Reader Submission: Musterground Road and Horsepasture Road

Georgia Overland contributor, Randall Warren, is back with a report from Musterground Road near the North Carolina / South Carolina border.  Randall also sent along some pics from Horsepasture Road.  (Randall first reported on Horsepasture road here).

Since I have neither verified the accuracy of the descriptions nor checked for legal vehicle travel, I feel obligated to state the obvious...Use the following information at your own risk.

First, let's visit Musterground Road...

Randall writes:

This trip originates from one of my two haunts. South Carolina Hwy 11. It can also be accessed from my other haunt, US 64 in NC.

Start at the intersection of SC 11 and SC 130. Go north on SC 130 for 10.4 miles. (Side note: it can also be accessed from NC 281). SC 130 turns into 281 at the border. After 10.4 miles, turn into Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station. Go 2.2 miles and turn left at the sign. Go .4 miles into the parking lot. On the left is a trailhead for the Bad Creek Spur hiking trail. Musterground Road is to the right.

It's open two times during the year, March 20-May 10 and September 15-January 1.

Check the South Carolina DNR website for hunting season dates. The road is pretty easy going for about the first 2.5 miles, with good views of Lake Jocassee.  Then you start climbing hills. After about 5.5 miles, you cross a bridge over Whitewater River. Good photo opportunity here. In another 3.3 miles there is a side road closed off with yellow tape. It appears to go for about .5 miles and reconnect to Musterground Road. More hills after this...uphill most of the way, but some nice rollercoaster-type hills on the way down. Total distance of the road is about 13 miles.

There are some side roads on top that either loop around or dead end. Forest Service was doing a controlled burn when I was there...I got tired of breathing smoke. This road is somewhat rough. I would recommend good tires, maybe 6 inches of ground clearance and 4wd just to make it easier to climb the hills. I saw a couple of DNR folks driving Ford Expeditions with all terrain tires on top of the mountain.

There are also some hunting camps along the way, again check DNR site for info.

The following are pictures provided by Randall from Musterground Road:

And here are a few of the picturesque views waiting for you from the Horsepasture Road area:

Thanks for the email, Randall!

-David