This spring I traveled to Greenville, South Carolina for a mom/son trip with my youngest teen. Top of our list of things to do in Greenville was to explore the Swamp Rabbit Trail. If you are looking for outdoor fun in Greenville, you will want to keep reading and find out all about the Swamp Rabbit Trail!
What is the Swamp Rabbit Trail?
The Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 22-mile-long urban trail that runs through downtown Greenville and up to Travelers Rest, SC. It’s a beautiful, well-maintained trail that winds through wooded areas, past lakes, along the Reedy River, and past waterfalls. We were able to explore several different sections of the trail during our time in Greenville and LOVED it!
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Multi-Use Urban Trail
The Swamp Rabbit Trail is family-friendly and open to bikers, walkers, and runners. It’s fairly level and a great trail for all levels of fitness – we saw people of all ages and abilities enjoying the trail. It’s also dog-friendly!
Related: Learning How to Ride a Bike Again as an Adult
Trail Map of Swamp Rabbit Trail
The Visit Greenville website has some great maps including a trail map for this urban trail with all the things to do along in mentioned below.
Easy to Find/Navigate
Along the trail, there are easy to identify trail markers and signage like the one shown above. I used Google Maps to easily pinpoint my location and Alltrails for logging our ride.
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What Does Swamp Rabbit Mean?
The Swamp Rabbit Trail is named for the Eastern cottontail rabbit which is commonly found in South Carolina. These bunnies are shy little creatures and are most active at dawn and dusk.
Where is the best place to start exploring the Swamp Rabbit Trail?
There are several access points with nearby parking to the Swamp Rabbit Trail. One of the most common and the one we started our explorations with is at Falls Park on the Reedy located in downtown Greenville. This was a great spot because it allowed us to see some of the sights of downtown Greenville, including the Liberty Bridge and Reedy Falls, before heading out on a walk or ride.
Note: I recommend this access point if you are visiting Greenville with teens or tweens as they may enjoy some of the “big city” sights before getting out on the more rural sections of trail.
Swamp Rabbit Trail Bike Rentals
If you want to cycle along the trail, there are several places along the trail where you can rent bikes if you don’t have your own. We rented bikes and highly recommend Reedy Bikes, which is located right on the Swamp Rabbit Trail at 205 Cedar Lane Rd, Greenville, SC.
Reedy Bikes offers tandem bikes, electric-assist bikes, regular bikes, and bike trailers for rent. They have a great selection of sizes to fit the whole family. On our recent visit, I rode a pedal assist and my son rode a regular bike. He said I was cheating, but I like to think I was just being efficient!
Related: Learn more about Selecting a New Bicycle
Bike rentals are available by the hour or for the day. We rented our bikes for 3 hours and had plenty of time to explore a few different sections of the trail. You can also find e-bike rental locations at kiosks set up around the downtown area and a few Downtown hotels offer guests complimentary bikes.
Greenville is a very bike-friendly city and you will see plenty of cyclists on the roads as well as on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.
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What are some of the things to see and do along the Swamp Rabbit Trail?
There are so many fantastic sites, local eateries, and activities to explore along the Swamp Rabbit Trail! Here are some of our personal favorites (in no particular order):
Falls Park on the Reedy
This is a beautiful park located in the heart of downtown Greenville. It’s a great place to start your exploration with a walk across the Liberty Bridge for some fantastic views of the river and waterfall below.
Note: This park can get busy on weekends, so be prepared for crowds.
Lake Conestee Nature Park
This is a great spot for nature lovers! The park is home to more than 400 species of birds, 12 miles of walking trails, and the largest urban wetland in SC. It’s also a great place to see alligators! It’s located about 4 miles from downtown Greenville.
Note: There isn’t a dedicated trail from Downtown to the lake. However, it is possible to navigate easily and find your way. The streets are well marked.
Heritage Green
This is a great spot to take a break, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy some art. There are several restaurants located here as well as a kitchen store with a fantastic on-site restaurant. There’s also the Upcountry History Museum, Children’s Museum of the Upstate, and the Greenville County Art Museum. It’s located about 1 mile from downtown Greenville.
Travelers Rest
This is a great spot to stop for lunch or a snack. There are several restaurants and cafes located here as well as ice cream, coffee, and other sweet treats! It’s located about 6 miles from downtown Greenville.
Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery
This is a great spot to grab a bite to eat or stock up on snacks and drinks for the trail. This grocery is a store supporter of local farms and features a cafe with a great selection of sandwiches, salads, and soups. It’s located about 8 miles from downtown Greenville.
Related: This is one of my picks for the Best Breakfast Greenville.
Furman University
This is a great spot to explore if you’re looking for some history. Furman University is the oldest private university in SC and features several beautiful buildings on its campus. You can ride past along the campus or take a detour and explore the grounds. It’s located about 10 miles from downtown Greenville.
Hampton Station
This is a newer development just off the newest trail spur. This is a great spot to grab a bite to eat or drink. There are several local shops, a brewery, meadery, coffee shop, taco shop, and ax-throwing venue located here. It’s located about 2 miles from downtown Greenville.
The Commons
This food hall is a great pit spot for families with a mix of retail and food. The Bake Room and Methodical Coffee are not to be missed in the morning. For Lunch or dinner, try Automatic Taco or Golden Brown and Delicious. The Community Tap serves up craft beer and wine. You can dine inside or out where there are ample picnic tables and space to eat out on the lawn.
Southernside Brewing Company
Located across the river from The Commons, this family-friendly brewery is a popular spot with cyclists and trail walkers/runners. The outdoor space offers up ample room, live music on weekends, and amazing pub fare.
Unity Park
This is Greenville’s newest city park (2022) and features a playground, splash pad, and picnic pavilions. It’s located just down from downtown Greenville.
Main Street
Not sure that you’d consider it exactly part of the trail, downtown is definitely worth mentioning. Main Street is a great place to explore if you’re looking for shopping, restaurants, and nightlife. It is the heart of downtown Greenville and features several blocks of locally-owned businesses. A few of my favorites include General Mast Store, independent bookstore M. Judson’s, and Spill the Beans ice cream shop.
In Conclusion
These are just a few of the many great things to see and do along the Swamp Rabbit Trail! Whether you’re looking for a place to walk, run, bike, or just take in the sights, there’s something for everyone. So get out and enjoy all that the Swamp Rabbit Trail has to offer! You won’t be disappointed!
A big “Thank You” to Visit Greenville for inviting my son and I to experience Greenville during March Madness. It was a return trip for me and the first visit for him. While we were only in town for a short time, we enjoyed our visit and can’t wait to go back! We loved exploring all that Greenville has to offer and the Swamp Rabbit Trail was one of our favorite places. All opinions are my own.
Nicky, you forgot to mention the Pedego Dealer near Hampton Station. They rent and sell a variety of bikes that meet the needs of almost everyone who rides the trails. My husband and I were able to try out an array of bikes and ended up buying two of them. The customer service is absolutely top notch and we bought a lot of accessories too. They also rent and sell helmets with a built in blue tooth so you can communicate with your fellow riders. This was the bomb! We bought two of the helmets as well. We live an hour and 1/2 and when we need something, this is our go place!
I didn’t look at the Pedego Dealer because it was a bit further out for us. But those Bluetooth helmets would be awesome for family rides. we are always stopping when someone has a question or wants to just stop for a bit. I’ll have to add that into the article. Thanks for the recommendation!