Inside: A local mom visits Paris Mountain State Park in Greenville, SC, and shares all the best tips for visiting with your family!
Are you looking for a place to enjoy the Great Outdoors in Greenville, SC? Just 10 minutes outside Greenville, Paris Mountain State Park is a staple in the outdoorsy community. You can hike over 17 miles of trails, mountain bike the ridge, play at the playground, go camping, and even swim with the kids in Lake Placid. Learn why we love this state park!
What Would You Like to Do at Paris Mountain State Park?
Things to Do at Paris Mountain State Park
If you live near Greenville, SC, Paris Mountain State Park has likely been on your radar for some time. The Civilian Conservation Corps created the park during the Great Depression. Today, Paris Mountain is a haven for outdoor lovers and offers 1,700 acres to explore.
The park has 10 trails ranging from easy to strenuous. You’ll also find excellent trails for mountain biking, a sandy beach for swimming, a playground area, and several shaded picnic areas.
Like camping? Paris Mountain State Park offers that as well! Seems like the perfect balance to us. Learn more about everything Paris Mountain State Park has to offer.
Paris Mountain State Park Camping
It’s hard not to love camping under the stars, especially when the campsites are less than 20 minutes from downtown Greenville. Campers can choose from paved campsites, trailside tent campsites along the North Lake, or group camping at Camp Buckhorn.
Paved Camping Sites Amenities
- 13 tent pad sites and 39 paved campsites
- Individual water and electrical hookup. Some sites can accommodate large RVs if you’re looking to camp with style.
- Hot showers, access to restrooms, and close proximity to the park center.
- Access to the park lakes, closest to Lake Placid via the Lake Placid Trail.
These sites are perfect for families camping with young children since you’re close to everything you need. Learn more about reserving pads and paved campsites on the SC State Park camping reservation website, or call 1-866-345-PARK.
Trailside Camping Sites
If you’re looking for a more ‘immersed in nature’ vibe near Greenville, SC, Paris Mountain has five trailside tent camping sites that fit the bill. Reaching the sites requires a decent hike around the North Lake Trail Loop at the top of Paris Mountain, so pack only what you absolutely need.
Each trailside camping site can accommodate five people, with two tent spots each. The sites are right on the lake, so you’ll have gorgeous views and plenty of trees to string up a hammock and relax.
To reserve trailside camping sites at Paris Mountain State Park, call the park at 864-244-5565 between 11 am and 5 pm.
Group Cabin Lodging at Camp Buckhorn
Have a large group that wants to camp together? Camp Buckhorn at Paris Mountain State Park can accommodate 40 people. The camp lodge has:
- A full kitchen with basic necessities for cooking.
- Restrooms and shower facilities.
- 10 primitive cabins with two sets of bunk beds per cabin.
Sounds like the perfect place to gather your group for a true wilderness experience while singing kumbaya by the fire. Pets are not allowed at the lodging facilities, so keep that in mind when booking. If you want to make a group reservation, contact Paris Mountain State Park at 864-244-5565.
Lay beneath the stars!
More Kid-Friendly Camping Near Greenville, SC
Hiking and Mountain Biking
The Paris Mountain State Park trail system has around 17 miles of trails to explore, ranging from easy to strenuous. Many of the hiking trails are also some of the gnarliest mountain biking trails near Greenville, SC. Several trails are designated for mountain biking and are full of dips and fast drops, and many of the trails will give you an intense ride. Keep in mind that mountain biking is prohibited on Saturdays.
Family-friendly hiking trails include the Lake Placid Trail, the Fire Tower Trail, and the Turtle Trail. These trails are best for families with younger children, and all offer woodland views and wildlife to observe.
The trails are an excellent place to exercise with your dogs. Dogs are allowed, but be sure to keep yours on a leash!
Trails at Paris Mountain State Park
You can find more trail information below, including difficulty, length, and if they allow mountain biking.
- Lake Placid Trail: Easy, 0.75 mile loop. Hiking-only trail. Great for kids.
- Fire Tower Trail: Easy, 0.4-mile loop. Hiking and mountain biking allowed. Great for kids.
- Turtle Trail: Easy, 0.4 miles out and back. Great for kids. Hiking and mountain biking allowed. Connects campsite to Lake Placid Trail.
