A shaded stretch of pavement, a railcar beside the route, a stop in Travelers Rest, and a short dirt line with wooden riding features can all be part of the same outing. The Swamp Rabbit Trail connects those experiences, while Rad Rabbit 2 gives cyclists an optional change of surface. Knowing where the two routes split improves the day for riders and walkers alike.
Start with a section, not the whole network
Greenville County now describes the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail as a 32-mile-and-growing network, opened in 2009. That total is a system measure, not the distance of one uninterrupted ride from downtown Greenville to Travelers Rest. Pick your starting access point, turnaround, and return route before you head out.
Use the county’s interactive map to locate parking, restrooms, road crossings, secondary trails, and emergency reference markers. The City of Greenville’s map and parking page link to the same mapping resource. Check the particular segment you intend to use rather than navigating to the trail’s name and assuming you will arrive beside the feature you want.
Rad Rabbit 2: where to find it
Upstate SORBA’s Rad Rabbit 2 project page places the segment between the train display at the Sulphur Springs Road crossing and the “Girl on the Strider” statue behind Lakeview Middle School. That puts it along the northern corridor in the Berea–Sans Souci area, rather than at the separate Rad Rabbit near South Pleasantburg Drive.
The photographed entrance sign provides useful details on the ground. It identifies Rad Rabbit 2 as a 2025 partnership between Greenville County and Upstate SORBA, says it rejoins the paved trail in 400 feet, and specifies one-way traffic, bikes only, and no riding when wet. The photograph also shows the entrance beside a half-mile marker labeled 29½ and a Sans Souci welcome sign. Use those features as orientation clues, then follow the current entrance signs.
SORBA describes progressive dirt rollers, wooden features, a flagstone S-turn, and a Mountain Top feature. These changes the riding surface and shape, not just a shorter paved shortcut. A rider who is comfortable on the main trail may still want time to assess this line. The paved route remains an option for walkers, riders who want to skip the features, and groups staying together on the greenway.
Rad Rabbit 2 and the original Rad Rabbit are different stops
The Upstate Greenways and Trails Alliance identifies the original Rad Rabbit near South Pleasantburg Drive as an approximately 800-foot natural-surface trail developed with Greenville County Rec. Its features include rollers, tabletops, and berms. The similar names describe related ideas at different points along the Swamp Rabbit corridor; the original project’s length should not be transferred to Rad Rabbit 2.
| Route | What distinguishes it |
|---|---|
| Paved Swamp Rabbit Trail | Shared-use greenway for walking and cycling; choose a defined segment |
| Rad Rabbit 2 | Bikes-only dirt segment in the Berea–Sans Souci area; entrance sign says it rejoins pavement in 400 feet |
| Original Rad Rabbit | Separate approximately 800-foot natural-surface segment near South Pleasantburg Drive |
A purpose-built skills line invites you to choose, not to jump. Wear a helmet, use a bicycle suited to the surface and features, and give the rider ahead room to finish. If you are unsure about a feature, assess it from outside the active line rather than stopping on a landing or riding backward. Our bike trail ratings guide explains why an easy label still needs to be read alongside the actual trail.
Keep the dirt line dry. Rad Rabbit 2’s sign explicitly asks riders not to use it when wet. Respect closures and skip the segment when the surface is soft or muddy; ride the permitted paved route instead. A photo of a completed feature doesn’t reflect today’s conditions.
More photographs of the dirt riding features
The train display gives the corridor a history stop
At Swamp Rabbit Station @ Berea, the pocket-park project identifies its location near Sulphur Springs Road and Pinsley Circle. It lists a vintage railcar and locomotive, seating, an information kiosk, a water-bottle refill station, and a mural that interprets Berea’s history. That makes the display a useful landmark for locating the Rad Rabbit 2 area and a reason to stop.
The broader paved route uses an old railroad corridor, as described by the City of Greenville’s trail overview. The equipment beside it adds a visible railway connection, but its presence alone does not establish each vehicle’s service history. Read the on-site interpretation, stay out of the travel lane while photographing, and leave any restricted equipment alone.
Furman makes a distinct side visit
Furman University sits along the trail corridor between Greenville and Travelers Rest. The university’s own account of the Swamp Rabbit Trail describes that connection, while VisitGreenvilleSC’s northbound itinerary identifies the campus lake loop and bell tower as a separate scenic stop. Treat a campus detour as additional distance and follow campus access and path signs.
The paved corridor and the paths around the lake serve different purposes. Slow down, check whether riding is permitted on the path you choose, and walk the bicycle where required. Our Furman Lake photo story offers another look at this setting. Carry enough water for your outing; a refill point marked on a map or shown in a past photograph isn’t guaranteed to be operating when you arrive.
More campus and trail-connection photographs
Travelers Rest rewards getting off the saddle
The trail runs through downtown Travelers Rest beside shops, restaurants, and gathering places, as the town’s visitor guide describes. Choose a meal or browsing stop you actually want to enjoy, then build a manageable ride around it. Our downtown Travelers Rest guide helps connect the trail with time on Main Street.
A stop in town works better when everyone can take a proper break. Move the bicycles out of the travel lane, lock them where permitted, and check the business’s current hours before making it your turnaround destination. If dessert is part of the plan, our Travelers Rest ice cream feature introduces another local stop. A trail outing does not need to include Greenville, Furman, and Travelers Rest all in one day.
Three manageable ways to plan a visit
| Outing | Build it around | Planning point |
|---|---|---|
| Short paved outing | One access point and a nearby turnaround | A mile out and a mile back is two miles total; add any side detour |
| Railroad and dirt-feature outing | Berea station and Rad Rabbit 2 | Walking companions stay on the shared paved route; cyclists assess the signed dirt line |
| Town and scenery outing | Travelers Rest, with an optional Furman detour | Check the mapped distance and include the return before adding the campus paths |
These are suggested formats, not fixed measured tours or skill ratings. Choose a route that lets the least experienced person finish comfortably, and leave room for crossings, food stops, and mechanical trouble. For another paved rail-trail day closer to Pickens and Easley, see our Doodle Trail guide. It has its own access points and road crossings, rather than continuing this network.
Rules that make the shared trail work
County guidance calls for keeping right, passing on the left with an audible warning, stopping at road crossings, carrying out litter, and keeping dogs on short leashes. The city separately states that pedestrians have priority and lists a 15 mph maximum for its shared paths; the county page says to remain under 20 mph and slower around others. Follow the stricter posted limit for the section you are using, and slow further for people and conditions.
Don’t stop fully out of the travel lane for pictures, snacks, or repairs, and don’t pass into oncoming traffic. The greenway connects places with different levels of activity, so an empty wooded stretch does not set the pace for a busy downtown crossing. For a Greenville-focused outing, our Falls Park guide can help you choose a separate city stop without turning the whole network into a mileage challenge.
Check notices before you leave
The city’s trail page lists construction notices affecting Cleveland Park and a Blue Line section south of I-85. Read the current notice and follow signed detours rather than assuming that a projected completion month means a segment has reopened. The county page also offers text alerts: send “swamprabbit” to 24639 for trail updates. Plan in daylight unless you have confirmed the permitted hours for each park or segment you intend to use.
The main links worth saving are the county trail page and map, the city’s current notices, and SORBA’s Rad Rabbit 2 project page. Network mileage and access information were checked October 18, 2026. The entrance-sign photographs supply the specific Rad Rabbit 2 rules described here; they do not establish a live trail-status report.
