Brissy Ridge Expansion

Paris Mountain State Park is a major source of pride for local Greenvillians. Its proximity to downtown reflects the balance between natural and urban areas that has made the city such a popular destination for families moving to South Carolina. Its parking lots overflow throughout the year with over 250,000 visitors annually. In 2015, it experienced a 26% increase from the previous year in attendance. Residents have shown through admission fares and park passes that they want more areas like Paris Mountain under the public domain. The pressure of development and value of these mountain properties have made it a struggle for the state to add more land to the Park as demand grows. Former director of State Parks Phil Gaines lamented how difficult and rare it is to expand a state park, especially one as popular as Paris Mountain, which is one of the top parks in the state as it stays busy year-round.

In 2016, Naturaland Trust signed a purchase option for 33 acres of hardwood forest adjacent to the park. The Brissy Ridge Expansion Tract offered a once in a lifetime opportunity for Greenville to augment its most popular outdoor destination. The property follows the ridgeline just east of the Park, only a stone's throw from the popular Brissy Ridge Trail above the recently renovated Camp Buckhorn Lodge. Its ridge and gentle slope is perfect for establishing a spur or loop trail over a mile long for hikers and bikers. In fact, Park visitors were already using this parcel as an impromptu trail extension. If instead, this parcel were ever developed – with homes next to a state park with views toward Greenville – the use of the Park and the integrity of the Park would be significantly impaired. On the other hand, protecting the parcel would protect the Park and also expand opportunities for Park users.

After an appeal to the SC Conservation Bank, we were awarded a grant to help us close on the property. We then donated a conservation easement to Upstate Forever before transferring the property to the State Park.