SensationalSerpentsbyJayKeck,South CarolinaWildlifeFederation-Industry HabitatManager
Trails Club Calendar:
2025
July 5 @ 8am – Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
August 2 @ 8am – Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
September 6 @ 8am – Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
October 4 @ 8am – Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
October 18 @ 8am – Battle of the Run Clubs 10k hosted by Aiken Trails Club at Stable View
October 25 @ 8am – Aiken Trailblazer at Stable View Headless Horseman Half Marathon/10k/5k/ Kids Fun Run
Registration HERE: *Next price increase July 5*
November 1 @ 8am – Aiken Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
December 6 @ am – Aiken Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
2026
January 3 @ 8am – Aiken Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
February 7 @ 8am – Aiken Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
February 27 – March 1 – Ultra Cool Announcement & Registration Coming Soon! (event will not be hosted by Aiken Trails Club)
March 7 @ 8am – Aiken Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
April 11 @ 8am – Aiken Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
April 18: Aiken Trailblazer at Stable View Spring Race
May 9 @ 8am – Aiken Trails Club Monthly Group Run/Walk
Barry’s Trail Club Welcome Letter
Hello Trails Club friends!
As we embrace the summer season, we’re reaching out to ask for your help in growing our wonderful community. We’re always on the lookout for new members — people who enjoy the outdoors, whether they’re seasoned runners, casual strollers, hikers, or ramblers.
Do you know someone who might like to join us?
Friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, classmates — anyone who enjoys fresh air and good company could be a great fit! They don’t need to be runners or even consider themselves “athletic” — just people who’d like to explore the trails at their own pace.
A Unique Place to Explore
Stable View is positioned on the fall line, where the Piedmont meets the Coastal Plain. This unique location offers a rare blend of landscapes:
The Piedmont side brings rolling hills, rocky outcrops, and clay soils — offering a terrain that’s great for a more challenging hike or run.
The Coastal Plain features flatter ground, sandy soils, and open
spaces dotted with pines — perfect for a gentler stroll or a relaxing ramble. This diversity makes our trails unlike any others — every outing offers something new to discover!
What’s New at The Bistro?
We’re excited to let you know that The Bistro is introducing some lighter fare — smaller plates perfect for a post-trail bite. We’ll also soon offer sports drinks with electrolytes and fewer calories, so you can refuel and refresh after your adventure.
Get to Know Your Trails:
By Sarah Hansel
The Blue loop is a 4.6 mile loop (a perfect 5 if you count going to and from the pavillion) on rolling trails with just over 500' of total elevation gain. It is marked with blue arrows. Starting at the main trail sign at the edge of the woods, you will
follow the path to the right and along the bottom edge of the large cross country field. At the corner, a path will then take you along the edge of the back field and into the woods. This is where it starts to get fun.
A wide shaded path rolls through the pine forest. You will note the railroad tracks to your right. This is the western boarder of the StableView property.
About two miles in there will be a turn to the right off the main path and you will enter The Gully, a winding single track that crosses a small stream.
Upon returning to the main path, you will continue on towards the highway. This marks the Southern boarder of the StableView property. On your left will be a turn into the forest onto the Deer Trail. This single track game trail wanders through tall pines for about half a mile before taking another left turn onto a grassy doubletrack. If you see any wildlife, be sure to thank them for creating this little highway for us to enjoy!
From here, there will be another left turn back onto single track for my favorite part of the whole trail system, Kalmia Canyon. I
highly recommend this section when it is in full bloom. Game trails are laced together to form a fun and interesting wander up and down red clay ledges in a truly unique part of the StableView property.
Popping out on the double track again, take a sharp right up the hill and then your first path to the left. This is a pleasant little wander before dropping down a small hill and meeting up with the intersection of the Red Loop. If you combine both the Blue and Red loop it works out to a perfect 10 miles, great for long run with friends on a Saturday morning!
Bypassing the Red Loop you would continue to follow the blue arrows for another .6 miles, which will take you past the Clay Pit and eventually pop you out directly below the Pavillion.
When you finish up, grab a sandwich and a cold drink at the Bistro, relax a bit with friends, and sneak in a quick shower before heading hom
The Battle of the Run Clubs registration opened on Monday, June 23rd. Further details about the event, course, and registration will be announced soon. The Battle of the Run Clubs will be a memorable morning, where friendly competition and the joy of the running community come together. October 18 is one week before the Fall Trailblazer. This could be a taper run for those participating in the Trailblazer and a sneak peek for those new to the Trailblazer. Sign-ups can be accepted at this link: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=127836
Wallace: The OG Trailblazer of Aiken Trails Club
@ Stable View:
In the mid-1970s, Kalmia Canyon was a place for hide-and-seek, as well as minibikes and motorcycle rides for kids, particularly Wallace. The land was also used for hunting rabbits and squirrels, and The OG trained on the trails for an annual 10k in Hitchcock Woods, The Whiskey Road Race and parts of the Triple Crown Road Races. During his childhood, the Graniteville Company owned all that is now known as Stable View. Eventually, the land was sold to Sage Valley, which used it as a quail hunting facility with a lodge in Vaucluse. When the current owners acquired the property, they found the initials "SV" beautifully displayed on the stall doors of the Main Barn.
