6 Best Hikes near Greenville SC for Families
Table Rock State Park near Greenville SC
Explore the beauty of the South Carolina upstate with the best hikes near Greenville SC!
In less than thirty minutes, visitors and residents of Greenville can leave the shops and restaurants of downtown behind and be surrounded by the natural beauty of the rolling foothills.
Just a little further down the road, and you'll be in the mountains with spectacular views, waterfalls, and hiking trails.
Take your family out to explore each of these 6 naturally beautiful places near Greenville.
Best Hikes near Greenville SC
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Both my husband and I spent our elementary school years in the Greenville area.
Then, we both went to Clemson University, which is about 30 minutes from downtown Greenville.
We’ve spent a considerable amount of time in this area, both as kids and adults, and we love returning again and again with our own children!
One thing we love about hiking and camping in and around Greenville is the wide range of options we have: there are hikes with waterfalls, hikes with covered bridges, and hikes with amazing vistas.
Caesar's Head State Park
Location: 8155 Geer Highway, Cleveland, South Carolina
Distance from downtown Greenville: 53 minutes
Caesar's Head State Park has extensive trails that wind up and down through some of the prettiest mountain areas in Greenville County.
If you’re planning a Caesar’s Head hike with little kids, I’d recommend the short, easy Frank Coggins Loop.
You’ll start and end right at the visitors center, which is ideal for snack and bathroom breaks.
The entire loop is 1.8 miles, which is doable for families with small children.
Your kids will love to find the 2 waterfalls. There’s also a cave along the way that you can poke your head into!
Raven Cliff Falls trail is a good choice for families with older kids or more experienced hikers.
This out and back trail covers 4.4 miles and is moderate in intensity.
The park is actually part of the larger Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area (which includes Raven Cliff and Cleveland Cliffs waterfalls), so if you get tired of Caesar's Head, there's still plenty of do within a short distance.
Give your favorite little hiker something they’ll love! Check out our list of best gifts for camping kids here.
Table Rock State Park
Location: 158 E. Ellison Lane, Pickens, South Carolina
Distance from downtown Greenville: 43 minutes
Trail over Carrick’s Creek in Table Rock State Park | source
As a kid, my parents often would bring my sister and I to this park for a quick getaway.
Even after we moved away from the Upstate, we'd return to stay in one of their little cabins and enjoy the fresh mountain air on long weekends.
Little kids and their families will love the easy and almost completely flat Lakeside Trail, which follows the edge of the lake in the middle of the park.
History buffs can see the efforts of the Civilian Conservation Corps on this trail. The CCC were responsible for much of this park’s construction, including the Lodge and dam.
Carrick Creek Trail is another great, easy option for families. This trail begins at the nature center and does a 2 mile loop around the park.
Kids can practice identifying the many types of trees in this section of the forest, and see if they can find the waterfalls scattered along the route.
If you've got time, you can try the 7.2 mile Table Rock Trail, which promises stunning views of the Blue Ridge mountains for those dedicated enough to see the hike through.
Note, however, that the out and back Table Rock Trail is particularly strenuous for beginning and/or young hikers, and several sections require hikers to climb up steep angles.
Table Rock is located along one of the pretty stretches in South Carolina, Scenic Highway 11.
Take a picnic and make a day of your adventures in Table Rock and beyond.
Poinsett Bridge
Location: 601 Callahan Mountain Road, Travelers Rest, South Carolina
Distance from downtown Greenville: 39 minutes
Poinsett Bridge near Travelers Rest, South Carolina
Closer to Greenville (and just outside of the adorable Travelers Rest), this stone bridge has a distinct Gothic arch.
The bridge looks like one that you'd expect to find on a ramble through the English countryside, not in the middle of the woods in South Carolina!
Our daughter on the Poinsett Bridge Trail
Although the bridge is named after Joel Poinsett, a 19th century U.S. ambassador to Mexico, he had nothing to do with the building of it.
In fact, the identity of the architect responsible for it is unclear, though most believe that it was constructed by the same man who designed the Washington Monument.
Regardless of its origins, this whimsical bridge is quite photogenic, and we saw several families taking their Christmas card photos here.
The bridge was originally found along the road between Greenville, South Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina.
