Greenville County: A Leader in State Parks — Paris Mountain

Paris Mountain has 1,700 acres but one entrance — great park, tight bottleneck.

Better Access; A Better Future: Three acquisitions in the last two years — led again by Naturaland Trust — will help spread out visitation while protecting sensitive areas. The largest, “Pipsissewa Passage” (65 acres, Nov. 2024), blocks encroaching development and sets up a future access off State Park Road with a trail connector into the existing network. With two adjoining purchases approved in 2025, the future entrance area now totals ~88 acres. A thoughtfully designed residence and pond on-site, that look like they are already part of a park, will be woven into SCPRT programming.

Why it matters: More access points = less congestion, happier neighbors, and healthier trails — all while conserving mature forests at the mountain’s edge. The County Trust’s $500,000 helped unlock a $2.9M purchase with SC Conservation Bank and potential federal support.

Take a minute: Know someone who avoids weekends at the park? Show them the better future taking shape.