A historic freight rail line, South Carolina’s diverse habitats and a museum in the former county jail give Pickens County a range of distinct character. From outdoor activities and nature to local history, you’ll find inspiration for a variety of interests.
Trails and landscapes with their own character
The Doodle Trail is 7.5 miles long and open from sunrise to sunset for biking, walking, running and skating. It follows the route of a historic railroad that once carried freight between Easley and Pickens. The trail thus combines several ways of getting around with the history of a former transport link. Since operating conditions may change, check current access hours before your visit.
For off-road cycling, there’s the free public Town Creek Bike Park, which covers nearly 100 acres. The park includes the Appalachian Lumber Greenway, an eight-foot-wide, paved, ADA-accessible multi-use trail. The Greenway and the Doodle Trail offer different experiences: one features a paved, accessible trail and off-road cycling in the park; the other focuses on several explicitly listed uses along a former railroad line.
At Sassafras Mountain, the roughly one-third-mile Peak Trail offers a shorter route; it was already considered ADA-compliant. The Sassafras Mountain Tower has a ramp on its west side for people with limited mobility. The Sassafras Mountain Overlook is part of the Jocassee Gorges on the North Carolina border and serves as a parking area for the Foothills Trail.
The completed, three-mile loop at Mile Creek Park offers a different scale. It has views of Lake Keowee and lets campers and day visitors experience the scenic forest. Compared with the roughly one-third-mile Sassafras Mountain Peak Trail, it is a considerably longer designated route. At Carrick Creek Trail, you’ll find a two-mile loop with numerous views of cascading waterfalls. By contrast, the 3.6-mile Table Rock Trail in Table Rock State Park is very rugged. Trail length, waterfall views and terrain give each of these routes its own character.
Long Shoals Wayside Park offers a natural waterslide and trout fishing on Little Eastatoe Creek. This waterside experience adds a different activity to the selection of trails and landscapes.
Discover nature and culture
The Natural Heritage Garden at the South Carolina Botanical Garden showcases South Carolina habitats: longleaf pine savannas, shell rings, Piedmont granite outcrops, carnivorous plants and ravines in the Jocassee Gorges. The range spans everything from distinctive plants to landscapes shaped by natural features. Another historical aspect of the garden is its Nature-Based Sculpture Program, which led to the creation of 16 artworks made from natural materials and living plants in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The Pickens County Museum of Art & History is located in the former county jail and displays local historical artifacts. Its program includes two art exhibitions each year, with rotating exhibitions by local artists in between. It is open Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check the hours before your visit, as exhibition schedules may change.
The Bob Campbell Geology Museum focuses on geology, with more than 10,000 minerals, rocks and fossils. It also features one of the largest collections of faceted gemstones in the southeastern United States and the largest display of fluorescent minerals in the southeastern United States. Admission is free; the museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on official Clemson University holidays. Keep this holiday exception in mind when planning your visit.
Appalachian heritage is also part of Pickens County’s character. It is reflected in art, crafts, music and food, as well as in a connection to the land. Together with the region’s museums and nature attractions, it provides a cultural context for the many ways to explore the area.
Discover more destinations
Easley, Clemson, Abbeville County, Laurens, Fairfield County, Florence, Dorchester County, Chesterfield County
For the main travel overview: South Carolina.
