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Paris Mountain State
Park is located five miles north of Greenville, South Carolina.
Activities available in the 1,540-acre park include hiking, biking,
swimming and picnicking. The 13-acre Lake Placid offers swimming and
fishing. Canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats are seasonally available for
rental; private boats are not permitted. Camping is allowed and campsites
range from rustic, back country sites to paved sites with water and
electricity hook-ups. The park's Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) structures,
including the Camp Buckhorn lodge, are listed on the National Register
of Historic Places.
 Cherokee
Indians once dwelled on Paris Mountain before European men began to
colonize North America. The first white man settled in what is now known
as Greenville County in 1765. He was an Irishman from Virginia named
Richard Pearis. He married a Cherokee woman and became close to the
Cherokee tribe. The Indians continually gave Pearis land until his property
extended 10 square miles. Richard Pearis is the source of the name "Paris"
Mountain. In 1775, a letter from the superintendent of Indian affairs,
Jonathan Stuart was written to the Cherokee Indians chastening the Indians
for selling their lands to white men. In one part of the letter, Stuart
writes, "You are constantly listening to Richard Pearis, who cheats
you of your lands." Some of the land which Richard Pearis possessed
contained the mountain known today as Paris Mountain. Therefore, the
name "Paris" is a construed form of "Pearis".
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| Above quotes From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - online at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Mountain_State_Park |
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The two RV Gypsies began this hike on an easy-walking, mostly-level, nature-trail loop along the shores of Lake Placid. However, they soon came to deep slopes leading below the dam and then a more difficult, but short, climb up to the other side of the dam. Then the two RV Gypsies circled the lake, crossed a boardwalk foot bridge, and passed the swimming area, before returning to the picnic shelter where they began. Including the walk from the parking lot, it was about a 1 mile trip. However, there are several other hiking trails of various lengths. |
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The trail was full of things
that could make a person trip. But also some nice scenery. |
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Walking on the top of the
dam is off-limits, but Karen Duquette was able to take a picture looking
across the top of the dam. She also took a picture from the other side
of the dam. |
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Next, the two RV Gypsies went down to the bottom of the dam, crossed the bridge, and climbed the steep, rocky hill to the other side of the dam. Lee went first so Karen could take some photos. |
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Then Karen Duquette joined
Lee Duquette at the bottom of the dam. |
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Views from the bridge and the bottom of the dam. |
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The difficult, but short, climb up to the other side of the dam. |
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Below: View across the top of the dam back at the other side where the two RV Gypsies were at earlier. |
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Below: view from the sides of the dam |
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Below: A mysterious creature
in the woods -- maybe he eats the mushrooms. |
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Below: evidence of a beaver
in the area |
The swimming dock |
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Below: Lee Duquette took photos from each side of the bridge. |
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Below: View from the lunch spot of the two RV Gypsies. |
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