This passage features the rolling hills of the upstate, the charming town of Landrum, and a very steep ascent through The Nature Conservancy’s Blue Wall Preserve. The Blue Wall Preserve is the easternmost portion of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and provides a breathtaking climb of 1500 ft. elevation gain within three miles. At Vaughns Gap, the trail connects to the Poinsett Reservoir Passage. A loop trail near mile 12 takes hikers to a lovely waterfall that drops 20-30 feet.

The eastern and most northern section of the trail begins in the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (F.E.N.C.E.), a nature education and recreation center. Here you will find beautiful walking paths with a pond and observation boardwalk. Country roads and sidewalks connect the two ends, going through the heart of downtown Landrum and around lovely Lake Lanier.


Length: 14 miles
Use: Hiking, mountain biking
Difficulty: easy 0 - 6 miles; 6 - 12 moderate, 12 - 14 strenuous
Restrictions: no mountain biking, camping or fires in Nature Conservancy's Blue Wall Preserve (10.5 mile marker to 14)
Trail markings: Yellow blazes in TNC Preserve, posts with decals throughout

Directions: see page 2 of the pdf

Additional Information: The SC Nature Conservancy, 2231 Devine St., Columbia, SC 29205 (803) 254-9049
Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (F.E.N.C.E.) 500 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon, NC 28782 (828) 859-9021

This Passage is divided into 2 section maps. Click below to download individual pdfs.

Section 1 FENCE to Lake Lanier
Section 2 Lake Lanier to Vaughns Gap