First published in OLLILIFE, January 2019

By James T. Hammond

I like high places.

Living in Greenville County, it’s easy to get to the highest places in our state. Recently, my brother Mike and I drove 45 minutes to get to the highest place in South Carolina, the peak of Sassafras Mountain in Pickens County. The state Department of Natural Resources is building an observation tower there and the view is spectacular. One can see the lakes that flood the mountain valleys of the Carolina Foothills.

Recently the state Department of Natural Resources installed permanent toilets, and a landscaped trail has been built from the parking lot to the peak. We enjoyed hanging out at the peak and surveying the surrounding mountains for 40 miles around. An observation desk that opened this spring improves the panoramic view from the peak.

To reach Sassafras Mountain peak, take Scenic Highway 11, passing Table Rock State Park, to US178. Turn right, traveling toward Rosman and Brevard. At Rocky Bottom, turn right on the F. Van Clayton Memorial Highway and drive until it ends at the peak.

Here are a few of my other favorite places, off the beaten path, within an hour of downtown Greenville.

Little Texas Grocery Is on State Park Road a short drive from US25. The small frame building that was a country store in my youth is now a hot dog stand that also sells Mike & Jeff’s Barbeque. You can also get a soft drink – my favorite is Cheerwine – in a glass bottle, just like the old days. And if you have car trouble, you can also get help. The owner operates a towing service from the location.

Overmountain Vineyard, 70 acres of wine grapes and winery, sits astride the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, which traces the route trod by rebel militia during the Kings Mountain campaign of 1780. Frank and LIta Lilly took the first steps toward building their dream almost 30 years ago. Today it rests in the middle of horse country near the Tryon International Equestrian Center. Buy a bottle of OMV wine, or a tasting several of their wines, and enjoy their spectacular veranda. Reach OMV from I-26, at 2012 Sandy Plains Road, Tryon, N.C.

Cedar Falls Park is where you’ll find the other Reedy River falls. The county park is at the site of a magnificent cataract and the brick and concrete remnants of a textile mill. 201 Cedar Falls Rd, Fountain Inn

Lake Conestee Nature Park comprises 400 acres of forest and trails, and three miles of the Reedy River. Citizens organized a non-profit to restore the former industrial area and maintain a polluted mill pond. Today it is home to diverse wildlife, including a Great Blue Heron rookery. Main entrance is at 840 Mauldin Road.

Trade Street in Greer retains much of the century-old charm I knew in my youth, and has become a new entertainment and small business destination. Discover its rich and growing foodie culture.

Lake Robinson Park is the public access area for the 900-acre gem of the Greer Commission of Public Works water system. Area fishermen know it well as the launching point for their boats. It also offers an opportunity for non-boaters to picnic and enjoy one of the best views of the Blue Ridge escarpment in the county. From Greer, drive north on SC101, turn left on Milford Church Road, and right on Groce Meadow Road, to the intersection with Mays Bridge Road.

Fisher’s Peach and Vegetable Market was started by my high school friend, the late Tommy Fischer. His family carries on the tradition at the historic Taylors Peach Shed on Locust Hill Road, and at the former Dillard’s Peach Shed on South Buncombe Road in Greer.

Saluda, N.C., nestled in the first folds of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and just off I-26, features a good café, The Purple Cow, a railroad museum, and a couple of interesting old general stories with themes of times gone by.

The town of Landrum, in Spartanburg County, which fell on hard times after its textile mill closed, is back and attracting a lot of attention. Reached by I-26 or US-14, it is a cornucopia of antique and other shops and restaurants.