SC State Park Trails – Paths that Lead to Natural Beauty
Pack your hiking boots, bike, or bring along your horse to explore the trails in South Carolina. South Carolina State Parks are home to some of the most adventurous, strenuous and moderate trails in the state encompassing hiking, biking, equestrian and interpretive. You can find them all between the mountains and the sea of the Palmetto State.
Raven Cliff Falls, a waterfall trail at Caesars Head State Park, is a picture perfect outdoor adventure. The waterfall is the highest in South Carolina at more than 400 feet tall. The hike is a moderate 2 miles (4 miles roundtrip) to the overlook. The hike to the suspension bridge is 3.8 miles (7.5 miles roundtrip). The waterfall is located in the Upstate of South Carolina.
For a more challenging hike, try Pinnacle Mountain Trail at Table Rock State Park in Pickens. This is an adventurous trail with downed trees and rocky passes that you will have to climb. On a clear day you can look out over the distant mountains to see the city of Greenville.
The main trail attraction at Lansford Canal State Park is the Canal Trail. If you’re not up for a challenge, but want to get a little exercise in while enjoying the outdoors, this one’s for you. Also at Landsford Canal State Park are the Nature and Eagle Point trails. Listen to the sounds of the water tumbling over rocks as you walk the 1.5-mile Nature Trail. The short 0.2-mile Eagle Point Trail ends at a bluff overlooking the Catawba River.
The newest SC State Park trail is the Musgrove Battlefield Trail. Musgrove Mill State Park’s interpretive battlefield trail offers access and interpretation to the site of the Battle of Musgrove Mill, fought in 1780. Along the way, you’ll pass the ruins of the Musgrove House and a monument that honors Mary Musgrove, a Revolutionary War Heroine.
If mountain biking is more your thing, check out Hickory Knob State Resort Park on Lake Thurmond along the Georgia border or Croft State Natural Area in the Upstate just outside of Spartanburg. Both of these parks boast over 10 miles of mountain biking trails sure to please even the most hardcore trailblazers. In total, 12 parks in the system have biking trails for your enjoyment.
For the equestrians, four parks provide great trails for just horsin’ around. Croft State Natural Area, H. Cooper Black near Cheraw, Lee State Natural Area near Bishopville, and Kings Mountain State Park in Blacksburg all have facilities ranging from show rings to stalls to equestrian campsites. They also have miles of trails dedicated to horseback riding.
These are just a few of the many trails South Carolina State Parks have to offer. Choose what level of challenge you want to endure and plan your trip to a South Carolina for your next state park trail adventure.