2,100 acres of urban forest in the heart of Aiken. Free, open every day, and one of the largest urban forests in the United States. Hikers and equestrians share 70+ miles of sandy trails through longleaf pine and hardwood forest.
2,100 acres of privately owned conservation land in Fort Mill with 30+ miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. One of the best trail networks in the Charlotte-Rock Hill corridor.
The largest known stand of Rocky Shoals spider lilies in the world blooms here every May. A 1.5-mile trail leads to the Catawba River shoals where thousands of white flowers cover the rocks. One of South Carolina’s most spectacular natural events.
An elevated canopy boardwalk 30 feet above the forest floor through bottomland hardwood forest. One of the most unusual trail experiences in South Carolina. Kayaking on the Lynches River adds a classic Pee Dee blackwater paddle.
Paved riverfront trail along the Congaree River through Cayce and West Columbia. Flat, scenic, and accessible. Sunset views of the Columbia skyline from the river are among the best in the city.
938 acres of bottomland hardwood forest along Congaree Creek in Cayce. One of the Midlands’ best-kept hiking secrets. Feels like a smaller Congaree National Park, without the crowds.
400 acres on the Saluda River with everything: paved riverwalk, kayak launch, splash pad, disc golf, dog park, and the best urban paddle experience in the Midlands. Free admission.
16 miles of Piedmont forest trails sharing a boundary with Kings Mountain National Military Park. The Living History Farm is a working 19th-century farmstead. Perfectly positioned for visitors from Charlotte.
295 acres on the Clemson University campus, free to visit. Cultivated display gardens, a geology museum, nature trails through Piedmont forest, and a stream corridor beautiful year-round.
A 100-foot waterfall and a 1,600-foot unfinished Civil War-era railroad tunnel in the same parking lot. Two adventures in one stop. Easy enough for anyone who can walk a short path.
