Notes for Road walks
These are my personal notes from having walked the road walks while section hiking. If you want any additional information regarding the road walks, feel free to ask.
Wateree Passage to Fort Jackson Passage
This roadwalk is 14 miles long. Heading north, it follows the US-601 for 12.7 miles, then turns left onto Leesburg Rd for 1.3 miles. The highway is lined with private properties; I would recommend stealth camping either in the Wateree Passage or near the southern Fort Jackson Trailhead. Most of the Fort Jackson passage is either on the Fort or in-between a highway and a fence eliminating camping possibilities.
At the 7.3 mile mark, there is a CITGO gas station. This will be your best water source on the roadwalk.
Capital City Passage to Peak to Prosperity Passage
This section is approximately 27 miles long. There is a slightly shorter route (approximately 26 miles long, but the roads are busier and less conducive for hikers. There is a campground right at the trailhead between the roadwalk and the Peak to Prosperity passage. Heading south, there is one campground, Broad River Campground. Reservations are recommended. I also noted water spigots here so this could be a good source of water. Continuing south, there are a few gas stations and a Dollar General, but mostly in close proximity to each other. At the southern terminus of this section, there is a public bathroom with a water bottle filling station.
For directions:
Peak to Prosperity Passage to Newberry Passage
The Palmetto Trail website is a little confusing in this area. There is a roadwalk from the Peak to Prosperity Passage to the Newberry Passage. The Lynch's Woods Passage is a side trip from the Newberry Passage, but you'll have to return to the Newberry Passage to continue northward (or southward). Then Newberry Passage connects to the Enoree Passage even though some maps show there being a gap. The town of Newberry has good options for resupplying, include Walmart, CVS, restaurants, etc (and right off the trail). South of the Newberry Passage, you will loose your sidewalk but there is plenty of room to walk through the grass on the side of the busy highway. The roadwalk also passes by a Food Lion and a Dollar General.
From the Peak to Prosperity Passage, continue on the abandoned line, turn left on the 773, then turn right on US 76. The walk is about 8.7 miles. There is nowhere to camp on this roadwalk, but there is plenty of camping on the Peak to Prosperity Passage, Enoree passage, and possibly the Lynch's Woods Passage (it may be closed for Covid, but there are powerlines next to the passage which seemed like a good place in an emergency).
Enoree Passage to Blackstock Passage to Glen Springs Passage
From Sedalia Campground, you'll have to backtrack .6 miles and turn right on Old Buncombe Rd. After 2.1 miles, take a slight right onto SC-49 and walk another 2.5 miles. If you continue another 2.4 miles, you will reach a Dollar General, otherwise you'll turn right on Blackstock Rd for 1.2 miles, Right onto Mounument rd for 1.6 miles and the Blackstock Passage will be straight ahead. This totals in at 8 miles (not counting the detour to Dollar General).
The Blackstock Passage is a loop, so you'll have to backtrack to Blackstock Rd to continue onto the Glen Springs Passage. Turning right on Blackstock Rd, continue for 1.7 miles. Turn right on SC-56 and continue for 7.4 miles. Turn right onto Stagecoach Rd and continue the last .6 miles to the trailhead on your left. This section of roadwalk is 11 miles long. There are no resupply points along this section, but there is a correctional institute so you have been warned. This roadwalk does go over some bridges, so there is water but how drinkable the water is is debatable. There is camping on the Blackstock Passage.
Hub City Passage to USC Upstate Passage
The USC Upstate Passage was rerouted as of Feb 2022. At the moment, the maps are not currently updated to show the new route, but there is no longer a road walk between these sections. If may be difficult to spot where the two passages connect if heading northbound... it looks like an unpaved road with cement barriers (once you start heading north, you will see trail signs confirming your location). The USC Upstate passage is a good place to stealth camp.
USC Upstate Passage to Peach Country Passage
Here you're coming into a LONG stretch of no where to camp (about 31 miles) (unless you plan on stealth camping on someone's property which I don't recommend). The USC upstate passage is actually quite woodsy and would be easy to stealth camp on. Do NOT drink the water as it is right next to the sewer lines and stinks. Heading north, the trail actually goes quite a bit further than the map shows. The trail will start to look like it will make it all the way to the highway, but it actually dead ends into some thick briar patches. So, heading northbound from the parking lot, turn right onto N. Campus Blvd, then right on N. Valley Rd (or left if you want to stop by the Valero gas station which is in sight). After 1.8 miles, there is also the Valley Tavern if you're into taverns. Continuing forward, turn left onto Hanging Valley Rd and proceed for 4 miles. Turn right on Sugar Ridge Rd for .2, left on Spring Valley Rd for .6, left on Clark Rd for 3.2 miles, then right on Howard St. This section is about 10 miles long but will be longer if you follow the google directions. Google does not show Clark Rd as being a location to cross over the interstate, but you can.
Most of this section is neighborhoods, so there is no where to stealth camp.
Saluda Mountains Passage to Middle Saluda Passage
There are a few options you can take while walking this section. One option includes a side trail to a waterfall. Heading south (east) from the Middle Saluda Passage, the map states you can continue on 2.6 miles to "Fall Creek Falls". If using AllTrails, it is called the "Falls Creek Waterfall Trail". If googling the falls, make sure to search Falls Creek Waterfalls as "Fall Creek Falls" is a different waterfall. After crossing Falls Creek at the base of the falls, continue along the trail for another 1.05miles to the road. Crossing at the base of the falls can be dangerous during times of high rain fall and may require skipping.
To walk from from the Middle Saluda Passage to the Falls Creek Waterfalls Trailhead, there are 2 options: the safer way and the longer way. So I will address my experiences with both.
The longer way is approximately 17 miles. For full instructions: https://goo.gl/maps/1fvrSZp7uoPss3kE8
The longer way follows old highways (which I felt safe walking on in the dark) and has plenty of opportunities for water. I did not fully walk this section as I ran out of time and resolved to finish with the faster route. The limited access to civilization and houses makes it look like there would be plenty of options for stealth camping.
The shorter way is approximately 11 miles. Head southwest on Gap Creek Rd for 1.4 mi. Continue onto S Bobs Creek Rd. After crossing over the US25 via the overpass, cross over the wall and proceed down to the US25 for 1.4miles. The shoulder is extremely wide for ~.8 miles, but the last .1 is along a stretch with a narrow shoulder, a guard rail, and thick brambles on the other side of the guard rail. I've done a lot of road walking and this sketched me out. So unless you're a brave sole, just take the longer route. Otherwise, turn right onto S-41/Gap Creek Rd 5.5 mi. Turn right onto Jones Gap Rd/River Falls Rd for 0.3 mi. Turn right onto Duckworth Rd/S-Q-45. Continue to follow Duckworth Rd 0.5 mi. Turn right onto Fall Creek Rd 0.4 mi. Turn left 0.3 mi and you'll see the trailhead for Falls Creek Waterfalls. This route has less access to water and stealth camping spots.
If you've decided to skip Falls Creek Waterfalls, using either set of directions, from River Falls Rd, continue straight for another 1.9miles into Jones Gap State Park.
Middle Saluda Passage to Roundtop Mountain Passage
This section is accessible via the Foothills Trail Extension; no roadwalk is needed. This trail is ~10.9 miles long, is partially on the Roundtop Mountain map and is fully on the AllTrails App. There is also a map of the trail at the trailhead. Signs warn that the color orange should be worn in case of hunters. Parts of this section are very steep compared to the Palmetto Trail which may reduce your expected pace. There is also evidence of burned areas (as of 2021) which may cause mild confusion as to the trail's location, so stay alert.
Eastatoe Passage to Blue Ridge Electric Co-op Passage
If you walk the Foothills Trail, then this roadwalk will be skipped. However, it also means skipping the Eastatoe Passage, so this section will focus on the roadwalk.
For instructions: https://goo.gl/maps/eD1MWSGKqXK5B1sD9
Personally, this was my favorite roadwalk. There are beautiful vistas, a waterfall, walking through a valley surrounded by soaring mountains on all sides, places to stealth camp, access to water, little traffic...
My only complaints are 1: the street names didn't always match the names on Google Maps and 2: the trailhead on Google Maps is a half mile off for the Blue Ridge Electric Co-op Passage.
Oconee Passage to Eastatoe Passage
If you walk the Foothills Trail, then this roadwalk will be skipped. However, it also means skipping the Eastatoe Passage, so this section will focus on the roadwalk.
From the Station Mountain Falls Trailhead (aka Station Cove Falls Trailhead) at the southern (eastern) terminus of the Oconee Passage, turn left onto Oconee Station Rd. See walking instructions: https://goo.gl/maps/8EWzj6p16S86bVdt6
The majority of the roadwalk felt fairly safe. There was a mixture of gravel roads, limited use back-country roads, and a highway with a bicycle lane and a wide shoulder.
There is a stream off the CH-67 west of George Todd Rd. Around the same area, the road is gravel and has spots for stealth camping near the powerlines.
This roadwalk also has a couple options for resupplying. Farther west is the Marathon Gas Loco Mart which has picnic tables, Pizza, Hot Chicken, ramen, protein bars, tuna packets, pasta, mashed potatoes (typical crap hiking food). It's not a full on grocery store, but it does have some options.
Farther east is the Lakeshop. It has very similar options except it also has muffin mix, cereal, and limited gear options (headlamps, cheap sleeping bags and tents, etc). It's essentially a cross between a camp store and a gas station.
From Highway-11, if you turn south on Whitewater Falls Rd for 1.7miles, there is a Dollar General
Lake Marion Passage
This passage has a roadwalk that supposedly crosses a bridge of Lake Marion. This bridge is closed off indefinitely. There are fences, cement walls, and padlocks blocking the route. This is mentioned in a brief note on the official Palmetto Trail website. Past hikers have suggested asking the locals near the water for a ride across. Next to this bridge is the interstate. There is no bus line (that I've found yet at least), that crosses the lake. Trying to walk around the lake will add ~75 miles to your trip. Other options include hitchhiking, illegally crossing the bridge (I've heard it has beautiful places to camp), finding a trail angel via Facebook, or phoning a friend if you live in the area. When I went through, Lyfts and Ubers were not in the area.