Rather than alter these details, they consulted friends for a farm name that could utilize these initials, leading to the creation of "Stable View."
The 800 acres encompassing the trail system were acquired by Stable View and placed in conservation. Special trails have been created with shortcuts leading back to The Pavilion — selected for their ideal locations, beauty, and shade. These new trails include some single track designated specifically for runners and walkers.
July Trails Report: A new single track has been established, although it is not yet marked. This trail will cross another stream, connecting the orange loop to the gully in the blue loop. As summer heats up, please remember that the red loop has minimal to no shade, while the blue, orange, and yellow loops offer the most shade. Deer have been quite plentiful in the early morning.
Sensational Serpents:
By Jay Keck, South Carolina Wildlife Federation - Industry Habitat Manager
Snakes are amazing animals that contribute significantly to ecosystems around the world, but for many, snakes can be an intimidating and somewhat scarry occurrence on outdoor hiking and running trails. Ralph Waldo Emerson wisely wrote that;
“Knowledge is the antidote to fear.” If you would, allow me to provide some knowledge so that your run, walk, or hike, is more enjoyable, less stressful, and possibly even more fascinating during your encounter with one of our sensational serpents!
Copperhead Snake
Out of the 38 snake species we have in South Carolina only 6 of them are venomous, so chances that would encounter a nonvenomous species is much greater than your chances of seeing a venomous one. However, if you are outdoors enough, you will see a venomous species from time to time crossing or even warming itself on a trail. Copperheads, our most abundant venomous species, are usually active in low-light hours, as well as at night during the heat of the summer. Copperheads usually have a light brown or tan body with a Hershey Kiss pattern that extends from behind the head down the tail on both sides of its body. The head, like other pit vipers such as the cottonmouth and the timber rattlesnake, is quite chunky and angled. The copperhead is the only species that has a coppery brown or rusty colored head. Cottonmouths, a relative of the copperhead, are usually much darker in color and lack the Hershey Kiss design that is diagnostic for the copperhead. Cottonmouths are commonly found in or near water in the coastal plain of South Carolina, so if the trail borders a low-lying wet area, be on the lookout for these thick-bodied vipers. Timber rattlesnakes, which can be a common occurrence in areas within the coastal plain, are thick-bodied snakes that can reach 5 feet in length or more.
They usually have black chevrons or crossbands on a brown, gray, or yellowish body, though the body can sometimes be completely black. They tend to be lighter in color in the coastal plain and a bit darker in the piedmont and mountains of South Carolina. If you encounter one of these venomous snakes, or any snake that you are unsure of, keep your distance to ensure your safety. It makes no sense for a snake to chase you or attack you without being provoked, so keeping a safe distance between you and snake will ensure that you both have a safe and enjoyable time on the trail!
A few non-venomous species I would like to mention are some of the more common ones that you would see during the day. Black racers are thin, cylindrical snakes, that can get to a length of around 5 feet. They have large eyes for finding prey and will even lift the front third of their body so they can look for prey – a technique some people call periscoping. They are fast and will almost always flee if approached. A similar non-venomous species is the Eastern rat snake, which can be black, gray, or even yellow with black stripes in the coastal plain of SC. This snake can reach lengths of approximately 8 feet, though species found in the wild are usually four, five, or six feet long. If approached they will often “kink” their bodies up to break up their linear shape, or to make them look more like a branch, some people believe.
Another fascinating non-venomous snake that you may encounter in your area is the Eastern hognose snake, one of the most popular species for snake enthusiasts in our country due to their comical looking face and the performance that they often give when approached. When threatened, the snake may spread its neck like a cobra, hiss, and strike (but with no intention of biting). If those acts fail to deter the attacker, it will potentially roll over on its back, open its mouth and allow the tongue to hang out as if it is dead. This snake is quite remarkable and one that I hope you’re lucky enough to see in the wild! The snake is usually
heavily blotched on the sides with black, brown, and tan shades, though some can exhibit other colors, with other species being entirely black.
The tip of the nose is upturned, giving it the name “hognose”. Our personal pet hognose snake is named “Piglet” and appears to have a permanent smile on her face!
With the idea of knowledge quelling fear, consider learning more about the snakes in your area by reading a couple great books. Snakes of the Eastern United States and Snakes of the Southeast are two great books written by local snake expert, Whit Gibbons. With the knowledge you will gain from these and other sources, I believe you will be more comfortable and happier as you explore the outdoors on your favorite nature trails!
Trail Map:
