Greenville
has something that not many cities have – mountains within a 30 minute drive.
Along with Paris Mountain State Park and the dozens of hiking opportunities
there, the Upstate also boasts the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. I’ve
written about Jones Gap and the Foothills trail (two of the main attractions
in the 11,000 acre wilderness area) here, but included in the expanse of protected mountain
forest are plenty of other appeals. We’ve developed a tour of sorts, to
show visitors a “best of” that is kid-friendly and fits into a day/half-day,
and once again we found ourselves headed north with guests in tow – this time
our Greek friends from our time in France.
Our
first stop was Wildcat Branch Falls. The area around the lower falls, the
signage and the trail loop leading to the viewing point for the upper falls
have been immensely improved in the past year. For a detailed read about
Wildcat Wayside, the historic picnic shelter and nearby trails you can visit
the post by Outdoors in Upstate South Carolina. We made the roundtrip hike to
see the upper falls, pausing here and there to throw some rocks into the water
or take in the view. As the weather in Greenville had been cloudy with
scattered rain we had the place mostly to ourselves, even though the clouds had
mostly cleared and the temperature warmed.
On our
way to Caesars Head SP we pulled into the turn-out for Bald Rock. A granite
outcrop over two acres in size, the view faces out over Pickens and Greenville
county with Table Rock and Paris Mountain clearly visible even on this
partly-cloudy day. Tricked into leaving our coats in the car by the sunshine
and warm temperatures, we soon discovered the wind still had quite a bit of
bite, especially up here in higher elevations.
We
didn’t make the same mistake in Caesars Head. Bundled up we headed out to the
overlook, where visibility was surprisingly good considering weather
conditions. Cutting through Devil’s Kitchen, the narrow pass between two large
pieces of granite, we quickly reached the small overlook which provides the
only view of the actual outcrop after which Caesars Head is named; the main
overlook is from the top of this craggy cliff. Doubling back a side trail takes
you to the parking lot, and we were soon back in the cars ready for the next
leg of the day’s tour. It is actually just another mile past the parking lot that
the two-mile Raven Cliff Falls trail departs, leading to the overlook for 420-foot Raven Cliff
Falls. Although Roberts and I have both made the hike (probably a decade ago),
we have yet to take the boys on this more strenuous trail. I am also tempted each time we visit to hike the longer loop (that includes Dismal Trail),
as the suspension bridge offers a unique perspective to these spectacular falls.
Leaving
the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area we headed west, and paused for a snack at
Pumpkintown Mountain Opry. With a restaurant, shops, seasonal entertainment and
cottages for rent/sale, the complex is a quaint stop that we often make with
guests. The coffee is good, the ice cream better, and the boys often leave with
hard candy that ensures sticky fingers for the rest of the trip.
Our
final stop was Table Rock State Park, with a view of the south face of the
table and "Footstool mountain,” a fishing pond and the Visitor Center. The
rocking chairs on the large porch were quite comfortable in the sunshine, and I
lingered for a few minutes after the boys headed down to the lake to search for
fish. A small fee or a State Park pass will gain you entry to the main section
of the park north of Highway 11, but this section to the south is free, meant
to provide information and a taste of the park. Backcountry campsites are
accessible from the southern portion, although all the trailheads for trails leading to Table Rock are in the northern section.
We
have completed this tour countless times: with parents, siblings and friends,
just Roberts and I back in the day, or with both boys more recently. Despite
the scenery remaining the same, I never tire of the views, the waterfalls, the
trails and the nature. Variations on a theme with the changes of seasons, we
also see the mountains differently with each new guest we bring to this corner
of the Upstate. I’m glad we were able to once more share the beauty with our
friends, but I can’t help but wonder who we will be taking on this tour next…
The wonderful thing about nature is that it changes with the seasons! And, of course, as the kids grow, their pace and interests will change, as well. Living in Greenville, you definitely are lucky to be so close to the mountains.
ReplyDeleteHow lucky Liene are you to have here mountains so close to you...I bet you see something different every time you go up there! Great post!
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