1 hour drive from Brevard. A terrific day trip.
Suggested itinerary:
From downtown Brevard, follow US276 South (E. Main Street) to Greenville. (To save a mile: from my house in Downing Park, take a right onto Country Club Road. After 6 blocks or so (and just before the High School) take a left on Gallimore Road. Follow it to a stop sign at US276, and take a right).
Along US276 in North Carolina, when you get to the community of Connestee Falls, stop for a quick look at their waterfall. Park on the right in what appears to be an abandoned parking lot, with a small real estate office and large sign advertising Connestee Falls Real Estate. The top of the falls is just a few steps behind the parking lot.
After you cross the South Carolina line on US276, look for the Caesar’s Head Visitors Center. Walk to the end of the parking lot for an awesome view. There’s also a short cliff-top walk that goes to several other scenic overlooks, including some interesting stairs around rock formations. Lots of other hikes are available here, but that’s another day.
The next few miles of US276 are very curvy and slow, as you make your way down the mountain-sides you saw from Caesar’s Head. Continue following US276 South. You will eventually pass the campus of Furman University.
Past Furman University, continue to follow US276/US25 South for 5 miles. Then, take a left to follow US276 at Stone Avenue, which will intersect (in 0.3 miles) with N. Main Street.
Once you get to Greenville, park a block or two from Main Street. Have lunch and walk the lively 7-block section of Main Street between North Street and the pedestrian suspension Liberty Bridge (pictured) spanning Reedy River Park (a reclaimed warehouse district). The River Park is worth a stroll. Nearby, pick up maps at the Michelin Map Store. The Greenville Zoo is a mile east of here. There are several museums just to the north of downtown.
When you drive back to Brevard, you can take a slightly longer (15 minutes more) but far less curvy and “mountainous” route. From Greenville, start retracing your route, following US276 North. Near Travellers Rest, follow signs for US25 North (instead of US276) to Hendersonville (perhaps stopping in Hendersonville or Flat Rock [see Hendersonville section above]). Then take US64 West to Brevard.
If you have a bike, or want to walk or jog a while, try the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a paved path that goes from Travellers Rest to downtown Greenville.
1 hour drive from Brevard. A terrific day trip.
