Hiking within a South Carolina state park is a wonderful way to enjoy reconnecting with Mother Nature. The trails are usually well-maintained, and you can almost always count on meeting or at least passing a few smiling strangers who are also seeking a memorable outdoor experience. If you're looking for more of a technical challenge, though, take the 3.8-mile trek known as Sulphur Springs Trail at Paris Mountain State Park.
If a few inclines and some rocks and roots aren't an issue for you, then you'll likely love this forest adventure.
It leads past some interesting sights within Paris Mountain State Park.
The trail begins at Picnic Area 6 just outside of Greenville.
Since it's a loop trail, you'll be faced with the immediate decision of which way to go: clockwise or counter-clockwise. Most people prefer clockwise.
For a short distance, the trail meanders alongside a quiet mountain stream.
During inclement weather, you may enjoy the gurgling sounds of the water washing over the rocky bottom as you make your way over the path and an occasional footbridge.
The trails in this park are well marked and often crisscross one another.
Keep an eye out for the white blazes or for the white Sulphur Springs Trail signs.
A few scrambles along the way may have you wondering if you should turn around.
So you may find trekking poles to be helpful. Follow the trail along a picturesque mountain ridge where the sights and sounds of the beautiful pine and hardwood South Carolina forest may inspire you to slow down and take it all in.
Eventually, the trail winds past an old dam.
It also traverses past Mountain Lake, a small reservoir with a gorgeous cut-stone face and adjacent matching tower.
Paris Mountain State Park is home to at least four lakes and nearly 14 miles of hiking trails.
Some of the hiking trails, including this one, have sections that are shared with mountain bikers. To best avoid them, just head to this trail during the week instead of weekends.
The park itself was built in 1936 by the CCC, a public work relief program initiated after the Great Depression that put Americans back to work.
The land where the park sits is filled with folklore carried forward from the days when the Cherokee Indians lived here.
Be sure to carve out enough time to truly enjoy this forest hike in South Carolina.
Most people finish the trek in two to three hours, so it's not really suitable for small children. But there are lots of other kid-friendly hikes throughout the state!
For more information on this enchanted forest, 3.8-mile hike in South Carolina, refer to the Sulphur Springs Trail page on Alltrails. They also have an app you can download and bring along for guidance, provided you have cell service. Use AllTrails+ to download maps for offline use when your service is spotty or nonexistent.
Paris Mountain State Park charges a nominal admission/parking fee, but the park has much to offer in the way of outdoor recreation. For more information on the park, go to the official website of South Carolina Parks.
If you’re still in the mood for more Palmetto State adventures, take a look at this video about the Kiawah River Pelicans:
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!
