Paris Mountain State Park is located only 5 miles north of the city of Greenville and it provides the community with over 1,500 acres of park space to enjoy! If you are a local to the Greenville area you probably already know the awesomeness this park has to share right in your backyard. But experiencing it at a unique time after a snowfall hits is a different story. It gives us special opportunity to capture the beauty of our favorite places in a distinctive light and provides a different element that is beyond the norm! Come with me as I share my experience walking through a little winter wonderland at Paris Mountain State Park after we got a taste of some true winter weather!
Pulling up to the gates the excitement had already set in as we heard people down yonder sled riding! What fun! Immediately after we entered the park, nature had given us a little gift of some unique lighting through the many trees, I instantly had to grab my camera.
It was decided we would only do a quick walk since it was cold out so we chose to do one of my favorite short trails, the Lake Placid Loop. Don’t be fooled, although this trail is under a mile long it has a lot to offer and it is an easy stroll for those of all skill levels!
When I do the Lake Placid Trail (0.75 mi.) I always like to start my walks at the beach. There are a few parking spots you can grab right next the lodge (which has bathrooms) if you are lucky enough to beat the crowd!
I particularly liked the scenery at the beach that day because I had never seen Paris Mountain covered in the white stuff! You could see the outline of those before us who decided to take it all in and sunbath on the lounge chairs!
We had the whole beach to ourselves, I didn’t mind taking advantage of that for some awesome shots! It was extremely peaceful!
Ahh!!! The reflections were on point that day. With the calmness of the air and water, it was just perfect!
One of the coolest things we encountered on the trail was how some of the branches were still frozen with a little bit of ice and some snow to outline them! You add the sun and the reflections from the water, all you can say is thank you Paris Mountain!
As we were winding our way through the trail on the far side of the lake, I was really anticipating getting a shot of the spill way. But wouldn’t you know it, my camera battery had died before I could get the picture! My number one role is to make sure my equipment is charged and ready to go before adventures. I was so excited to explore that day I forgot to charge my camera, plus the cold weather didn’t help the battery life. I promise the rest of the loop was just as beautiful, unfortunately I will have to wait until next time it snows to capture it.
Although I was frustrated, I was reminded that we all make mistakes and more importantly it is about the journey. Sometimes we become so involved in our processes we forget to be present in the moment, which is the whole purpose of our adventures! In the end, we still got to be one with nature plus take in the wonderful serenity that Paris Mountain shared with us that day!
Please continue to check me out, the Upstate Outdoor Adventurer provides fulfilling experiences related to the outdoors in the Greenville and Upstate surrounding area. It’s all about the good vibes!!
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