Paris Mountain State Park

Admission is $6 per person, there was an employee working at the entrance so it is possible to pay via card. The employee working inside the office in the park was helpful and friendly when choosing a trail. The lake was beautiful and calm. There is a short trail that circles the lake and has stunning views of the lake and dam. It is child and dog friendly. There were many other trails in the park but limited parking. Arrive early if you want to find parking.

We traveled through the state park on the weekend of October 18th. The drive through was amazing, so much beauty in there. Where are the roads are posted 15 miles per hour, do that. LOL You don't want to miss a scenic view, but you also do not want to drive off the road and down hundreds of feet into the trees below. It's just a short walk to view the 19th century dam, which is located just inside the park. Watch your step, however. On the day we went, there was not much water coming over the top, being early in the fall and not having much rain in the area. It did not detract from the beauty and the incredible workmanship that produced the dam. This would be a beautiful place to just come to relax and take in the sounds of the water and the animals nearby.

We have enjoyed this park on several recent occasions. My interests (as you can see form the photos) is mainly on nature and finding trails more or less secluded. But this is also a great place for outings for friends and family. There are a number of well-maintained trails. Signage is pretty good as well.

Peaceful park to relax at. My huge family loves to come and picnic here. They have a little Lake and so many hiking trails! A nice easy one goes all around the lake and passes by a dam waterfall. I would check water quality before swimming because sometimes the bacteria levels are high. $5 for a 30 minute paddle boat ride! Green & beautiful.

What a great spot in Greenville! Lots of trails for all abilities, a lake with a beach where you can swim and kayak, and a playground. I love bringing my kids here. Would recommend getting the SC states parks pass for $90 if you plan to come here frequently (can buy the pass at the visitors center).

Excellent hiking trails all levels. Area to swim kayak paddle boat and even fishing. Staff we're kind and offered a wealth of information about the park.

Great park loaded w terrific, moderately challenging trails. Not a ton of vantage points but the trails are really well maintained and pretty easy to navigate. We use the trails for training for tougher hikes and climbs.

Beautiful state park close to Greenville. The staff was very helpful when we called them trying to find the swimming and fishing areas (we didn't have a park map). My only wish is I wish they would put the high dive back and allow access to the platform in the swimming area. But overall, very nice state park and I would visit again.

Drove here on a Wednesday mid morning to hike the Sulphur Springs trail. There's a $6 entry fee to enter the park which they clearly put to good use. The park is extremely well-maintained -- great paved roads, excellent trail markings, tons of shelters and picnic areas. There was still some hurricane damage, unfortunately. I parked in the Sulphur Sorings trailhead lot and did the approximately four mile loop. I then visited the park visitor center to get a state parks book and a stamp for Paris Mountain. There was a lake with lots of kids swimming. Overall a great park to visit. I'll definitely be back to hike more trails.

Really pretty park with some nice trails. Costs $6 to get in. They have a small gift shop/ranger station and the gentleman who works there was SO kind and helpful.

RV camping. We camped in our RV here for a few days in July. Aside from the standard hot and humid weather, the campground had ample shade and even a few miles of hiking and biking trails; though be forewarned there is NO mountain biking allowed on Saturdays. There is a small swimming beach at Lake Placid as well as kayak rentals during the busy season. The RV spots are a little tight to get into and you'll likely need some leveling. The road is windy, eroded in places and narrow, so extra caution needs to be taken in that area. A huge bonus is nearby access to the Swamp Rabbit Trail and the quaint town of Greenville. The campground is definitely rustic and the roads need some serious TLC, but that's expected in most State Parks ($) and the roads are abysmal in most places in SC. If you're looking to just chill, mountain bike, hike or an easy drive to Greenville or the Swamp Rabbit Trail for a couple days you've come to the right place

Great nature trails and awesome to go for a nature hike. Greenville has such amazing weather that you can enjoy it most of the year. The trails are not too crowded which is nice. It is amazing to go during the fall. I have a lot of fun when I go

