Highway through History

Undulating through forests and farmland in what the Cherokee called the “Great Blue Hills of God,” the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (SC Highway 11) crosses the Blue Ridge Escarpment from Gaffney to Fair Play, South Carolina. Its gentle curves trace part of the Upper Warriors Path, which the Cherokee blazed to connect their principal town of Keowee with the tribe’s Lower Towns in the days before the Europeans breached the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Beginning on the eastern end, the two-lane National Scenic Byway passes Cowpens National Battlefield, then coasts by peach orchards—a lovely sight in spring when the trees burst with pale pink blossoms. It intersects Greenville County’s Dark Corner, an area shrouded in mystery and moonshine. Beyond, the highway continues in the shadow of the granite peaks of Glassy Mountain and Table Rock Mountain, arches over Lake Keowee, and skirts Lake Hartwell State Park just before joining Interstate 85. 

Short detours off Highway 11 lead to two superlative bridges. The Gothic brick arch of Poinsett Bridge, built in 1820 on the old toll road between Asheville and Charleston, is the state’s oldest span. South Carolina’s sole surviving covered bridge, 38-foot-long Campbell’s Covered Bridge, was built in 1909 across Beaverdam Creek. Elsewhere along the route, side roads wind up to Caesars Head, Jones Gap, and Devils Fork State Parks, and climb to Sassafrass Mountain, the highest point in South Carolina at 3,554 feet.

“What I love about this highway is that all along its length you can see evidence of how the mountain people lived,” says historian Dean Campbell, who is known locally as the “Squire of Dark Corner.” From fruit farms and historic sites to waterfalls and hiking trails, it’s all accessible from Highway 11. “I’ve driven scenic highways all over the U.S.,” Campbell says, “and nowhere have I seen the number of natural and cultural sights that the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway packs into 112 miles.”

With stops along the way, it’s easily a full day’s drive to tackle the entire length of highway. Listed from east to west, the highlights below can be found on the section between I-26 and Route 178, a more approachable distance of 42 miles. 

The Red Horse Inn Peace and privacy are hallmarks of his luxurious inn, located on 192 rolling acres of Greenville County hunt country (two miles off Highway 11; look for the sign after crossing Highway 14). The perfect perch for exploring the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, the Red Horse offers six inn rooms and six private cottages, all of which come with a coffeemaker, mini-refrigerator, microwave oven, and a pantry stocked with breakfast items. 45 Winstons Chase Court, Landrum. 864.895.4968. theredhorseinn.com.

Aunt Sue’s Country Corner Steps off Highway 11, this rustic wooden complex of homespun craft shops dates to the late 1980s and includes a full-service restaurant and ice-cream shop. Join the crowd for the year-round Friday night fish fry accompanied by live bluegrass music, or stop by any time for some country cooking at lunch or dinner. 107 Country Creek Drive, Pickens. Two miles east of Table Rock State Park. 864.878.4366. auntsuescountrycorner.com.

Victoria Valley Vineyards It’s admittedly a struggle to grow vinifera grapes in South Carolina, but the Jayne family has succeeded in producing some good wines from fruit grown on the mountainside about a mile off Highway 11. Treat yourself to a wine tasting, and stay to have lunch (pressed sandwiches, salads) on the airy terrace overlooking the vine-covered hillsides. 1360 S. Saluda Road, Cleveland (same turn as Aunt Sue’s). 864.878.5307. victoriavalleyvineyards.com.

Table Rock State Park A landmark along the Blue Ridge Escarpment, the sheer granite face of Table Rock Mountain (elevation 3,124 feet) can be seen from the Cherokee Foothills Visitor Center, nestled on the banks of Lake Oolenoy. Cherokee legend holds that a giant chieftain used the massive mountaintop as a table, and nearby Stool Mountain (to the right) for a seat. 158 Ellison Lane, Pickens. 864.878.9813. southcarolinaparks.com.

Hagood Mill Historic Site & Folklife Center Five miles south on Route 178, this 1845 gristmill on Jennings Creek still grinds corn with its two 1,600-pound millstones, powered by a recently restored waterwheel. The site is also home to Hagood Creek Petroglyph Site, housing a group of Native American petroglyphs estimated to be between 1,500 to 2,000 years old. Celebrate local folklife the third Saturday of every month, when you can watch the mill grinding corn, enjoy live music, and explore the site’s two restored log cabins, blacksmith shop, cotton gin, and moonshine still. 138 Hagood Mill Rd., Pickens. 864.898.2936. visitpickenscounty.com.