Discovering Ellicott Rock: A Hidden Gem in the Chattooga River

After reading about the difficulties many have had finding this and Commissioner's Rock, I felt fortunate today in locating both of them, and wanted to share whatever tips I could to help others. I hiked from the Walhalla SC fish hatchery (worth a quick visit) on the East Fork Trail until it connected with the Chattooga Trail, then headed on that trail upstream along the river. After about 1.5 miles the trail has a wood plank crossing of a small side stream. A few minutes past that you'll see a dead tree with a spray paint arrow pointing down, a small cord tied to a nail in the tree, and a small survey disk facing the trail. You then have to climb down to the river. Ellicott Rock is no "HOLLYWOOD" sign - it's small with letters N G on a damp mossy rock, recessed beneath a number of Rhodedendron branches. About 15 feet downstream is Commissioner's Rock - I was able to precariously make it there by climbing over a dead tree along the riverside. It's faded over time and can be hard to make out. I then steeply climbed back up to the trail. I've attached pictures of all this, as there aren't any signs or clear landmarks.

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

Its a good walk from the SC side, Do it!

Trail is well-kept - only the last couple hundred yards before the rock ask you to climb over logs and up and down slippery rocks. It had rained all night the night before but things still weren’t that muddy. As others have said, come prepared to hunt for the rock. It is not marked correctly on Google. Also, my phone didn’t deal well with being right on the borders of multiple states and counties. Changed my date/time and messed up other functions until I got out. So don’t rely on your phone too much - like any wilderness!

The Ellicott Rock Wilderness is magical. I've hiked the CRT from Burrell's Ford twice in 2021. The first time, in June, I wasn't prepared for the water crossing at Bad Creek. So I decided to head back and see Spoon Auger and King's Creek Falls. The second time, in Oct, I got to within a few hundred yards of the rock. But a tricky section of trail caused me to turn back. Again. The area had had a lot of rain just prior to my visit. There were several treacherous sections - one before East Fork and another past Bad Creek. Wet rocks and steep drops were a bit scary. Awesome place. But, IMO, not for the casual hiker. I would not take young children. I'm going to try one more time to get to Ellicott Rock. But next time, I plan to hike in on Bad Creek Trail.