- Sassafras Trail: Moderate, 2.3-mile loop. Hiking and mountain biking allowed.
- North Lake Trail: Moderate, 1.2-mile loop. Hiking and mountain biking allowed. You have to take the Kanuga trail or Pipsissewa Trail to access the North Lake trail.
- Mountain Creek Trail: Moderate, 1.3 miles. Hiking and mountain biking allowed. Connects to Lake Placid trail.
- Kanuga Trail: Strenuous, 2 miles. Hiking and mountain biking allowed.
- Pipsissewa Trail: Strenuous, 1.0-mile trail. Hiking and mountain biking allowed. Accesses the North Lake Trail
- Brissy Ridge Trail: Strenuous, 2.9-mile loop. Hiking and mountain biking allowed, though a portion of this trail is hiking only.
- Sulfur Springs Trails: Strenuous, 3.8-mile loop. Hiking trail only. Lots of native plants and wildlife.
To plan your adventure, check out the Paris Mountain State Park Trail Map before you head out!
Swimming at Paris Mountain
Looking for a sandy beach near Greenville, SC? Paris Mountain has one! You’ll find a small, sandy beach area near the park center at Lake Placid where you can swim and build sand castles. You need to stay within the roped area while swimming, but the area is pretty generous in size. Swimming here is one of our family’s favorite things to do. It’s generally less crowded than other mountain beaches in the area. Plus, the swimming area never gets too deep, so our kids can practice swimming safely.
Swimming at Paris Mountain is open daily from 8 am to 7 pm.
There’s no lifeguard on duty, so the area is swim at your own risk, and the park requires appropriate swimsuits. If you don’t like ooey-gooey lake bottoms, be sure to bring a pair of water shoes. You’ll also find wooden loungers along the beach for relaxing, and the area stays partially shaded which is perfect for hot sunny days.
The park doesn’t allow dogs to wade in the water in the swimming area, so keep that in mind if you’re coming down the mountain after a long hike with your furry friends. Also, Canadian Geese like to hang out on the beach sometimes, so I highly recommend shoes.
Watersports: Canoe, Kayak, and Pedal Boating
During the warmer months, Paris Mountain offers rentals for kayaking, canoeing, and pedal boating on Lake Placid. Rentals are available Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 4:30 pm, depending on the weather. Check with the park before making final plans. Lifejackets are available and required.
Special Programs and Events at Paris Mountain
Paris Mountain State Park offers kid-friendly events and programs that make getting outside tons of fun. There are events like animal scavenger hunts, ranger hikes along the creek, and even hikes with a ranger on the turtle trail. Kids love these because they can get a little dirty while having fun and learning something new.
Learn more and see what’s coming up at the Paris Mountain events website.
Music in the Woods
Music in the Woods is back after the impact of Hurricane Helene!
During the late summer and early fall, the park hosts Music in the Woods at their outdoor amphitheater. The Friends of Paris Mountain sponsors this event, and it is so much fun!
You and your kids will be dancing around to a plethora of music, including bluegrass and indie, and the Greenville Symphony Ensemble has even performed there. The event is free, though you do have to pay admission to get into the park.
Learn more about upcoming shows on the Music in the Woods website.
Ranger-led Hikes at Paris Mountain State Park
It’s definitely a lot more fun to explore nature with a knowledgeable person, one who can fill your little explorers’ inquisitive minds to the brim and answer all their curious questions. That’s just what we found on our ranger-led creek hike at Paris Mountain State Park.
Paris Mountain offers guided hikes for families in the summer.
Mom review
We reviewed Paris Mountain State Park’s ranger-led hike back in 2018. The kids who attended this event back then still talk about “that time we looked at creek creatures under the microscope.” Their interest, knowledge, and experience with creatures and animals have only increased, and this hike remains a very fond memory of a truly educational adventure right here in Greenville. If you have the opportunity to attend, we highly recommend it!
I attended with my four children, ages 4, 6, 7, and 9. They all enjoyed themselves and though my 4-year-old was tired of walking after the hike, she was able to handle it without me carrying her. If you attend with younger children, plan to bring a carrier, as the trail is definitely not stroller accessible.
Our guide, Ranger Cathy, did a superb job working with the various ages in our little group. I think all of my children learned something and enjoyed this adventure.
