The Swamp Rabbit - from the Falls to Cleveland Park

When bragging about Greenville I always mention the Swamp Rabbit Trail. It’s not the historic migration route for small mammals, nor is it a hiking path leading through marshy lowlands; the Swamp Rabbit Trail is a multi-use greenway system connecting Greenville County with schools, parks, and local businesses. Running along Reedy River for a large portion of its 17.5 miles, the trail utilizes an old rail bed between Greenville and Travelers Rest. The old railway line was nicknamed for the large cottontail rabbit found here in the South, and when trail replaced rail the name stuck. We often utilize two sections of the trail, one down by Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery and the section downtown, connecting Falls Park with Greenville Zoo. With visitors in town this week (one in particular who was asking to visit a playground) we headed east from Falls Park on a sunny afternoon.

The current trail begins at Greenville Technical College, crosses through Falls Park and downtown Greenville, and winds its way all the way to Travelers Rest, although there are plans for several spur trails and possible extensions. The wheels were set in motion in 1999 when the City of Greenville bought the abandoned railroad with plans for a commuter rail and greenway. Although rail intentions were never realized, planning for the trail commenced in 2005 and the Swamp Rabbit Trail officially opened on May 7, 2010. There are constantly improvements being made on the trail, the most recent being the Cancer Survivors Park just past Falls Park. An overgrown section of the trail between Church Street and Cleveland Park became a 6.8 acre park, complete with improved access to the trail, a more bicycle friendly crossing to the Reedy River, as well as gathering spaces for "education and celebration.” I will be happy to see the kudzu, poison ivy and unsightly pipes completely replaced by sculpture and landscaping, and am surprised it hasn’t happened sooner, considering its proximity to downtown and Falls Park.

The bridge over Reedy River in Cancer Survivors Park, before and after

Crossing under McDaniel Avenue we entered Cleveland Park and soon spotted the F-86 Sabre Jet which serves as the memorial to Air Force Maj. Rudolf Anderson, Jr. An Upstate native, he served in Korea, receiving two Distinguished Flying Cross Citations. On October 27, 1962 while on a reconnaissance mission over Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Maj. Rudolph Anderson, Jr. was shot down and killed. The Anderson Memorial Airplane was dedicated on May 19, 1963. After a pause to read the plaques we continued on.

A study in 2012 estimated that more than 350,000 people annually used the trail and that area businesses increased their sales from 30 to 85% (source here). Businesses have cropped up around the trail, not only outfitting the bicyclists and runners that utilize the trail, but catering to the diverse public that the Swamp Rabbit brings to Greenville and surrounding area. I wrote about the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery here, but other examples include Trailside Creamery, The Forest Coffeehouse and Swamp Rabbit Brewery which just opened this month. To me this provides ample evidence that the trail is used by more than just cyclists, and as the trail enters Cleveland Park we see even more signs of people - school groups, health enthusiasts and especially families - enjoying the greenway on a sunny day. Passing picnic shelters and fitness stations along the way we soon came to the train park, which is just next to the Veterans Memorial. From this point the Swamp Rabbit Trail turns to follow Reedy River east, but we crossed the street and followed Richland Creek.

Within line of sight and a few hundred feet is the Cleveland Park playground, with two large areas for kids of all ages. Adjacent to the Greenville Zoo, we often hear the gibbons howling away while on the swings, and the canopies provide shade on those scorching summer days. With public restrooms, covered picnic areas and a large grassy area for play, this is a perfect turning-around point to pause before eventually returning to Falls Park. The round-trip hike from the falls is under 3 miles and took us three hours with the four kids and frequent stops.

The Swamp Rabbit Trail continues on from Cleveland Park; you can read about that portion in my post The Swamp Rabbit: From Greenville Tech to Cleveland Park. From there the trail will eventually be connected to the Lake Conestee Nature Preserve section, and I think it isn’t a stretch to say someday the Trail will go all the way to Cedar Falls Park, following the Reedy to Fountain Inn. However our time on the Swamp Rabbit had ended for the day as we reached Falls Park, and soon it was time to say au revoir to our friends. I sincerely hope their memories from the Upstate are as enjoyable as ours from the time we spent with them.

* For an interactive map of the trail in its entirety, please click here.

Back on the Blue Ridge

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…

Reunited with good friends

The best thing about meeting old friends is that you can effortlessly pick up where you last left off; it doesn’t matter that years and miles separate you from the last time you saw them, or that the kids have all grown about a foot. You just seamlessly melt back into the friendship you had, and wonder at how small the world can be despite the immense size of it.

Our Greek friends from Clermont-Ferrand moved to Oklahoma last year, and thanks to business in Charlotte and Greenville, we have been able to spend a bit of time with them. These were the friends that so kindly welcomed us to Greece for our summer vacation, and along with Maël, Stephane and Lauris were the “three amigos.” Only two days separate them in age! (And Maël, we missed you and your family, and thought of you often!) 

For two days last week we enjoyed time just hanging around, getting caught up and relaxing, but along with the weekend came some beautiful weather and the chance to show them around town. Saturday we spent downtown, starting off in Falls Park and working our way to the Children’s Garden before finding all nine Mice on Main.

It is so easy to take our little town for granted, but through the eyes of our visitors we learn to appreciate it more with every tour. Not every town can boast a waterfall in the middle of the city, or such a family-friendly downtown… We are lucky to call Greenville our home, and luckier still that here our paths cross with such good friends.

The first days of spring - a teaser?

With a couple of 70˚ sunny days heralding the first days of spring, I find the rumors of another winter storm in the works and the weather forecast of nights below freezing in the coming week hard to believe. I’ll be moving my starts back inside, but I don’t think there is much hope for the one tomato plant I tucked into a bed in the backyard; more of an experiment than an attempt at anything, it felt so nice to plant something (anything!) after this long winter. However, the lovely warm days have encouraged the flowering trees, and the redbuds, cherries and pears, which are all at peak bloom. The forsythias are just winding down along with the daffodils, but it will not be long before the tulips start to bloom as the creeping phlox is colorfully reappearing all around town.

The pansies are really outdoing themselves this year - most survived the winter!

Our celebration of spring continues, with lots of time spent outdoors as well as the outdoors brought in. The cherry branches blooming on our living room table bring back memories of our wedding, with blooming dogwood on every table. And I admit to moving the vase of daffodils from room to room, based on where I’m spending the most time. But the event that makes me certain that spring is in the air was our first dinner outside. There is only a limited season that evenings outside are so pleasant (before the heat and the mosquitoes) and I intend to take full advantage of our window this year.

The boys went for their traditional shamrock shake on St. Patrick’s day. My understanding is that they would rather drink sprite than that “green thing” but tell that to dad…

Along with the beginning of spring is the resurgence of regular outdoor playdates, as well as another wave of visitors. Some very good friends of ours from our days in France swung by for a few days, and will be back this weekend. I look forward to spending more time with them, showing off Greenville and the foothills, sharing some of our favorite spots to eat and watching the boys get reacquainted with some “old” friends.

A visit from grandmother (in pictures)

Our monthly art class at C.A.T. Studios

A visit to the Children’s Museum of the Upstate

In the kitchen baking a no-knead bread

Our own art class at home with all the cool supplies grandmother brought

Enjoying the warm weather in Paris Mountain State Park 

Back in the kitchen, this time for play dough with the recipe out of the most recent edition of Highlights magazine

Spring in Falls Park!

Come back soon grandmother!