For years, horse enthusiasts have been drawn to this area because of the rich equestrian heritage it possesses. For over half a century, the tradition of equestrian sport has been a defining characteristic of this community. Tryon, N.C. was the winter training site for the United States Equestrian Team in the 1950's, and today equestrian sporting events still abound in all disciplines.
There are three hunt clubs in the area, a carriage club, and an active local horse show circuit. And the whole town gets involved in the annual Block House Steeplechase held every April.
The entire community is very horse oriented, and even those who do not ride are often very involved in the various organizations and events.
FENCE, the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, located on 390 beautiful acres serving some five thousand people each year with programs in nature study, outdoor recreation and equestrian competition.
NC Blue Ridge Mountain & Carolina Foothills Communities (Map)
If you enjoy a more cultural approach to your leisure time, there are many opportunities to pursue more artistic and creative endeavors. The Tryon Fine Arts Center is very active both artistically and theatrically throughout the year. They have a painters and sculptors guild, a full season of community theater, and a number of other workshops throughout the year.
Spartanburg County South Carolina Croft State Natural Area(Trail Map)
Fairforest Loop (3.5 miles)
Fosters Mill Loop (6.5 miles)
Lake Craig Connector (1.0 mile)
Lake Johnson Loop (2.4 miles)
Lake Johnson/Fairforest Connection (4.5 miles)
Rocky Ridge (3.5 miles
Pearson's Falls - 90 feet high - owned by the Tryon Garden Club and open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Saturday, 12 noon to 6 p.m. Sundays, except Mondays & Tuesday November 1 - March 1 ($3 admission). From downtown Saluda, North Carolina drive south on US 176 through town and turn right onto Pearson Falls Road (SR 1102). Follow for 2.0 miles and look for the sign for Pearson's Falls on the right.
Shunkawauken Falls - 150 feet high - From I-26 at NC 108, drive east toward Columbus for 0.4 miles and turn left onto Houston Road for 0.5 miles. Bear right to stay on Houston Road another 0.6 miles and then turn left onto White Oak Mountain Road. It's 2.0 miles to the upper portion of the falls, which will be on the right. A pull-off will be on the left just before the falls. Visible from the road.
In addition there are a number of country clubs and public facilities for playing tennis, as well as numerous places to enjoy fishing, hunting, gardening and other outdoor activities
Avid golfers are sure to find a favorite in one of the many public and private courses in the immediate area. For the real golf enthusiasts, Pinehurst and the mountain village of Highlands, in North Carolina and the coastal communities at Kiawah Resort, Wild Dunes, and Hilton Head Island in South Carolina afford wonderful opportunities for a weekend getaway. (These are just a few of the golfing resorts within a convenient commute from the area.)
The Palmetto Trail is a cross-state trail that is nearly 50% complete with about 250 miles open to the public. The trail is a series of "passages" featuring primitive pathways along knife-edged mountaintops, and sections which are are urban bikeways, greenways and rail-to-trail conversions. A total of 19 passages are currently open for single or multi-day excursions that demonstrate the history, culture, and geography of South Carolina, the Palmettto State.
Upon completion, the Palmetto Trail will be a 425+ mile recreational trail that traverses the state of South Carolina. The Trail will begin at Oconee State Park in the upstate and end north of Charleston on the coast. It will consist of several connecting passages that will showcase the unique history, culture, and geography of the Palmetto State.
Each passage is designed for a weekend's enjoyment on the Trail. The Trail will connect the mountains to the sea forming a spine for a network of trails in South Carolina, the genesis of a statewide trail system. The planned trail corridor will run through the counties of Oconee, Pickens, Greenville, Spartanburg, Cherokee, Union, Laurens, Newberry, Fairfield, Richland, Sumter, Clarendon, Orangeburg, Berkeley, and Charleston.
BLUE WALL PASSAGE OF THE PALMETTO TRAIL
The rolling hills of the Carolina Foothills area makes the Blue Wall Passage the "crown jewel" of the Palmetto Trail. Five miles of the trail run through the Nature Conservancy's Blue Wall Preserve. The preserve is the eastermost portion of the Blue Ridge Escarpment and offers beautiful mountain views, old forests, and clear ponds and streams to hikers. Another three miles of the trail meander through the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, a first class equestrian facility and environmental education center near Tryon NC. Country roads and urban sidewalks connect these two trailheads. The trail also travels through the heart of downtown Landrum SC offering access to shopping and restaurants in this charming small town.
Our area is very conservation minded, as a result we have several organizations in the area that can give you information about conservation.
Greenspace of Fairview is a 1,331 acre tract of land under Conservation Easement. Only 14 home sites and 778 acres of open / greenspace with streams, Pacolet River Frontage, a 12.5 acre lake, open fields, hardwood forests, fabulous mountain views, and over 20 miles of protected trails.
Conservation Easement and Land Use Planning Services available through our exclusive relationship with Greenspace Consultants (creators of Greenspace of Fairview and Cotton Patch of North Carolina). Call Madelon Wallace 864-316-3484
The Palmetto Trail is a cross-state trail that is nearly 50% complete with about 250 miles open to the public. The trail is a series of "passages" featuring primitive pathways along knife-edged mountaintops, and sections which are are urban bikeways, greenways and rail-to-trail conversions. A total of 19 passages are currently open for single or multi-day excursions that demonstrate the history, culture, and geography of South Carolina, the Palmettto State.