For Palmetto Conservation - the foundation that maintains The Palmetto Trail.

You'll get used to swinging a pick-ax and a shovel. Bring water

Never even knew it was there. Any must hit sections for a 1-2 night trip?

My hat's off to you. That's very cool.

TL;DR Upstate mountain sections most scenic and technical but overnight camping is problematic.

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I have never been on the Palmetto trail although the center section (Wateree Passage) is about 20 min. drive from here. The trail, first started in 1994, is about 85% complete.

Like the Mountain to Sea Trail in NC, the Palmetto trail is not thru hiker-friendly esp. the portion that runs from the upstate to the center of the state. The trail is located on a mish-mash of public and private properties - national forests, state parks, state wildlife management areas, a military base, city streets, county lands, and water districts.  Many sections of the trail prohibit camping, nearly all prohibit fires, and on many sections you must be off the trail at night. The section that crosses Ft. Jackson army base has a list of rules as long as your arm. One unfinished section that runs from NE Columbia to the downtown area in in parts of the city that are high-crime areas. Other than marking streets with trail signs I doubt that they'll ever be used.

An unfinished section of the trail in the middle of the state traverses power utility property and an infinite number of private properties. The power utility portion is being negotiated. I don't know about the private properties...that's up to the land owners.

The  trail has been thru-hiked but I'm assuming this was done with a support vehicle

The best (IMO) parts of the trail are in the upstate near the GA and NC state lines (Oconee, Greenville,and Spartanburg counties). Here the trail starts and stops because there are many unfinished sections but most are good for a day hike if you are very fit (mountainous and must be off the property by dusk). Pretty sure you can connect with the A.T. from Oconee County.



http://palmettoconservation.org/

Some of the hardest work I have ever done.

Trail crews are hardcore up here in the White Mountains.  Erosion control seems a good part of the work up here.  You cut water bars, clear out blowdowns, etc.

The advice to bring water should be repeated.

Oh, and bring more water.

The section of the Palmetto trail that runs from near hear to the coast is pretty much flat as a board. Most of it goes through swamps and pine forests and past farmland.  It's also an area best hiked...and volunteered on...between Mid-October and Mid-April. No one in their right mind camps much less backpacks in SC outside that time.

The newest piece of the trail will be in Walhalla (Oconee County). Short, but very scenic and I'm guessing side trails for MTB's will also be built.

http://www.wyff4.com/news/new-mountain-biking-hiking-trail-planned-for-upstate/37778218