Old Waterwheel Trail is a 1.5 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Mountain Rest, South Carolina that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
$5 adults; $3.25 SC seniors (age 65 & older); $3 children ages 6-15; ages 5 and under, free
Moderate short but pretty trail in Oconnee State Park. Had to climb over several logs. Plenty of up and down and somewhat narrow trail. Park at Foothills Trail parking lot and continue to walk a bit up the road. Trailhead is on left. Old waterwheel site is maybe a quarter mile into it. You exit at parking lot. I ran the trail in the morning so it didn’t take me that long, but hiking I’d say 45 minutes to an hour. Might redo it later with my kids.
This was a nice little hike. It takes you back to where the water wheel had been many years ago. It will give you a nice little work out. If you are there in the summer humidity expect to get pretty sweaty going up and down this hilly area.
Went day after Thanksgiving for a short hike and took our dog. They have had a lot of fallen trees and brush; most which had been cleared, but not all. This trail had very little traffic and with the fallen leaves we had to look for markers, some were missing or far apart. Apart from the part of the trail near Foothills Trail, we were able to let our dog run free. There was no one in site. The trail is rated easy but there are two or three areas that have some log steps and have at least a 10-12% elevation for over 1200 ft. A moderate rating seems more appropriate. It was a nice, uncrowded, wooded walk. We enjoyed the nice short hike.
View remnants of the stone structure that housed the wheel used to pump water for the Civilian Conservation Corps camp. orange blazes and markers.