Fall for Pumpkintown: Come for the Festival, Stay for the Mountains
Come for the festival, stay for the mountains, and discover why there is so much to love about Pumpkintown, South Carolina, especially during fall.
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Carolina Horsenettle: The Tiny Yellow “Tomato” You Should Never Eat
Carolina horsenettle is a native South Carolina nightshade with purple flowers, sharp prickles, and small yellow berries that resemble miniature tomatoes. Learn how to identify this common Upstate plant and why its tempting fruit should never be eaten.
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Panicled Tick-Trefoil: A Native Wildflower of the Upstate
Panicled tick-trefoil is a native South Carolina wildflower with delicate pink flowers, three-part leaves, and sticky seed pods that hitch rides on wildlife and hikers alike.
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The Blue-Tailed Lizards of Pinnacle Mountain: Meet the Five-Lined Skink
A flash of electric blue caught our attention high along Pinnacle Mountain Trail. Meet the five-lined skink, one of Table Rock’s smallest, fastest and most colorful residents.
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Pinnacle Mountain Trail: The Summit Isn’t the Best Part
Pinnacle Mountain Trail at Table Rock State Park is a challenging 10-mile adventure filled with massive rock formations, incredible views of Table Rock and Pumpkintown, unexpected storms, wildlife, and an overgrown final stretch. The summit may be anticlimactic, but everything you encounter along the way makes this one of the Upstate’s most memorable hikes.
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Mushrooms of Table Rock State Park: What You Might Find Along the Trail
Discover the mushrooms hiding along the trails of Table Rock State Park. From bright orange woodland mushrooms to towering fungi and turkey tails, see some of the fascinating species you might encounter after a warm summer rain.
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When the Mountains Wear the Clouds: A Summer Evening in the South Carolina Upstate
After a late-summer storm passes through the South Carolina Upstate, low clouds and rising mist can transform the mountains. Here’s why the clouds seem to hug the ridges and the forest appears to steam after the rain.
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Construction Changes the Trailhead at Table Rock State Park: What Hikers Need to Know
Construction is underway near the Nature Center at Table Rock State Park, temporarily changing how hikers access the trails. Here’s what visitors need to know about the new deck project, Carrick Creek Falls improvements and temporary trail reroute.
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Meet One of the Upstate’s Brightest Wild Plants: American Pokeweed
Bright pink stems and clusters of deep purple berries make American pokeweed one of the Upstate’s most eye-catching native plants. Learn how to recognize this colorful woodland species on your next hike around Table Rock State Park.
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Meet One of the Upstate’s Hidden Gems: The Partridgeberry
Bright red berries tucked beneath the forest canopy make partridgeberry one of the Upstate’s most overlooked native plants. Learn how to identify this evergreen groundcover and where you’re most likely to find it on trails around Table Rock State Park.