The bridge is now closed to traffic, so you're free to roam around the area on the Poinsett Bridge Trail.
The trail is a 0.8 mile loop through the forest.
The entire trail is wide and cleared off, and it would make an excellent short hike for kids.
Interested in hiking as a hobby, but think it’s too expensive? Check out our guide to hiking for beginners on a budget!
Swamp Rabbit Trail
various locations in Greenville County
The section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail near Travelers Rest
Stretching over 22 miles through Greenville County, this trail has been a major part of the revitalization efforts in Greenville and Travelers Rest.
It follows the now covered railroad tracks that once brought goods to this area, and is used for local races, community exercise, and more.
Hop on your bike for an afternoon ride or lace up your running shoes to practice your sprints.
The paved path is great for all sorts of activities including easy family hikes close to Falls Park.
There are plans to extend the trail even further, so you'll soon be able to see even more of the county this way!
Check out this interactive map to find a section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail closest to you.
Try the Yellow Branch Falls hike near Walhalla, South Carolina for a picture perfect family day out.
Campbell's Covered Bridge
Location: 171 Campbell's Bridge Road, Landrum, South Carolina
Distance from downtown Greenville: 42 minutes
Is anyone else sad that covered bridges really aren't a thing anymore?
South Carolina has exactly one left...and you're looking at it.
Thankfully, Campbell's Covered Bridge has been preserved on county property, so generations to come will be able to enjoy its quaint charms.
Its history stretches back to 1909 when it, and three other covered bridges, were built in Greenville County.
The titular Campbell was a local mill owner who gave his land for the bridge's construction.
Explore more of this area on the short 0.8 mile Campbell’s Bridge Hike, which takes you underneath the bridge and beyond.
The hike is a loop, and is easy enough for even the most inexperienced of hikers.
Rainbow Falls and Pretty Place
Location: 100 YMCA Camp Road, Cedar Mountain, NC
Distance from downtown Greenville: 1 hour 10 minutes
Pretty Place Chapel
This hike has one of the best views in the Upstate, and it allows you to get super close to a waterfall.
If you’re hiking with kids, you know that you need a big pay off on hikes.
With this one, you’ll have not one but TWO exciting points of interest.
Pretty Place, however, is situated on the side of a mountain; there are no walls or doors. When you walk in, all you can see is the stunning nature all around.
Even if you're not religious, the view is worth the drive up to the Camp Greenville property.
You can park outside the chapel, and then follow the signs to the trailhead towards Rainbow Falls.
From the parking lot at Pretty Place, the falls are about 0.75 miles on an uneven trail.
There’s not much elevation gain, but you’ll have to be careful to pick around roots and rocks.
Looking for another great family hike in the Upstate? Head over to one of the best waterfalls in Westminster, Riley Moore Falls!
Hiking near Greenville SC FAQs
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Upstate South Carolina is beautiful year round, and, unlike most of the rest of the state, it has a much milder climate during the summer.
Spring and fall are our favorite times to go hiking near Greenville as the temperatures are mild and the crowds are light.
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The fall foliage is a BEAUTIFUL time to go hiking in the Upstate!
It varies a bit from year to year, but usually, the first week of November is prime leap peeping time.
This is, hands down, my favorite time of year to be outside in the Upstate as the Blue Ridge Mountains explode into color.
All of the suggested hikes in this article will provide plenty of opportunity to see these beautiful colors.
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Occasionally, the Greenville area will get snow, usually in January or February.
There’s a higher chance of the snow and ice sticking around if you’re hiking in the mountains themselves (such as at Caesar’s Head).
If you’d planned on hiking when winter weather is being forecast, use precautions. Keep listening for weather updates, wear layers (not cotton!), and keep in mind that many roads in this area are 2 lane backroads that are prone to icing over.
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Public transportation is available to the Swamp Rabbit Trail through Greenlink.
Check the route map for more information.
For all of the other hiking trail suggestions, you’ll need to rent a car.
When selecting a rental car in Greenville, a regular coupe or sedan will work just fine.
The roads leading to these hikes are paved and well marked.
What's your favorite way to enjoy the outdoors in Greenville County? Have you done any of these hikes near Greenville?
