Table Rock State Park fits the bill for the natural beauty attributed to scenic Highway 11. The towering mountain, which gives the park its name, serves as a backdrop for the 3,000 acre park and its facilities. Table Rock State Park hiking trails serve as an access point for the 80-mile Foothills Trail and take hikers past mountain streams and waterfalls to the tops of Pinnacle and Table Rock mountains.

Caesars Head connects to Jones Gap State Park in what is known as the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. Hikers can take a number of loop and traverse hiking trails that connect the parks, and trailside camping is available for those who choose the longer routes.

Pisgah National Forest comprises more than 500,000 acres of hardwood forest, mile-high mountain peaks, whitewater rivers, thundering waterfalls and hundreds of miles of top hiking trails. Drive, hike or bike – it’s up to you! Bonus: you’re only 10 minutes from downtown Asheville.

DuPont State Forest features spectacular waterfalls, unique ecological communities, lakes and an extensive trail system. It was also the setting for the filming of the major motion picture “Hunger Games” in 2012

Lake Jocassee is a 7,500-acre, 300-foot deep reservoir located in northwest South Carolina. The lake is commonly known for the clean and cold Appalachian mountain rivers that feed the lake to keep its waters cool and clear year-round. It is also home to Devils Fork State Park and popular for scuba diving.

Lake Keowee is a 18,500-acre, 54-foot deep reservoir located in northwest South Carolina and has been touted as a pure and clean water recreational destination for fishing, boating, swimming, sailing, kayaking and other watersports. Visit Keowee-Toxaway State Park to find a short, half-mile trail that leads to Lake Keowee where guests can enjoy fishing for bass, bream, crappie and catfish.

Wildcat Wayside Nature Trail is a 1 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located off of Highway 11 between Caesar’s Head and Jones Gap State parks near Cleveland, South Carolina. The short trail begins with a steep set of stairs climbing right beside a small, but beautiful, waterfall, and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and running and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

The Table Rock State Park hiking trails take hikers past mountain streams and waterfalls to the tops of Pinnacle and Table Rock mountains. Pinnacle Mountain Trail is a 7.1 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Pickens, SC, that features a waterfall and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and bird watching and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

Hiking into this 80-foot high waterfall involves a strenuous five-to-six hour hike of 8.4 miles from US 178 on the Foothills Trail. You will follow Laurel Creek and, at times, crisscrossing the stream on permanent bridges, including a beautiful suspension bridge.

This 400-foot waterfall of Matthews Creek is one of the most scenic and photographed waterfalls in the state. It was named for the ravens that breed in the high cliffs forming the falls. Over 150 species of ravens have been identified in this region.

The Town Creek Bike Park (TCBP), which is located within the city limits of Pickens, has been transformed into one of the premier off-road bicycling facilities in Upstate South Carolina.

The Roundtop Mountain Passage is located between the Foothills Trail and the Palmetto Trail’s Blue Ridge Electric Co-op Passage in the unique Jocassee Gorges.

The Palmetto Trail is 500 miles of cross-state hiking and bicycling paths beside lakes, across mountain ridges, through forests, into towns big and small, and across swamps. Established 1994, the Palmetto Trail extends from Walhalla in the Blue Ridge Mountains to Awendaw on the Intracoastal Waterway. The entire Palmetto Trail is open to hiking and backpacking. Designated passages and sites are available for mountain biking, horseback riding, and camping.