Upcoming Events:
Full calendar here
Sierra Upstate Fall Social at Southern Growl Brewery
Thursday, October 1st, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Sign up here. And save your spot!
Join us for a delightful evening with Sierra Upstate members and enthusiasts at Southern Growl Brewery. (Southern Growl at 155 N Buncombe Rd, Greer, SC.) Everyone—adults, families, friends, and colleagues—is welcome! Whether you’re reconnecting with old friends or forging new bonds, this event promises to be a memorable gathering. Don’t miss the chance to win a great door prize.
This is a perfect opportunity to meet the new Sierra Upstate community, so be sure to RSVP and secure your spot for a night of fun and fellowship! The Southern Growl Beer Company is an independent, family owned and operated brewery serving the wonderful Greer, SC community.
Matt and Anna Bowes opened The Southern Growl Beer Company in 2014 as a small craft beer taproom built on a passion for good beer and service. Multiple expansions over the years have included adding a craft kitchen in 2016, moving to a new building in 2019 in order to brew beer in-house, and a brewery + patio addition in early 2022. With a laid-back atmosphere, TSG has become a place for the local community to gather to enjoy delicious beer and food.
We hope you and your friends join us for a great social time! RSVP now and save your spot!
Local Sustainability & Bike Care at Lucky Bike
Tuesday, October 13th, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Sign up today! Space is limited to 18 people.
Bring a friend, your kids and their bikes to join us for a laid-back evening at Lucky Bike. The owner, Kip Smith, will talk about sustainability and teach a few basics of bike maintenance. Spend time with others who love bikes, the outdoors, and building a stronger local community. Light snacks and drinks will be available.
Bike Ride on the Doodle Trail, Easley SC
Saturday, October 24th, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Sign up Here. And save your spot!
Join us for a bike ride on the Doodle Trail in Easley SC. We will start at the Easley Doodle Park, 514 Fernwood Dr. at 10:00 on Saturday. We will ride about halfway to Pickens and turn around for approximately 8 miles round trip. You must have your own bike (or rent one) and helmet. We will make this an easy bike trip so new bikers are welcome.
* You may be able to rent one in Easley at Bike Depot.
* Be sure to bring plenty of water to drink.
* There are restrooms at the starting point.
* There are a few eating options near this end of the trail if you want to purchase food.
The Doodle Trail is a 8.5 mile rails-to-trails partnership between the City of Easley and the City of Pickens opened Memorial Day Weekend 2015. The multi-use trail is open from dawn to dusk for biking, walking, running and rollerblading.
The former “Doodle Line” railroad played a major industrial role for Pickens and Easley. Chartered in 1890, its 8.5‑mile stretch between the two cities opened in 1898 and operated until 2013, hauling food products, textiles, and automobile parts. Locals nicknamed it the “Pickens Doodle” because the engine couldn’t turn around and had to run backward from Easley to Pickens, resembling a doodlebug.
Bring your friends and family to ride the Doodle Trail along with us!
Recent Past Events
A Beautiful Day & Outing
Bioway Farm, Happy Cow Creamery, Cedar Falls Park
Saturday, September 19th, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
21 friendly faces joined us for a fantastic day of adventure! We toured Bio-Way Farm, stopped at the Happy Cow Creamery Store, and wrapped up the day with a picnic and a scenic walk to the falls at Cedar Falls Park. Thanks to everyone who came out and made it such a great day. We can’t wait to see you all again on our next adventure!
Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup - Help us beautify the Upstate!
Saturday, August 15th, 8:15-10:45
Litter Ends Here! 🗑️🌿Seven fantastic Sierra Upstate members came out this morning and successfully collected 10+ bags of litter along East North Street! Today’s real prize? Wonderful camaraderie and a shared sense of community pride!
Thank you to Steve R., Cindy P. , Mary R., MarySue S., Alice S., Tracy T., and Jen R., who came out to help keep our community beautiful. We hope to see you at our final Adopt-A-Highway cleanup of 2026 on November 14 at 9:00 AM.
See litter? You can report it anytime! The Litter Ends Here app is available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play. You can also report litter online through Greenville County’s Litter Prevention page. Every report helps keep our community clean!
DuPont State Forest Hike - Corn Mill Shoals
Saturday, July 18th 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
On Saturday, July 18 th , a group of 10 hikers met at the Corn Mill Shoals parking lot in DuPont State Forest for a short 2-mile hike. The beginning was little steep climb up a wide rock filled trail to a connecting trail to the Rock Quarry Rock that we took to 2 other trails back to the Corn Mill Shoals trail. The weather was perfect – starting in mid-70s and around 80 by the end. Everyone had a great time and we enjoyed the trail and a few opportunities to do some “forest bathing” – i.e. enjoying all the nature around us.
A group of 6 continued on the Corn Mill Shoals trail to the shoals. We hoped to see a few bikers go across the river. They can be entertaining to see if they just fly through it, ride through slowly, or walk it over. We only saw 2 go through before we headed back after lounging by the river, putting our feet in the water, and eating our lunch. Unfortunately, a thunderstorm came up as we were leaving so we got quite wet. But everyone was a good sport about it and just went with the flow. We agreed that it had been a long time since we’d had a full soaking from
the rain.
In case you didn’t know Dupont State Forest has 12,500 acres and nearly 83 miles (134 km) of multi-use trails and roads thread through the forest. [1] The forest is widely used for many recreational activities, including mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, swimming (where permitted), wading, and kayaking. The forest was used to shoot scenes from the 1992 film The Last of the Mohicans as well as the 2012 box office hit The Hunger Games.
Adopt-a-Stream Program
South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream (SC AAS) is a statewide volunteer water quality monitoring program where participants learn to assess the health and water quality of their local waterways. SC AAS provides education about stream health, pollution, and the connections between land use and water quality to people across South Carolina.
