Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 1066

Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Oconee County offers the perfect combination of gorgeous lakes,
majestic mountains, and endless shopping and culture.
3. Table Rock State Park
The Great Spirit, according to the Cherokees, dined atop this park's granite summit, giving
basis to the name—Table Rock—that has endured to modern times. Table Rock Lodge,
builtbytheCivilianConservationCorps,sitsattheedgeofPinnacleLakeandoffersviews
of the peak. Challenging trails climb to the summit; an easier hour-long hike crisscrosses
Carrick Creek, where blossoming mountain laurels and rhododendrons grace the woods in
spring with clouds of rose-pink, purple, and white.
4. Pickens
Located just five miles south of Hwy. 11 at the junction of Hwy. 178 is the small town of
Pickens. With a heritage rich in Appalachian culture, visitors to Pickens will be pleased to
discover Hagood Mill Historic Site. This restored 1845 gristmill features a special celeb-
ration on the third Saturday of each month. You'll also find the Pickens County Museum,
Hagood Mauldin House, and Bee Well Honey Market. Quaint restaurants and a small town
that beckons of yesteryear will make you want to stay and play.
5. Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area
EuropeanpioneersencounteredathrivingCherokeecultureintheseruggedhills.Foratime
the two peoples lived in peace, but as more and more settlers came, the Cherokees, like