New sections and fun stops make it easy to choose your own Swamp Rabbit Trail adventure
Have you visited the Swamp Rabbit Trail lately? More than 700,000 people ambled, sprinted, or cycled on it in 2022, according to the counter near Unity Park installed by City of Greenville. Now 28 miles long, the growing network of trails stretches from downtown Greenville to Travelers Rest; more sections are complete in Fountain Inn and Simpsonville. New additions last year included the Loop Trail in Laurens County and the Green Line Extension, a four-mile segment that winds past Holland Park all the way to Verdae Boulevard.
If you want to check out the trail but don’t know where to start, read on for three great options to tackle by bike, electric bike, or on foot. Want 20 minutes of strolling followed by a celebratory beer? A full day of biking punctuated by multiple refueling stops? The Swamp Rabbit Trail, and its adjacent eateries, watering holes, and hidden gems, has everything you need.
Swamp Rabbit Trail Guide
TR Day
Start at: Tandem Creperie, 2 S. Main Street
Fuel up: Sausage and potato crepe and a cappuccino
Need to rent a bike? Sunrift Adventures is across the street at 1 Center St.
Bike or walk: Head south to Furman University, a 3.5-mile trek from Tandem.
Possible add-on: Stroll around the lake, stopping to grab a cup of coffee at Barnes & Noble at Furman.
Head back toward Tandem, perhaps stopping for a drink at Swamp Rabbit Brewery & Taproom. Also recommended: Sidewall Pizza, Upcountry Provisions, and Farmhouse Tacos.
Unity Park Route
Park at: The Commons, 147 Welborn St.
Start by exploring the Unity Park area: check out the unique picnic shelters, the Auro Bridge, and the Insta-friendly UNITY letters. Kids love the TD Synnex Playground.
Need to rent a bike? Greenville Bike & Tri is located in the Commons Plaza (#102), renting bikes for adults and kids along with electric bikes.
Fuel up: The Commons offers Methodical Coffee and the Bake Room (ideal for breakfast), or start at Golden Brown & Delicious (try the bibimbap or a Big FN Salad).
Walk or bike to the Children’s Garden at Linky Stone Park (one mile from the Commons).
Want to keep going? Head to Falls Park (1.3 miles), Cancer Survivors Park (1.6 miles), or the Greenville Zoo (2.8 miles).
Head back to the Commons and cap your day off with a drink and a bite at Southernside Brewing Co. (across the river from the Commons over the Spinks Bridge).
Green Line trek
Park at the Greenville Zoo/Cleveland Park.
Need a bike? There’s a Greenville BCycle station at the Greenville Zoo. (Check for availability at greenville.bcycle.com.)
Head east—be careful on “the paperclip,” a curvy new section—and head toward Holland Park (1.6 miles).
Try the ropes course or zipline at Flying Rabbit Adventures (Friday-Sunday only), have an IPA at 90s-themed Double Stamp Brewery, or up that protein intake with some pulled pork from Home Team BBQ.
Stay on the Green line all the way to Verdae and finish at 20-acre Legacy Park. Head back toward the zoo for a full eight-mile route . . . perhaps a stop at Willy Taco (217 Laurens Road) is in order.
For trail alerts and updates, text swamprabbit to 844.792.1212.
