5 Places to Mountain Bike in the Upstate…
The Upstate is home to a vast expanse of activities, be it excellent restaurants and breweries, beautiful downtowns, or various unique shops and businesses. However, one thing that truly sets it apart is the abundance of outdoor spaces that permeate the region. Mountain biking is a perfect sport for such a place, especially with the Southern Appalachians so close by. That said, with so many possible biking locales, it can be difficult to know which one is the best for you.
In order to assist your search for a new ride location, here are my 5 favorite trails. To help you decide which is right for you, I have also rated each by both trail and athletic difficulty ranking using the IMBA’s standard trail rating system, with green (easy), blue (intermediate), and black (difficult). Now, without further ado, my top 5 best biking spots in the Upstate:
1: Sliding Rock
Sliding Rock Creek Trail near Cleveland Park is a great way for riders to get a quick ride in just off the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Sliding Rock has tight turns and some minor technical features like logs and rocks, but it is certainly doable for beginner level riders. The best part is, the trail is short enough that walking out is no hassle and it can be lapped repeatedly for those looking for a longer workout. The trail itself is fairly tame, but the ease of access for those living near downtown cannot be overlooked, and it is some of the nearest mountain biking to downtown Greenville.
Trail Difficulty: Green
Athletic Requirement: Green
Pleasant Ridge County Park is home to a long singletrack bike trail, as well as multiple shorter loops and even a downhill slalom course. The main trail and the loops have many technical features, but every obstacle the park has to offer is doable to someone with only basic bike skills (or is avoidable through alternative pathways). The main JFA trail is a 6-mile, one-directional loop that changes direction each month. Additionally, the park features various other loops and optional trails, as well as hiking and fishing. The main trail can be steep and cover a lot of distance, but there are many access roads and entry points for riders who feel they are in over their heads.
Trail Difficulty: Green/Blue
Athletic Requirement: Blue
3: Issaqueena
Issaqueena Forest near Clemson, SC hides an expansive trail system with a network of singletrack bike trail and fire roads alongside a small lake. The park has rooty and tight single-track trail rather than the smooth jumps and berms of a bike park, but there are plenty of areas where even a beginning rider can put their bike to good use. The only downside is that, no matter what trails you take, it’s always a climb to get out!
Trail Difficulty: Green
Athletic Requirement: Blue
Paris Mountain State Park, located just outside of Greenville, is a popular spot for hiking, swimming, and, of course, mountain biking. The park has a 6$ entry fee (a state park pass also works) and mountain bikes are not allowed in the park on Saturdays. However, on all other days of the week, the bike trails at Paris Mountain are a great spot for a ride. Most trails here are intermediate level and above in terms of skill and require a good amount of physical strength to climb, putting it as the most difficult ride on this list. However, for anyone confident in their skills and practised at traversing rocks and roots on a bike, Paris is an excellent testing ground with some great downhill sections to reward the arduous climbs up.
Trail Difficulty: Blue/Black
Athletic Requirement: Blue
5: Gateway Park
My personal favorite of the bunch is Gateway Park. This dedicated bike park just off the Swap Rabbit Trail in Traveller’s Rest is packed with man-made obstacles and skills courses, from the park’s original pump track to all sorts of large drops and rock gardens. The park has green-level features for the most beginning riders to practice their skills alongside advanced features to challenge experienced mountain bikers. One of the park’s biggest draws is the PB&J course, a series of large pumps, berms, and jumps that allow riders to get a taste of the downhill style courses found at bigger parks. While Gateway does not have any of the winding singletrack trails where you can be immersed in nature, it makes up for it with its ease of access and ability to help riders progressively increase their skills for riding anything from bike parks to wild dirt.
Trail Difficulty: Green – Black (and everything in between)
Athletic Requirement: Green
As an avid biker, hiker, and general outdoorsman, I believe that all these trails, be they built for skills or for sport, are a boon to the Upstate. Our outdoors are important, never more so than now, and it is places like these that can help us truly understand the value of having so much nature so close to home.
Have any other mountain bike trail recommendations? Let us know in the comments below or just use the #greenville360 hashtag to share!