Paris Mountain State Park

This review is less about the trails and more about park management and staff. The park is not bike friendly. We were there for a bike race. Race was set for Sunday. No pre ride Saturday as the park is closed to bikes every Saturday. On arrival Friday a sign says not to ride trails. While unloading bikes in the parking lot, a large lot with room for dozens of cars, there were six of us. A few parked cars around but no people except us.. Riders were checking bikes, a few doing some warm up activities with helmets on. This black pickup comes roaring in the lot. Driver rolls down the window and declares we should all get out of the road. One coach says what road this is a parking area? This causes this horses putoot who announces he is the Park Supervisor to shout that he will not tolerate such wise smart alek back talk. Then roars out of the lot at very unsafe speed. Local riders informed us that if you see a hiker you must stop even during a race, get off your bike walk till you pass the hiker who is walking up a banked purpose built bike trail. . I'm all for shared and respectful use of trails but with such a rear end running things, and this unbalanced approach to trail use, drive the extra few miles and ride Brevard.

Great mix of conditions and challenges. The uphill climb is long but doable the return trip is a lot of fun but do look for uphill riders and hikers. Brissy Ridge and Kanuga downhill trails are very difficult (large rocks and slope) in places. Trails are very well maintained.

I love this trail so much that I got married here!!! Sure, it doesn't have as many miles to ride as regional trail networks like Dupont or Pisgah, but don't take little Paris Mtn for granted. It offers a lake, rocky technical upper Brissy, and I learned the definition of "puckerfactor" on Big Kanuga (L from Firetower). Paris Mtn offers the opportunity to nightride on Tues., shelters to hide out from a lightning storm, rangers nearby should you need them, a solitary black bear, and the rare Hincapie siting. Go check it out!

Just an FYI that I think a lot of people miss (I worked at Paris Mountain 1 summer), you can buy a year-long park pass for $50. That will get you into 42 (?) of the 46 state parks. Won't get you in to the ones at the beach . That pass is $75. The $50 pass is definitely worth it.

fantastic trail system very close to Greenville. park is closed to bikes on Saturdays and there's a $5 per adult fee but the trails are really fun and technical. there's a lot of other trail users (hikers, runners, etc) which can make it challenging. a lot of roots, roots all over the place, big rocks too. there's a significant amount of elevation change too, seems like you're usually either climbing or descending so it can give you an enduro style experience, as long as you don't run into traffic, you can hit some long descents, like from the top of firetower down to kanuga to the road at the other side of the park.

Closed to mountain bikes on Saturdays - that should be posted more clearly... $5/adult entry fee all other days.

This trail system has something for everyone. Anywhere from beginner to intermediate sections of trail all the way up to advanced and challenging trail sections. Could spend a whole day riding easy and never get bored. The only downside is the pedestrian traffic on certain days.

Nice trail for beginner to intermediate I took the turtle trail which was good enough for me and went off to some side trails and passed a beautiful outdoor amphitheater along the way and if you come on a Tuesday evening there was about 11 mountain bikers that came out around 5 o'clock

If you can overlook the $5 per person entrance fee and the heavy pedestrian traffic on nice days then you'll be very pleased with this trail system. It's extremely well cared for, incredibly smooth with a lot of flow and has a good bit of technical sections comprised of various rocks and tangled root step-downs. There are two prominent climbs if you ride the entire trail system that add a good cardio challenge that are followed by some seriously smooth and fun descents.

I was on the fence as to whether to rate PM as a 4 or 5. I decided on the 5 because of my delight with being new to Greenville and finding such a fun systems of trails so nearby.

Due to the Saturday restriction, I don't tend to come here very often and hence I'd only ridden some of the lower trails - the Sulphur Springs switchbacks are grueling on the way up and fun on the way down, but I like more techy riding. Well, I got a good dose of that riding Kanuga, Pipsessewa, Brissy Ridge, etc. These are some rocky, rooty trails that are an absolute joy to ride. I stitched these together in a clockwise loop and had a great ride. Next time I'll try it CCW.

Very fun place to ride. The climbs aren't that bad. Few technical sections , watch out those rocks they hurt haha. Only negative no bikes on Saturday

After reviewing options for trails in southern SC and northern GA, I went to this trail once as a break in a 5-hour drive. I started at the bottom of the mountain and rode up Brissy Ridge then clockwise around Sulphur Springs, Turtle, and Pipsissewa to go back down. Parts of Pipsissewa and the top of BR were grueling--plenty of bike-hiking with hikers asking me, "How are you riding a bike on this trail?!" Lots of rocky climbs that made biking up in my HT really difficult. Overall, it was a great workout with some fun rides in the Turtle section before the lake. Riders and hikers share trails and everyone was kind and courteous when I was there. This was a good thing because the trails weren't marked that well--no mile markers or anything. So as a solo, first-time rider, it was hard to gauge how much farther/longer I had in each section. If I went back, I'd start closer to the top by parking in one of the upper lots.

Little bit of everything. Love the technical climbs. Firetower is a perfect warmup. The downhill course has potential, just needs some work for a faster ride. Overall best place in the upstate in my opinion.

I Ride here about every other day and I love it!
My Ride: I park midway up the mountain towards the beginning of the Sulphur Springs trail, then ridet to the top. I then hit Brissy Ridge which is the most technical when it comes to roots and rocks. From Brissy Ridge I then take Pipsissewa. This trail allows you to gain some speed and hit two great jumps. From Pipsissewa take North Lake and do a few laps to get a couple extra miles. From North lake I turn back to go up Pipsissewa and then hit Brissy Ridge again. the climb back up is great! Midway on Brissy Ridge I take Kanuga to climb up some more, once up up Kanuga hit Sulphur Springs for a easy ride back down to the parking lot. Once you hit the parking lot I go across to hit the other side up Sulphur Springs to ride back down down the Mountain! This Ride down is one one the best at the park. By the end you should have done between 7-10 miles depending on the loops you did at north lake.

Hit this trail (or at least part of it) in the morning before a meeting in Greenville. Park doesn't open till 08:00, but it's possible to park on a side street near the entrance and ride in... So I've heard.... The trail itself had a very nice flow, and was really well maintained. There was a nice combination of smooth dirt, rocks, and roots to keep things interesting. If you are starting near the enterance, the first few miles have a lot of climbing, but nothing too crazy. I would for sure ride this one again if I'm in the area. Ride safe, take a map of some sort, and have a blast.

Stay alert, plenty of obstacles. Enjoyed the ride, lots of roots, some big. Some rocks, mostly small but some big ones too.

Kanuga......wow....fast downhill with rocks the whole way. And sulpher springs downhill with banked turns is awesome to. Add the views of mountains and lakes I really can't say enough about this place awesome awesome awesome

Did the trails up to reservoir #3 including a descent on Canuga as well as a descent on Sulphur Springs which was a total blast! A fair amount of rocks, roots and had to hike a bike up a few steeper sections with large obstacles but pretty much everything was rideable for a mid level mountain biker. For a township park this is a great trail system. Just be aware the trails are closed on Saturdays to mountain bikers unfortunately. Highly recommended trail system for anyone in the area or passing through (such as myself)

Great trails. Hard climbs, fun downhills. Some rough sections.

It was rainy and misty today. roots were slippery mostly on climbs. It was my toughest ride to date.