The hike: So much wildlife to see!
Our hike began at the Picnic Flats parking lot. We made many stops as we walked towards the mountain creek trail to view wildlife and discuss what we saw. We got a spectacular view of a banded water snake in the lake, right next to the shore. As we passed over a bridge, we got to see a tiny baby turtle swimming. Ranger Cathy caught a few tiny tadpoles for us to get a closer look at it before she released them back in the water. The hike took us past a beaver den, and while we didn’t see any beavers because they’re nocturnal and sleep during the day, we did see many signs of their gnawing on nearby trees.
The creek
Before we waded into the creek, Ranger Cathy handed us nets and showed us how to swirl the rocks and dirt so we might stir up little critters to catch.
We caught a few mayfly nymphs, two different kinds of dragonfly nymphs, a snail shell, a dragonfly exoskeleton, and many water striders. The creek was crystal clear and crisp. It was nice and cool on our hot feet, and we absolutely enjoyed our time in the water. It was a lot of fun to watch the children find critters and bring them to Ranger Cathy to learn exactly what they had found.
The lab
We placed each critter in a bin of creek water, and then headed up to the park’s lab to examine them under a microscope. Ranger Cathy projected the microscope image onto a large screen, so we could all see the magnified critters together. The neatest part about this was when we looked at the dragonfly nymphs. We could clearly see them breathing as they took water into their bodies and then let it out.
Want to go?
Register for the ranger-led Creek Adventure online. The cost is $6 per person (advance online registration required) + park admission.
More Things to Do at Paris Mountain State Park
Fishing at Paris Mountain
There are some special places to fish in Greenville, South Carolina, and Paris Mountain is one of them. Fishing is a regularly sought-after activity in the park. Lake Placid and North Lake both have bass, bream, and catfish. You must have a valid SC fishing license to fish within Paris Mountain State Park.
Looking for more places to fish with kids? Check out our list of 15+ Awesome Places to Fish Near Greenville, SC!
Creek Stomping at Paris Mountain
Playing in the creek is one of my family’s favorite things to do at Paris Mountain. If you travel about a mile into the park to the Sulphur Springs parking area, you’ll find picnic shelters by the creek. Here, your kids can wade into the water and play in the shallows while picking up rocks and enjoying the cool mountain creek.
There are snakes in the area, so be careful where you step. We have only seen harmless water snakes, but copperheads are common in South Carolina.
More places to go Creek Stomping in Upstate, SC
Picnic Areas at Paris Mountain
Around Lake Placid, you’ll find several picnic tables. If you can’t find a table (people claim them pretty quickly during the warmer months and on weekends) a blanket on the ground is a great option.
You can also drive a mile or so up the main road to find several picnic shelters throughout the park. One is at the Sulphur Springs parking area. There’s a large field and access to play in the creek.
Playground at Paris Mountain
There’s a playground that’s great for kids next to the large parking area near the park center. It’s next to a huge open field that’s perfect for running, playing, kite flying, you name it! There’s very little shade in this area, so keep that in mind if you plan to spend time here.
Things to Know Before Going to Paris Mountain State Park
- Paris Mountain State Park is open daily, from 8 am to 8 pm.
- Admission is $6 per adult, $3.75 per senior (65+), and $3.50 per child (6-15). Children five and under are free.
- If you have an All Park Passport for SC State Parks, you get into the park for free.
- You can also borrow a State Park Passport from your local library. The pass typically has wait times, but once you get it, you can visit any SC state park for seven days.
- Leashed pets are allowed in the park, but not in cabins, lodging, or in the roped swimming area.
- Bathrooms are in the stone and timber bathhouse near Lake Placid.
- Fun Fact: Paris Mountain is a monadnock, which is a lone mountain that rises out of surrounding flat land.
Paris Mountain State Park
864-244-5565
2401 State Park Road
Greenville, SC
Become an “Ultimate Outsider” with our Handy Guide to all SC State Parks!
Are you looking for a place to enjoy the Great Outdoors in Greenville, SC?
Just 10 minutes outside Greenville, Paris Mountain State Park is a staple in the outdoorsy community. You can hike over 17 miles of trails, mountain bike the ridge, play at the playground, go camping, and even take a swim with the kids in Lake Placid. Learn why we love this state park!
