If you've already worked your way through the South Carolina day-hike checklist, this is the list for what comes next. We ranked the state's hardest trails using a composite of difficulty tag (hard or expert), distance, and elevation gain, drawing from the 4,294 mapped South Carolina trails in our database. These ten routes are reserved for hikers with the gear, the navigation skills, and the honesty about their own limits to tackle them safely.
South Carolina runs from the Blue Ridge in the northwest through the Piedmont to the Lowcountry sea islands — modest peaks but real ecological range. A full Foothills Trail thru-hike, the Palmetto Trail end-to-end, and serious Jocassee Gorges loops are the state's defining tests. Copperheads and rattlesnakes in the uplands, alligators in Lowcountry swamps, and tick-borne illness statewide.
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. A composite score weights expert and hard difficulty tags alongside total mileage and elevation gain. The result favors long, vertically aggressive routes with documented technical sections — there are surely tougher off-trail objectives in the state, but those are outside the scope of a trail directory.
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. Selma Erwin Nature Trail
Selma Erwin Nature Trail sits near Hardwick in Baldwin County and is rated expert — our pick for the toughest trail on the list. Expect unpaved surface on a expert-only 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Selma Erwin Nature Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Big Rock Mountain Summit Trail
Big Rock Mountain Summit Trail sits near Sunset in Pickens County and is rated hard — the #2 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard in OpenStreetMap. 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Big Rock Mountain Summit Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. Big Rock Mountain Summit Trail
Big Rock Mountain Summit Trail sits near Sunset in Pickens County and is rated hard — the #3 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard in OpenStreetMap. 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Big Rock Mountain Summit Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Big Rock Mountain Summit Trail
Big Rock Mountain Summit Trail sits near Sunset in Pickens County and is rated hard — the #4 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Tagged hard in OpenStreetMap. Compared to similar trails in South Carolina, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Big Rock Mountain Summit Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage
Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage sits near Cross Anchor in Laurens County and is rated hard — the #5 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt/sand surface on a genuinely demanding 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. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage
Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage sits near Cross Anchor in Laurens County and is rated hard — the #6 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt/sand surface on a genuinely demanding 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. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage
Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage sits near Cross Anchor in Laurens County and is rated hard — the #7 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt/sand surface on a genuinely demanding 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. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage
Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage sits near Cross Anchor in Laurens County and is rated hard — the #8 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt/sand surface on a genuinely demanding 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. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage
Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage sits near Whitmire in Laurens County and is rated hard — the #9 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt/sand surface on a genuinely demanding grade. Compared to similar trails in South Carolina, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage
Palmetto Trail Enoree Passage sits near Cross Anchor in Union County and is rated hard — the #10 entry in a roster of hikes you don't take lightly. Expect dirt/sand surface on a genuinely demanding 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. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Best attempted by hikers comfortable with long days, route-finding when the path gets faint, and weather that can turn fast. Not a casual outing. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Palmetto Trail Enoree 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.
- Top 10 longest trails in South Carolina — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- 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.
- 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.
