Pickens County: Trails, Nature and Museums

Pickens County offers striking contrasts: the Doodle Trail follows a historic rail corridor as a multi-use trail, while museums highlight local history and geology. Waterfalls, forest trails and garden landscapes round out the experience. This makes it easy to combine outdoor adventures with cultural visits.

Trails, Parks and Outdoor Activities

The Doodle Trail is 7.5 miles long and open from sunrise to sunset. It is suitable for cycling, walking, running and roller skating. The route follows a historic railroad line that once carried freight between Easley and Pickens. The combination of present-day multi-use recreation and the former rail line gives the trail a distinct historical connection.

Town Creek Bike Park is a free public facility for off-road cycling and covers nearly 100 acres. The Appalachian Lumber Greenway also runs through the park: a 8-foot-wide, paved and accessible multi-use trail that is ADA-accessible. The park focuses on off-road cycling, while the Greenway serves as a paved route for several types of use.

A 3-mile loop trail has been completed at Mile Creek Park. It offers views of Lake Keowee and passes through a scenic forest that campers and day visitors can enjoy. The Carrick Creek Trail is a 2-mile loop with numerous views of cascading waterfalls. The Table Rock Trail in Table Rock State Park is 3.6 miles long and very rugged. The three trails therefore differ both in length and in what stands out along the way: lake views, waterfalls or challenging terrain.

Long Shoals Wayside Park has a natural water slide. Trout fishing is available at Little Eastatoe Creek.

Mountain Views and Landscapes

The Sassafras Mountain Peak Trail is about one-third of a mile long. At the Sassafras Mountain Tower, a ramp on the west side accommodates people with limited mobility. The Sassafras Mountain Overlook serves as a parking area for the Foothills Trail. It is part of the Jocassee Gorges on the North Carolina border. Sassafras Mountain thus brings together a short Peak Trail, a specific access feature at the tower and a designated starting point for the Foothills Trail.

Gardens, Art and Appalachian Heritage

The Natural Heritage Garden at the South Carolina Botanical Garden showcases South Carolina’s diverse habitats: longleaf pine savannas, shell rings, Piedmont granite outcrops, carnivorous plants and Jocassee Gorges ravines. The collection spans distinctive plants as well as geological and landscape features. The Nature-Based Sculpture Program also brings art into the garden setting: in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it produced 16 outstanding works of art made from natural materials and living plants.

Pickens County’s Appalachian heritage is reflected in its art, crafts, music, food and connection to the land. This regional perspective complements individual garden and museum visits with cultural themes that go beyond a single exhibit.

Museums: Local History and Geology

The Pickens County Museum of Art & History is housed in the county’s former jail building and displays local historical artifacts. It holds two art exhibitions each year, with rotating exhibitions by local artists in between. Hours are Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Bob Campbell Geology Museum houses more than 10,000 minerals, rocks and fossils. Its collections include one of the largest collections of faceted gemstones in the southeastern United States; it also features the largest display of fluorescent minerals in the Southeast. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on official Clemson University holidays. Admission is free.

Hours and facility conditions may change. Check the latest information for each attraction before your visit.

Explore More Destinations

Explore more destinations: Easley, Clemson, Jasper County, Barnwell County, Union County, Lee County, Anderson, Lexington.

For the main travel overview: South Carolina.