Does your relatives love to go climbing? If you are on the lookout for hiking close to Greenville this winter, you have occur to the suitable spot! Here’s where by to go hiking close to Greenville this winter season and what to deliver.
For even extra hiking solutions see our Comprehensive Manual to Climbing in Greenville.
Getting your kiddos on a hike in winter season may possibly appear to be like a outrageous feat, but if the unpredictable upstate weather is in your favor it can be one of the ideal occasions to go. Cooler temperatures carry broader sights, a change of surroundings, considerably less sweat, and less bugs. It makes climbing the harder trails just a bit simpler and also enables you to pick hikes that offer you a watch, fairly than a water characteristic, as a payoff – one thing you wouldn’t opt for in the summer season months. Get your digital camera completely ready and study on for a listing of recommendations to help you and your little troops make the most of your adventure.
This write-up involves:
Wintertime Hiking: What you’ll see
Picking a Winter Hike
What to Deliver on a Wintertime Hike
What to Use on a Winter Hike
7 Great Winter Hikes Around Greenville, SC
For important guidelines on recreating responsibly, you should see this story on the seven Leave No Trace ideas.
Wintertime Hikes: What to see
There may well be an absence of lush greenery or slide colour splendor you see in other seasons, but that does not imply that mountaineering in wintertime is drab. In fact, you can hope to see items as you have not right before. Much less (or no) leaves on deciduous trees means that you can see through them for a watch commonly hidden. Expect to walk by means of a forest which feels considerably extra open up, and assume additional lookout stops and panoramic mountain sights, even from the valley trails. What you will not see many of? Bugs. And snakes (typically).
Examine out this attractive photo taken from a forest trail in winter. You can see straight via the trees. This see is absolutely skipped in warmer months.

The place to go for a winter season hike in Greenville, SC
Deciding on a hike is a enjoyment endeavor in winter. Because you won’t possible be participating in in the drinking water, you can select trails that involve much more of a hike devoid of the water attraction. For illustration, Raven Cliff Falls. Or pick a hike that is more intense than your typical picks. Leading of Table Rock, any person? Or probably a dry mountaintop route commonly shrouded in humidity.
With cooler temperatures, it will be a extra pleasurable trek than at other periods of calendar year. Alternatively, you might want to revisit your favourite hikes and evaluate the improvements. We take pleasure in a few of the same trails year-round at Paris Mountain and my youngsters have entertaining pointing out the seasonal alterations as we go alongside our acquainted route. “Look at all the hen nests way up substantial in the vacant trees!”
What to deliver on a winter hike
It can be tempting to consider considerably less h2o or provisions all through a cooler hike, but this is not recommended. Treat every hike with the warning and planning it justifies, using additional than plenty of food items and water, and hardly ever leaving guiding your initially-help or unexpected emergency provides. You may possibly never ever use the volume of water you convey (I recently completed a day-hike with my young ones and however experienced four liters of water on my again) but it is as they say: greater to be protected than sorry.
In addition to your typical provisions, be certain to pack chapstick, hand heaters, and an unexpected emergency blanket. A excellent winter season staple to entice the littles to retain pushing on? Pack in a thermos of very hot cocoa and they’ll surprise you with their willpower. Or provide up the White Witch’s Warm Vanilla (from Chronicles of Narnia) in the crisp forest air. Recipes for Sizzling Vanilla can be discovered online or in The Unofficial Narnia Cookbook (takes advantage of a little bit of cornstarch as a thickener and a dusting of nutmeg in its place of cinnamon – my young ones Really like this recipe). Reward: prepare dinner up some Turkish Delight and they’ll hike with you wherever.
What to put on for a great climate hike
Layers, levels, layers. Commence with near-fitting slender foundation layers (tanks or tees), layer with lengthy sleeves, then fleece, and at last a gentle or heavy jacket based on the weather. Levels can be taken off or piled back again on as wanted during the hike. And they will have to have to be shed at certain points (uphill) and pulled on all over again (throughout a snack crack). Layering helps make it a breeze. Do not neglect hats, gloves, and wool socks for everyone.
And speaking of breezes, when setting up your hike fork out shut awareness to the wind chill or “feels like” temperature of your place. Program for a colder hike than forecasted. That wind can make all the difference among a gorgeous hike and a depressing munchkin troop.
We recently went to the best of Black Balsam Knob where the precise temperatures were in the higher twenties and the winds were being gusting above 20mph. The hike was remarkable! We seasoned the thrill of clouds billowing by us and then lifting for blue skies, depositing a phenomenon identified as difficult rime all about the trail. But we were FRIGID ourselves. My hair even experienced ice! Let’s just say, that was a single of our prettiest and shortest hikes but.
A be aware on unpredictability
The SC winter weather conditions can vary tremendously from sunny and moderate, to chilly, to downright chilly (like our frosty hike). There have even been hikes this January in which my boys have been shirtless with their toes in the creek less than a 78-diploma sky! Enjoy the forecast for a mild window.
Our most loved winter hikes in the vicinity of Greenville
Raven Cliff Falls
This hike is fantastic in wintertime simply because you can see a complete great deal even more and you cannot enjoy in the falls anyway. The waterfall is a extensive length away from the forget, you may want to bring binoculars.

Paris Mountain
See a familiar path in a total new gentle. Evaluate the transform in time. Delight in looking at significantly by the trees.

Jones Gap
Possibly enjoy the quick path together the Saluda or head up the arduous path to Rainbow Falls. It is considerably easier (however still a challenge!) to climb the ways in cooler climate and continue to get pleasure from a lunch by the cascading falls. *Verify the web page for path closures as ice and chilly temperatures may perhaps induce seasonal closures.

Table Rock Condition Park
In winter, head up a additional challenging trail for an remarkable see. The hike to the major of Table Rock is rough, but much more do-able with cooler temps and the suitable provisions if you feel your troops can control. There is no drinking water attribute at the prime, but the panoramic check out is a big pay out-off. If the temps are down below freezing however, I would not advocate likely to the top rated given that the methods to Governors Rock will be frozen above. Rather, hike the Carrick Creek loop.

Hikes on the Blue Ridge Parkway
The BRP is generally shut throughout winter but you can truly walk these areas that are closed, which is definitely enjoyment. Get a map and come across intersections of the Parkway wherever you can park your car and then just wander the road. Or head to Pisgah Forest in Brevard, NC (around the BRP) and hike to Moore Cove Falls or on the Coontree Loop Path.

Blue Wall Preserve
Blue Wall Protect is a lovely, simple hike close to Landrum, SC. It even passes by a really small waterfall. You will get a breathtaking perspective of the Blue Ridge Escarpment as it rises up above the ponds. Park in the large amount and not on the street. The 2.7 mile trail is down and back with the alternative of taking a loop to check out the waterfall around the bottom of the 2nd pond. This trail is totally free to use.
Waterfalls
Waterfalls in the wintertime are a whole other expertise than other moments of yr due to the fact you can just see so substantially additional all-around them. I enjoy waterfalls any time of year really but I like getting capable to see the falls from a little bit even more absent. Our big waterfall record can assistance you determine where to go.
What’s your most loved winter hike?