map.
Logistics
The best place to get the latest info about Table Rock's parking fees, regulations, and travel alerts is the state park website: https://southcarolinaparks.com/table-rock
Because this is a loop hike there aren't any logistics to work out in regard to scheduling a shuttle or parking two vehicles on either side of the route. There is, however, a short 0.9 mile road walk through the state park back to the Palmetto trailhead (which we touched on in Part 2) which is an important logistical detail to remember.
Something I don't hear many backpackers talk about in terms of logistics is travel and lodging. If you live far away from the area you plan to hike in, chances are you're going to spend a lot of the time driving. That's why, I try to find a nearby campground and stay there the night before my trip. Especially if the drive is more than 5 hours. Camping close by the night before lets me get an early start and cover more distance the following day.
You can search for campsites close to the trailhead as an alternative, but depending on the wilderness area that may not be permitted. The benefits to staying in a campground are a guaranteed spot (if you reserve ahead of course) and not fumbling around in the dark looking for a place to set up. I did something similar with my Art Loeb trail thru-hike. I spent my first day driving up, parking, and getting a shuttle. Then I stayed in the campground at the trail's Southern terminus. I then was able to complete the trail in two 15 mile days.
In the case of this trip, the designated sites (following the loop clockwise) are limited. So, staying in Table Rock state park's campground the night before could be helpful to anyone coming a long way for the trip.
Next time I'll be going over the gear and food I'm taking along on the trip. Be sure to subscribe if you found this post / video helpful and want to see more like it in the future.
Outro music: "Carry On" by The New Valleys