A library stop can kick off a day at Table Rock, a children’s museum, or an Asheville wildlife park. Pickens County Library System’s Adventure Pass program lets eligible adult residents borrow admission passes, with different coverage for each destination. The useful trick is to secure the right pass before planning the outing, then take the paperwork that makes it work at the gate.
Four pass options to plan around
The library’s current Adventure Pass page lists the following options. Details were checked October 17, 2026. Free admission applies within each pass’s limits; it does not make every part of the trip free.
| Pass | Published admission coverage |
|---|---|
| South Carolina State Parks | Admission for everyone in one vehicle; usable at all South Carolina state parks. |
| The Children’s Museum of the Upstate | Up to five people; valid at the Greenville and Spartanburg locations. |
| Upcountry History Museum | Two adults and up to four children from the same household, or up to four grandchildren. One-time use; checkout receipt required. Pick up at Hampton Memorial Library in Easley. |
| WNC Nature Center | Up to two adults and four children; valid only on the date printed on the pass. Excludes after-hours and special events. |
Who is eligible to borrow one?
Adventure Pass borrowers must be at least 18, live in Pickens County, and have an account in good standing. The program defines that as $5 or less in fines; borrowers on payment plans are excluded. Reciprocal and out-of-county borrowers are not eligible. A card obtained through a neighboring county’s reciprocal arrangement therefore does not establish Adventure Pass eligibility.
If you need a card, the library’s Get a Card page explains the application. Bring a government-issued photo ID with your current local mailing address, or proof of your local address if your ID is out of date. Applying online starts the process, but you still need photo ID to pick up the card. Settle the card arrangements before relying on a pass for a planned day out.
Call for availability and same-day pickup
The program doesn’t allow standard holds, but its destination listings explicitly permit phone reservations for available passes for same-day pickup. Call the branch before leaving home. This is a same-day arrangement for an available item, not a promise that a pass will be waiting for a future weekend.
Tell staff your destination, how many people are going, and when you plan to visit. WNC Nature Center passes are dated, while Upcountry History Museum passes are collected in Easley. Once you have the pass, read its instructions and keep the checkout receipt with it. For a museum that uses timed entry, ask how a library pass is redeemed before purchasing a separate ticket.
Use the state park pass for a mountain day
A park day can be a picnic and a suitable walk rather than a summit climb. At Table Rock, the official park page lists regular admission at $6 per adult and $3.50 per child ages 6–15. For two adults and two children in that age range, the usual admission totals $19. The borrowed pass covers admission for the vehicle’s occupants, leaving the family to budget for travel, food, and any separately charged activities.
Use our Table Rock trail guide to compare routes before choosing a hike. The park rates the Table Rock Trail as very strenuous, so the summit photograph here should not be read as a recommendation for every family. For another mountain park outing, explore our Paris Mountain guide.
The pass covers admission, but does not guarantee space. At Jones Gap, parking reservations are required for guaranteed entry on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; outside that window, parking is first come, first served. Read the current park advisory alongside our Jones Gap Falls trail guide. Arrange any required reservation separately and check current trail access before you travel.
Choose the children’s museum location for your group
The museum pass works at both Children’s Museum of the Upstate locations, but the two buildings serve different age ranges. The museum’s visit-planning page describes Spartanburg as designed for children ages six and under. Its Greenville FAQ identifies that location’s exhibits and programs with ages 0–12.
Greenville is at 300 College Street; Spartanburg is at 130 Magnolia Street. Adults visiting the Greenville museum must be accompanied by a child, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Check the current hours and library-pass entry procedure for your chosen location. A five-person pass is a useful limit to know before promising admission to a larger group.
Keep the receipt for Upcountry History Museum
For Upcountry History Museum, start at Hampton Memorial Library in Easley. You can borrow the pass for a week, but it allows one visit. Take the checkout receipt: the museum’s own admission page requires it for library-pass admission. The museum is at 540 Buncombe Street in Greenville and is regularly closed on Mondays.
This is an option for a day centered on regional history rather than a children’s play museum. Check the exhibitions and calendar for your chosen date, including whether a special event requires separate admission. If you want an outdoor stop afterward and the weather cooperates, our Falls Park guide can help you plan a separate downtown visit.
Match the WNC Nature Center pass to the date
WNC Nature Center is in Asheville, North Carolina, at 75 Gashes Creek Road. Its dated pass needs a more specific plan than the week-long park loan: use it on the printed day, within the stated group limit. Check the Nature Center’s visitor page before the drive for hours, animal information, and current directions.
As of October 2026, that page posts an altered approach because of the loss of Gashes Creek Bridge during Tropical Storm Helene. Follow its current directions rather than assuming an older route is usable. Keep the drive and outdoor visit together as the day’s main outing, and check the weather before collecting a dated pass.
Return the pass correctly
Ordinary Adventure Pass loans run seven days without renewal; WNC’s dated passes are the exception. Each household may borrow one pass per venue at a time and may not return it and immediately check it out again. Return borrowed passes to the lending branch’s desk, not a book drop. Overdue charges are $2 per day, capped at $12; replacement charges vary.
The library’s fine-free information specifically excludes Adventure Passes from the overdue-fine exemption that applies to most materials. Put the return date on your calendar when you plan the outing. That keeps a free-admission trip from acquiring an avoidable late charge.
Where to call or pick up
| Branch | Address and phone |
|---|---|
| Village Library, Pickens | 124 North Catherine Street 864-898-5747 |
| Hampton Memorial Library, Easley | 304 Biltmore Road 864-850-7077 |
| Central-Clemson Library | 105 Commons Way, Central 864-639-2711 |
| Sarlin Library, Liberty | 15 South Palmetto Street 864-843-5805 |
Use the library’s locations page for current opening hours. Return passes to the staff at the branch that lent them, even if a book drop or remote pickup point is more convenient. The Upcountry History Museum’s Easley pickup requirement is especially worth noting before you go to another branch.
Borrow outdoor gear as a separate item
The Library of Things also lists binoculars, fishing rods, tackle boxes, a telescope, and other equipment. Those are separate loans, not a guaranteed backpack bundled with a park pass. Its published rules include a 30-day card requirement and different overdue charges, so read that collection’s instructions before planning to borrow gear.
A pass works best when it helps you enjoy one place comfortably. Secure it, check the destination’s current conditions, pack what your group needs, and leave time to return it properly. For more ideas near the mountain, our family outings around Table Rock offer ways to build the rest of a local day.
