TRAIL NEWS AND INFORMATION
WOODSIDE TRAIL GROUP HIKING PROGRAM JANUARY THRU MAY 2023
January
Hitchcock Woods from Clark Road Entrance
When: Saturday Jan 21, 2023. Meet at 12:45 pm for a 1:00 pm start
Hike Leader[s]: Louise Mellon email: lwmellon@gmail.com rhspaeth@gmail.com
Description:There are many nice routes in Hitchcock Woods that begin and end at the Clark Road entrance. Louise has picked out a very nice 2.5-mile hike that everyone can enjoy. We will have stops for resting, chatting and hydrating.
Meeting Place: Clark Road entrance to Hitchcock Woods, lower gate. Parking is limited at the trail head so you may have to park further up Clark Road and take a short walk to the trail head.
Meeting Time: 1 PM
Distance: A little more than 2.5 miles.
Terrain: Typical Hitchcock Woods; some challenging hills but flat for the final half mile.
Bring: Water and energy snacks, dress in layers if you get hot, good shoes, and walking sticks would be helpful
— Rain Cancels –
February
Blanchard Woods Loop Evans Georgia – A new hike for the WTG
When: February 18, 2023. Meeting at the trail head at 9:45 am for a 10.00 am start. For carpooling from the Village at Woodside meet at 9:00 am
Hike Leader: This 3.4-mile loop trail is located near Evans, Georgia. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 19 min to complete. The best times to visit this trail are said to be February through December. The trail offers some nice views of the lake. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. Debby may arrange for lunch at a local restaurant after the hike if enough people are interested. Check the website or email from the WTG for updates. You can read more about this hike at: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/georgia/blanchard-woods-cross-country-trail
Meeting Place:At the trail head on Blanchard Wood Drive or, for carpooling, at the Woodside Village fitness center parking area at 8:45 am. The trail head is about 35 miles from Aiken and the drive takes about 45 minutes. Best route is to follow Interstate 20 to exit 200 [River Watch Parkway], Take the parkway to Washington Road and turn left onto Blanchard Road. Follow Blanchard Road and turn right on Blanchard Wood Drive. There is good parking at the trail head and washroom facilities are also provided.
Meeting time: 10.00 am at the trail head; 8:45 am to car pool. Car pool leaves at 9:00 am For Car Pooling: At 8.45 am to leave at 9.00 am to drive to the Greenway.
Distance: About 3.5 miles
Terrain: Some hills and wet spots if the weather before the hike has been wet. An update will be posted about a week before the hike.
Bring: Water, good hiking boots, snack, walking stick to help over possible wet spots.
—Rain Cancels —
March
Close to Home — Woodside’s Azalea and Oakman Trails
When: March 18th, 2023 at 9:45 for a 10 am start
Hike Leader: Ken Moses email: kdmoses@icloud.com
Description: Come and enjoy a 3.2-mile hike on Woodside trails close to home. Ken will first lead us around the Azalea trail [1.3 miles] and then around the Oakman trail [1.9 miles]. These two trails meet each other just off the Woodside trail head parking area so you have a choice of doing just the Azalea trail or both trails. Both trails have some nice views! If you have not done these trails before this is your chance to do a guided hike on two of Woodside’s most popular trails. https://thewinerymercerhouse.business.site
Meeting Place: At the Woodside Trail head parking area near the intersection of Woodside Plantation Drive and West Pleasant Colony Drive. Park in the parking area or along the maintenance road, if necessary.
Meeting Time: 9:45 am for a 10:00 am departure.
Distance: 3.2 miles or 1.9 miles – your choice!
Terrain: The Azalea trail is a single-track footpath with a good size hill to climb. It is always dry underfoot. The Oakman trail is a wide track which has one moderate hill. Certain areas can be wet after rains.
Bring: Water, good shoes and possibly a snack and walking stick.
— Rain Cancels —
April
BIG ROCK TRAIL – SUMPTER NATIONAL FOREST – New
for the WTG
When: April 15, 2023 meeting at the trail head at 8.45 am for a 9.00 am start
Hike Leader[s]: Jim LeFebvre
Description: This 3.7-mile loop trail is located in the Sumpter National Forest a few miles north of North Augusta. The first mile of the route is along a ridge with views of the valley below. The trail gradually climbs about 330 feet with a few steep sections and then loops back to the starting point. The walk should take about 2 hours to complete. You can read more about this trail and see some pictures using the following link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/south-carolina/big-rock-forks-trails
Meeting Place:You may meet us at the trail head but because parking there can be tight it is preferred if you join our car pool. For those wishing to car pool, the hike leader will meet you at the Village at Woodside parking area near the Village Fitness Centre at 7:45 am. We will leave the Village at 9:00 am. The trail head is about a 50-minute drive from Aiken. The easiest route is to take Interstate 20 to SC exit #1 and proceed north on Hwy 203 [ W. Martintown Rd.] to Woodlawn Road. Turn left on Woodlawn Road and proceed until you come to a forest service road labelled F661. The parking area is about 1.5 miles along this road. It is about 12 miles from exit 1 on Interstate 20 to the trail head. There is a gas station/mini mart store at the corner of Hwy 203 and Woodlawn Road and that is a good bathroom stop before and after the hike. There are no facilities at the trail head.
Meeting Time: 8:45 am at the trail head or leaving from the Village at 8.00 am. Hike starts at 9:00 am
Distance: 3.7 miles
Terrain: This is a single-track trail with ups and downs and numerous tree roots but if you are accustomed to these conditions, you should have no trouble with the trail. After about 2 miles the trail crosses the forest service road so, for a shorter hike you can use the road to return to your car.
Bring: Water, good hiking boots, snack, walking stick.
— Rain Cancels —
May
Hitchcock Woods, Kalmia Trail
When: Date to be announced but around the first week in May. Your hike leader will pick a time when the flowers are at their best. It may be a late afternoon weekday hike.
Hike Leader: Jim Pierce email: jbpierce649@outlook.com
Phone: 803-634-0513
Description:If the weather cooperates this hike will visit one of Aiken’s best floral displays; the Kalmia trail in Hitchcock Woods. In December 2022 before we had the deep freeze the Kalmia had many tight buds and if the buds survived the freeze the May 2023 floral display should be excellent. We will hike along the top of a ridge where the valley below is often covered in Kalmia blooms. If you have not seen this display, you are in for a treat. If you have seen it in prior years, you will know that the spectacle varies from year to year depending on the weather. Bring your camera! The route will also take us past the Horse Show Ring.
Meeting Place: The Hitchcock Woods Dibble Road entrance closest to the railroad crossing.
Meeting time: Please be at the meeting place 15 minutes before the scheduled hike time.
Distance: About 1.6 miles. Circular route.
Terrain: Some small hills, sand under foot
Bring: Water. Camera, walking stick.
— Rain Cancels —