Everyone's gone here, especially if you'd like to take a nice walk hike in the woods. I do see some kids swimming in the lake there but that's not something I plan to do great place to go in the fall when the leaves turn, but you knew that all ready

Outside the bustling city of Greenville, SC lies in contemplative silence a vast array of trails, trees, winding roads, picnic areas, lakes, and camping sites. Commissioned during the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) era of the 1930's, Paris Mountain State Park rekindles a time when to leisure in nature was both a necessity and a privilege. And it's all yours for the small price of admission! We (ok, me) made a blunder and showed up a week early for our camping reservations made online, which underscores why I need a retreat. Ouch! The park staff at once went to work to find us a suitable work-around, and shortly thereafter, we were setting up camp for the next 5 days. Paula and the camp ranger, along with camp hosts Mary and her husband Butch--you did well. Ne'er a wrinkle crossed your brow. We appreciate your kindness and understanding! Since the camping areas were laid out in 1970, much has changed in modern camping. Little could they have imagined the gargantuan rigs used for camping today. While some sites accommodate these behemoths, it is better suited for smaller rigs (30' and smaller), or tenting. All the sites have electric and water, but almost none have full hookups for sewer. The entire park is hilly and windy, and caution is needed when meeting another vehicle on curves; otherwise, it's a graceful drive throughout the park. Lots of trails with good markings and a downloadable map that is broken into easy/moderate/hard levels along with mileage. Nice. Need a break before a breakdown occurs? Got the sun just a shining on my "Give 'em a whirl" meter. Vacate here.

It's beautiful, and in my back yard! I love this place. Do yourself a favor and get a SC state park pass. It's $6 per person, but if you have a park pass the whole car gets in for free. Park passes are $100. Only $50 for seniors.

This park is lovely, but it was quite cold when we visited in February. I'm looking forward to returning when the weather is warmer. The picnic areas, camping facilities, and playgrounds are all well maintained.

$6/adult is a bit steep especially if you're only coming to hike (not swimming or camping). But I will say the park is well maintained and we enjoyed the Sulphur Springs Trail.

My family went tent camping the week of April 14th and had a great experience. The bath house was clean, the camp hosts were helpful and fellow campers were all respectful of one another. There were some spacious sites and some that were built off the side of the hill giving the feeling of being right up in the trees. I liked that it was a small loop that the kids could easily ride around on bikes/scooters and not be out of sight for long. It is a mix of tent only and RV capable sites but all have water and electricity making it great for car campers like us. We enjoyed exploring the 3/4 mile Lake Placid loop and played in the creek at another trailhead. The parking lot for the trailhead was full on Saturday so plan accordingly to get a parking spot. The lake swimming area wasn't opened for the season but it looks like a nice place to go when the weather gets hot. It would be a bit of a haul down some tricky stone steps from the parking lot if you had all your bags and lake gear but there's a 15 minute parking area where you could drop off stuff and people who may struggle with the steps. We will definitely be back!

Lots of great trails here, but the new Sassafras trail is a nice change of pace. I prefer the clockwise route.

This was our first time to this location and we had a blast. I understand they have to pay the bills but charging for every single person in the car was kind of aggravating. The lady at the gate was very nice though and tried to give us all the reasons why buying a yearly pass would be beneficial. The facilities was kept up clean and the staff in the store was very cordial. We enjoyed geocaching if you have all those things and had quite a bit of fun searching for the items. The only thing I did not care for was busting my behind coming down one of the Hills. Can't blame them for that that's all my fault for not judging the slipperiness of what would be under the leaves LOL. We had a blast and we'll come back again!

Serene place. Lovely lake which is open to swimmers in the summer. Four or so trails to choose from. If you go to the top of the mountain, the number of visitors drops. There is a lake full of fish at the top which is a mile from the road I'm told. I wonder if you can spend the night up there in a tent? Not sure. Prob not. Also the original dam falls is not to be missed.

Our second stop on our road trip adventure was at #parismountainstatepark outside of Greenville. I won't lie. The entrance fee kind of threw me. I wasn't expecting a $15 dollar fee, but I blame myself for not researching more. We needed a good half way stop and this popped up. The #lakeplacidtrail is a wonderful, family friendly (including small kids!) Trail to burn off the energy before continuing on. The sights were beautiful the leaves were just starting to change. It's a simple one mile walk with just roots and a couple areas of rocks. If ever in the area again, we may visit again but will be looking into the pass for the future to save money!

We love Paris Mountain! It's a super convenient park writhing 15 minutes from our home. That said, we would travel and still enjoy the park! Several offerings, great trails with the ability to hike-in camp, two lake areas, rentals for the main lake and a small swimming beach. Nice picnic areas and kids playground. We usually come do day hikes and picnics, but I also train on the trails for races and fun. Parking can be a pain, but usually at the very top there are some parking spots available. Dropping some photos from various hikes. Note, I'll even hike solo and feel safe.

What I love about this park, and this area, is that it's a nature getaway from the city, and yet you're technically still in Greenville! When you're at Paris Mountain State Park it feels like you are at a far away camping destination deep in the forest. And that's how parks like this should feel! It means you can come here on your day off, or on the weekend and not have to worry about traveling a long distance for the same scenery. There is a beginners trail around lake placid, (there are three other lakes here as well) and there are more strenuous hiking / mountain biking trails further into the park. There are also paved campsites, and some that offer tent pads. And what people may not realize is that Paris mountain is actually a monadnock, which is a mountain that rises out of otherwise flat land. You can swim in a designated area here and there are canoe, kayak, and paddle boat rentals available at lake placid. Want an adventure this weekend? You should check this place out.

This park seems to have a lot to offer! We needed to get back, so we made a quick trek around Lake Placid. Saw the falls near the front of the park and walked across and old bridge that looks to have been recently damaged by a fallen tree. We stopped in the gift shop and made some purchases (to include some Hot Pepper jelly, it is quite tasty!) Inside the gift shop, we saw a map of the park. It's very long and contains more trails and falls. We may be back eventually.

Very well maintained trail system. If you are fairly active, you should be able to complete the loops in 85-95% of the estimated times. Super nice staff. Would return if in the area.

Great park with lots to do. Close to downtown Greenville this park provides lots of recreation opportunities. Playgrounds, picnic areas and Lake Placid are perfect for families with younger kids. Deeper in the park the walk to Mountain Lake is a delight. The trail follows a creek on a gradual slope to a historic dam and small secluded lake. There are lots of longer more adventurous trails for excellent hiking and mountain biking. This is a great natural getaway with something for all nature lovers.

RUN to this park!!! Come early so you have plenty of parking. Bring a picnic and enjoy the lake. Take several hikes that are well maintained and safe. Every family (and pet) friendly. Love!!!

Such a great park just a short drive from Downtown Greenville! My husband and I wanted to get some hiking in during our weekend getaway. The trails north of Greenville (Raven Cliff Falls & Rainbow Falls) requires a reservation or had very limited parking - we found this out the hard way. On a whim we decided to hit Paris Mt State Park on the way back to the city and boy am I happy we came across this gem! The Sulphur Spring Trail is ~4.5 mile loop. Some sections were super easy while others got your blood flowing and left ya slightly winded. I highly suggest going clockwise - you'll be going downhill during the hardest parts of the trail! I wouldn't really consider this a very scenic trail, but it was nice to be in the woods and away from civilization - well the best that you can on a heavily trafficked trail.

We camped here all weekend and LOVED it!!! Lots of trails, a beautiful lake. Wonderful little spots to have a picnic or enjoy sitting on a swing and listen to the water babble on by. It is spring so the leaves aren't out yet, but once the trees fill in the campsites are probably pretty private. And the campground was quiet. The tent pad had quite a few rocks, but it was level. The bathrooms were clean, stocked and had good hot water! The park rangers were friendly & helpful and made staying there easy. We look forward to coming back!!

We visited here a couple of days after a strong storm (hurricane remnants) had moved through. This blew down a lot of trees and knocked power out to the park. Hence some things were closed. However, the trails were still open. The park is located about a 20-minute drive outside of Greenville, so it is one of the closest large parks to the city. We arrived before 10 a.m. and paid the $6 per person entry fee. No maps were available but we stopped at the (closed) visitors' center and took photos of a large display map there. We also did a loop-hike around Lake Placid there as well, which was less than a mile and quite easy (other than climbing over a couple of downed trees). We next drove to the very end of the park road to access another trail. We actually had to park a couple of hundred yards beyond our target, as there were no spaces left at the lot where the trails cross the road. We hiked back and, after finding the Brissy Ridge Trail closed, we opted for an hour's hike on the Sulphur Springs Trail. There were a few downed trees here also. We descended for about 30 minutes and then climbed back up for a bit longer. It was nice and if we'd had more time we might have done the full 3.6-mile loop. If you are in the area and want some easy to moderate trail hiking, this place is a good choice.

Great cliff jump. Amazing hike and super cool water fall. If you are adventurous and down for a cliff jump this is you spot

Paris Mountain State Park is a 1,540-acre (6km2) park located just 5 miles north of Greenville, South Carolina. There are a wide arrary of activies to enjoy at this park including hiking, biking, swimming and picnicking. On this trip to Paris Mountain State Park, we enjoyed the Sulpur Spings trail. The Sulpher Springs trail is a 4.5 moderate to heavily trafficed loop trail offering the chance to see wildlife & greenery. It is moderate hike and one that can be enjoyed by many hiking skill levels.

Such a great State Park with wonderful hiking trails, plenty of parking, and very helpful employees. Bathrooms are at the office and more scattered around the park. The park was built back when stuff was built to last and the stone office complex is beautiful. Chairs are available so you may sit and just admire the beauty. Pets are allowed on a leash, lots of dogs today and even a black pig who seemed to be having fun. We buy an annual car pass which is a great bargain!

Great park. Good trails Here are.the ways it could be improved Dogs allowed But no areas for dog waste So dog waste is just left laying around Add some waste baskets at least by the high traffic areas please.

We are so lucky to have this beautiful park in Greenville. The trails are well maintained and you can do anything from an easy 1/2 mile to 8 miles of a more strenuous hike. The trails are easy to hook up to each other to make it as long or short as you want

Very convenient location from our home, great place to get out of the house with plenty of trails.

Great place for a lot of activities. It's approx $5 a person when entering so make sure you have cash on you. We decided to come here for a hike. There are different trails so you can pick which one is best for you. We did a few of them. Trails were clean and overall pretty easy. Nice views too! Highly recommend for hiking!

I would give it 2 stars but I know they are making improvements. At the time of this post, they should have closed the park. There are many downed trees. On the Sulphur Springs trail, there were probably a hundred. Of which I had to go over, under, or through ten of them. Not the safest. Some scenic springs and small falls. The most frustrating was losing sight of the trail as the blazes we difficult to spot with the downed trees. As a result, I walked the last mile on the main road. If you are staying Downtown, this is one of the closest state parks with hiking trails. However, if you are willing to head toward Highway 11 there are more scenic options with a view of the mountains.

I got up Monday morning and thought.. man I really want to go for a hike. So, I looked up parks near me and saw that there was a mountain in the middle of Greenville. Excited! Monday was a terribly rainy day but I persuaded my husband let's go do a little hike. We went to the park. It does have a very limited store, and it does have one EV charger at the bottom of the mountain. We drove our EV thinking that there might be more but there was one and we didn't use it. However, the park has a nice beach and some canoes. Even though it was raining people were swimming in the lower lake. We decided to take a hike towards the reservoir. This ended up about 5 miles round trip. A little more than I expected, especially in the rain. However, there were people running and enjoying the trails. It was a nice easy hike even the strenuous parts. Really enjoyed the trails and the maps. Overall great experience.

Paris Mountain State Park in Greenville is a great state park that has a lot to offer from a wide variety of hiking trails, a lake to swim in, nature and animals, places to have picnics, and much more. This park is beautiful and well maintained and managed throughout. It is good to come here and experience the forest and mountains and get some fresh air and relax and enjoy. I have had a really good experience every time I have been here.

If you are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of suburbia or urban life, I highly recommend going to Paris Mountain State Park if you are visiting or passing through Greenville, SC. Located about 30 to 35 minutes outside the city, you feel like you have left the fast paced world behind when you come here. This park has many fantastic trails, with my favorite being the one that circles the lake. While it is not a particularly strenuous or long trail, it is a very beautiful one. You really feel the calm and serenity of walking besides the lake, hearing the birds in the background, walking amongst various trees, and finally seeing the waterfall. The walk truly gives you a sense of the majesty of nature and how much the world has to offer us in terms of natural beauty. So, if you're like me and like to feel cool breezes through your hair as you take in the beauty of the great outdoors, be sure to visit this place. It is a great place to see and walk some stress away

Not much to see or do if you are motoring . I understand this is a great hiking location however. We drove through the camping area and were not impressed. Fairly small spaces and not a lot of them- 40 I believe.

Excellent hiking park. I hiked the Brissy Ridge trail CCW to the Kanuga, to the Fire Tower and back on the Sulphur Springs. A very rewarding hike. The Brissy Ridge trail is not for everyone, at least the portion between the parking lot and the Pippsissewa (marked as yellow with black bars - 'hikers only' on the trail map) - the incline and footing are somewhat challenging for the first half mile or so, what with all the tree roots on the trail. I've not hiked another trail with so many tree roots. I almost turned an ankle several times. Once you're past that, things get easier. The Kanuga, Fire Tower and Sulphur Springs trails along this route are fairly easy. All the trails are quite scenic and quite serene. I could spend a lot of time out here and perhaps will. The Brissy Ridge, Kanuga, Fire Tower and other trials are in the northern part of the park and are accessed either from a combined trailhead with a small parking lot or from a larger lot a bit further up the road, which requires a short hike to the first lot/trailhead. The first lot is too small to accommodate hiker traffic. I was there on a cold weekday and of the nine spots, only one was available when I got there. After the hike, a couple more had opened up but were occupied before I left. So I imagine the other lot gets a lot of use during peak times. The park as a whole is nice. The only ding I'll give it is a lack of clear signage and maps on the road in. At a couple of places, I had to pause to figure out which way to go. Signs directing you to 'Campground X' are useless if you don't have a park map and know where that is. There isn't even a park map at the park entrance. The maps on the trails are great, though, and there are a lot of color-coded marking on trees. You can't get lost. Paris Mountain State Park is one of the better hiking parks I've been too in the southeast.

Beautiful state park. Very clean and a whole lot to explore. It's so peaceful. There is a great trail that goes around the lake and is on the easy level for hiking. We'll definitely be coming back to do the paddle boats. The scenery is breathtaking. $5 for each adult to enter. Roads are not very wide but well maintained.

I very cool park with lots of fun things to get into - trails to hike, a swimming spot, kayaks, peddle boats, and a playground. We spent the day here and it just wasn't enough time! The park rangers were so helpful and nice, giving recommendations and full of knowledge about the area. We also met some new friends along the trails who turned us on to another cool spot called Sliding Rock, which we ended up visiting and LOVED! There is a small fee to park your car, but totally worth it if you come and plan to spend some time in the park. Bring a picnic, your bathing suit, and hiking shoes; it is a great way to spend the day!

The admission was $5 a person, so I think that indicates that the price has gone up from $2 a head. No map was offered. Lake Placid at the entrance has a trail that circles the lake, it's less than one mile around. Some cool views and the spillway area creates a waterfall effect. Check my photos! Many mountain bikes out in the parking lots. This would be a great place to have a picnic. It's a nice park like setting next to a lake, complete with well maintained restrooms. The hiking, kinda minimal but OK for a .75 mile trail. We had trouble finding out where we were, no map was available when we arrived on 6/15/14. Shortly after driving past the Lake Placid area at the entrance, we suddenly saw a sign that said "no visitors, campground." So, we did a u-turn and left! Will have to return to see if we can find the rest of the park! I presume we missed the signs, not sure.

