When hikers ask which trails in South Carolina are worth a full day — or several — the conversation always circles back to the same handful of routes. Below we've ranked the ten longest hiking trails in South Carolina by total mapped distance, drawing from the 4,294 trails OutsideAtlas currently tracks in the state. Each entry includes the distance, what makes the route distinctive, and an honest note on who should actually attempt it.
South Carolina runs from the Blue Ridge in the northwest through the Piedmont to the Lowcountry sea islands — modest peaks but real ecological range. The Foothills Trail, Palmetto Trail, and Bartram Trail (NC/SC) combine for hundreds of miles of formal long-distance routing. Spring and fall are best; summer humidity is significant; winter trails are quiet and clear.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 4,294 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in South Carolina — but the data has limits worth being honest about. OpenStreetMap distance tags are crowd-sourced and inconsistent. A route may appear longer or shorter than the official measurement, especially when long-distance trails (like state and national scenic trails) are tagged in segments rather than as a single relation.
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Willet Drive Sawmill Branch Trail Neighborhood Entrance
Willet Drive Sawmill Branch Trail Neighborhood Entrance earns the #1 spot for its sheer distance, though the exact mileage in OpenStreetMap data is a rough estimate. Expect asphalt surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Willet Drive Sawmill Branch Trail Neighborhood Entrance trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Big Green Trail footpath connector to Mac's Gap Trail
Big Green Trail footpath connector to Mac's Gap Trail earns the #2 spot for its sheer distance, though the exact mileage in OpenStreetMap data is a rough estimate. Expect unpaved surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Big Green Trail footpath connector to Mac's Gap Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Lipton Street Sawmill Branch Neighborhood Entrance
Lipton Street Sawmill Branch Neighborhood Entrance earns the #3 spot for its sheer distance, though the exact mileage in OpenStreetMap data is a rough estimate. Expect asphalt surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Lipton Street Sawmill Branch Neighborhood Entrance trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Palmetto Trail: Lake Marion Passage (Unmaintained)
Palmetto Trail: Lake Marion Passage (Unmaintained) earns the #4 spot for its sheer distance, though the exact mileage in OpenStreetMap data is a rough estimate. Expect mud surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in South Carolina, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Palmetto Trail: Lake Marion Passage (Unmaintained) trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. The Electric City Trail - Clemson Blvd Segment
The Electric City Trail - Clemson Blvd Segment earns the #5 spot for its sheer distance, though the exact mileage in OpenStreetMap data is a rough estimate. Expect concrete surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the The Electric City Trail - Clemson Blvd Segment trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Walter B. Williams Park MTB GCA Loop Extension
Walter B. Williams Park MTB GCA Loop Extension earns the #6 spot for its sheer distance, though the exact mileage in OpenStreetMap data is a rough estimate. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Walter B. Williams Park MTB GCA Loop Extension trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Academy for the Arts, Science, and Technology
Academy for the Arts, Science, and Technology earns the #7 spot for its sheer distance, though the exact mileage in OpenStreetMap data is a rough estimate. Expect concrete surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Academy for the Arts, Science, and Technology trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Swamp Rabbit Trail Clean Water Connector Loop
Swamp Rabbit Trail Clean Water Connector Loop earns the #8 spot for its sheer distance, though the exact mileage in OpenStreetMap data is a rough estimate. Expect compacted surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Swamp Rabbit Trail Clean Water Connector Loop trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. McCullough Neighborhood Greenway Connection
McCullough Neighborhood Greenway Connection earns the #9 spot for its sheer distance, though the exact mileage in OpenStreetMap data is a rough estimate. Expect paved surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in South Carolina, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the McCullough Neighborhood Greenway Connection trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Palmetto Trail High Hills of Santee Passage
Palmetto Trail High Hills of Santee Passage earns the #10 spot for its sheer distance, though the exact mileage in OpenStreetMap data is a rough estimate. Expect unpaved surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Plan as a multi-day if you're not used to single-push 20+ mile days; resupply or shuttle logistics matter here. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Palmetto Trail High Hills of Santee Passage trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your South Carolina trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for South Carolina. Spring and fall are best; summer humidity is significant; winter trails are quiet and clear. Copperheads and rattlesnakes in the uplands, alligators in Lowcountry swamps, and tick-borne illness statewide.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More South Carolina hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our South Carolina coverage continues below.
- Steepest trails in South Carolina — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Best beginner hikes in South Carolina — Easy, well-marked trails for first-time hikers.
- Most challenging hikes in South Carolina — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in South Carolina — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in South Carolina — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in South Carolina — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in South Carolina — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in South Carolina last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