Great walking trails. Lots of fun. Something for everyone. Light/beginner, intermediate, or expert, they have it for You here. Walk the lake circle and then see how much further you want to go.

I've always visited here as a child and just moving back to the Greenville area, I wanted to bring my kids to experience the nature I'm used to. The price of admission is $5 per adult and $3 for kids 6 and up, Free for 5 and under. We started at the playground which was nice for the kids and I loved right next to it is a hill your kids can roll down on. There's a field you can run and play in or it's good for playing frisbee or ball whatever you please. Then we decided we would walk along the lake and stop for a second at the picnic table available by the water. It was really nice and relaxing, very peaceful. There's a waterfall at the end of one of the trails which was very pretty. There is more trails you can take and sites to see. The nice thing is that there are bathrooms located all over which is perfect. I can't wait to make more memories here! Find you a walking stick and enjoy some nature!

Stunning views and beautiful trails, this is a must visit for any nature lover or hiker. Lots of camping space and friendly staff. Be sure to bring cash for the entry fee.

Let me preface this review with I am a city girl and not a nature goer very often. Being new to mountains and Greenville I hit up Paris Mountain State Park today. Upon arriving we paid the admission which is $5 per adult and $3 per child. We set out and parked at one of the shelter parking areas and hit the trails. We did Mountain Creek and Lake Placid trails today. It was so beautiful and peaceful during my hike. I truly got to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and appreciate the nature that surrounds me. The Park has campsites and cabins where you can stay the night if you so choose. There are multiple trails that range based on difficulty. We did the 2 and 4 today. The swimming hole and lake seems quite populated with canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats you can rent. The dam is absolutely gorgeous and one of the highlights of our sights today! Can't wait to visit again soon.

Well kept state park with a lot to keep you entertained. The lake had a sandy bottom and there were kayak/paddle boat rentals. The trails were clearly marked, even some had detours due to flooding. Overall a nice afternoon close to downtown Greenville.

I love going to Paris Mountain State Park. We go for anything from family gatherings, to an afternoon hike. There are wonderful trails to bike, walk, or run. The trails are really well maintained and they range from moderately traveled to a quiet solo hike. There are 2 beautiful waterfalls and an amphitheater theater where they have concerts and other events. It's a little bit of the mountains that you can make it to after work.

Meh, it is just an average or below park. We wanted to check out another new place to go hiking. While this place has some great maintained trails, there is nothing spectacular about this park. I suppose if you live in the area it is a place just to get out at, but not a place I would look to go hiking for and feel rewarded for. Take the trip to the mountain bridge wilderness area and visit Jones Gap, Caesars Head, etc instead. As someone else stated, there is a serious lack of trashcans, only in one area of the park, which makes it hard to be a good dog owner. Glad we checked Paris Mountain out, but it is one and done.

For $6 a person you would think they would have more to see & a nicer staff. Nothing special to remember except for a copperhead sighting! We wished we picked a different spot.

The state park is lovely. A park pass gets you in and out all you please. Go from Greenville to the woods in 100 yards. Very peaceful. Well kept trails. Friendly staff. Relatively well kept facilities.

Jan 2021: Took my 12 yr old dog out-and-back for 2.5miles starting from Lake Placid. She had no issues. Lots of dogs were around with most well behaved. Then we went to the next major parking lot where I picked up Sulphur Springs. I suggest start at the bulletin board and not crossing the street. This will get rid of the hard part first. It has a lot of roots and rocks/boulders. When u cross the street at the north side, the return will be much easier and safer. I rated this a 4-star because of some down trees and buildings not open for restrooms. Johnnies were available. Were the trees fell, the trails were cleared for most. But mostly because parking is not sufficient and today is January!!! I had to wait for someone to leave. Pearis of Paris where I really wanted to park and hike, only has 8 spots - horrible!!! Overall, I would come back. There is a small fee per person to enter.