We also strive to encourage behavioral changes to protect water quality and create opportunities for watershed stewardship.
Sierra Upstate member Jen Rozic-Pierce has been volunteering her time to monitor the waters at Paris Mountain State Park, Mountain Lake, and Mountain Creek. “Science, ecology, and protecting our ecosystems have been a part of my entire life,” says Jen.“ From joining Up the Creek Gang in high school—a club focused on field- based environmental science—to teaching zoology and earth sciences in Montessori schools, exploring and appreciating our natural world, and taking responsibility for conserving our Upstate areas and beyond, environmental stewardship has always been a passion of mine.”
Want to learn more about Jen’s work monitoring our local waters and the importance of protecting our ecosystems?
See how you can become a volunteer, scan the QR code on the left.
Discover Your Watershed - Lake Cooley, Inman
Saturday, June 26 - 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
On Saturday, June 6, 2026, Sierra Upstate hosted a table at the Discover Your Watershed at Lake Cooley in Inman, SC. This event was hosted by the SJWD Water District for a fun filled Saturday to promote education and conservation on this watershed lake and a chance to win some kayaks or coolers.
There was about 500 attendees and we had a chance to get the word out about Sierra Upstate and the mission and vision of the Sierra Club from a national perspective. It was fun to see the kids walk off delighted with their stickers, pins, and SC State Park books.
Botanical Gardens at Clemson - Field Trip
Saturday, April 18th 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
On Saturday, April 18th a group of 10 hikers met at the SC Botanical Gardens at Clemson University for a walk among the many garden areas of the 295 acres. We walked from the lower parking lot through the desert garden to the Natural Heritage Trail to the main gardens. We saw the historic train caboose, the Hunt cabin, the duck pond and one of the natural sculptures, and many beautiful plants. The rhododendron were in full bloom as well as many wildflowers. The gardens are very shaded and we walked a shaded trail back to our cars. We finished the hike before the high 80s hit so everyone was delighted.
What began in 1958 as a camellia preserve on a small parcel of land adjacent to John C. Calhoun's 19th century Fort Hill estate has since grown to 295 acres of cultivated landscapes and natural woodlands. Designated as the State's botanical garden in 1992, the Garden is at the intersection of Highway 76 and Pearman Boulevard at Clemson University. Although the camellias were no longer blooming, this picture is one of the many beautiful rhododendrons blooming along the garden trails that we saw.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Nature-Based Sculpture Program at the South Carolina Botanical Garden resulted in the construction of 16 prominent artworks, each developed with natural materials and living plants to suit their unique sites. The sculptures were designed to evolve through the natural processes of decay and growth. Upon their completion, the pieces began to return to nature and some have disappeared without a trace. This is a picture of one of the remaining structures. It was like a teepee with a fire pit and an opening at the top for the smoke to go out.
This is a favorite stop for kids of all ages as the pond is filled with fish of many beautiful colors. There is a platform that you can walk out into the pond to enjoy the natural beauty around it since it is next to the camellia gardens. A great stop to take a rest while walking the trails.
Paris Mountain State Park Hike
Saturday, March 21st 9:00 - 11:00 am
Five adults and three children were greeted with beautiful weather on the morning of March 21st along the Sassafras Trail at Paris Mountain State Park. The 2.3-mile loop offered peaceful springtime scenery, with newly flowering plants and budding trees lining the path.
This hike was especially memorable, as the adults had the chance to experience our local landscape through the eyes of children—who approached every moment with curiosity and wonder.
From the tiniest details on the forest floor to the largest fallen trees, their observations were a gentle reminder of how much there is to notice when we slow down.Near the end of the trail, we encountered two friendly forest inhabitants—a well-traveled snail and a striking black snake—each quietly making its way across the path.We hope to see you out on another hike soon!
Volunteer Work Day – Travelers Rest
Saturday, March 7th | 9:30 a.m.
Sierra Upstate, in partnership with Frank Holleman of Naturaland Trust, hosted a volunteer work day to help restore a newly protected Bunched Arrowhead preserve in Travelers Rest. This 25-acre forest and wetland site supports a significant population of the endangered Bunched Arrowhead and was rescued from nearby development. While major cleanup has already occurred, smaller invasive plants remain—and we need your help to finish the job.
Bunched Arrowhead Work Day a Success!
What a beautiful morning on March 7, 2026, exploring one of the rarest plants in the world—the bunched arrowhead! This federally endangered plant grows only in the rare Piedmont seepage forest ecosystem andhas been found in just two counties worldwide: Greenville County, SC, and Henderson County, NC. Protecting these habitats protects countless other species that depend on these specialwetlands. For more information, please visit https://www.naturalandtrust.org/burns.
A huge thank you to Frank Holleman of Naturaland Trust for sharing his incredible knowledge,and to our amazing 12 volunteers who helped remove invasive plants: MarySue S., Claire B., Kathy C., Vidya K. and family, Liz T. and family, Mary R., and Jen R.
Sierra Upstate is grateful to everyone who joined us. Stay tuned for more outings and volunteer opportunities to explore and protect the Upstate's natural beauty!
Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup in Greenville
Saturday, February 14, 2025, 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Thank You! Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup — February 14th
Nine wonderful volunteers came out on a beautiful Valentine’s Day morning to clean up our section of East North St. and Old Spartanburg Rd. while building new friendships along the way. Together, we collected 11 bags of trash over 1.6 miles, along with bumpers, road debris, and even a kitchen sink!
Thank you to everyone who gave their time and energy to help keep our community clean and beautiful. Your effort truly makes a difference.Volunteers: Joseph C., Claire B., Vidya & Niranjan K., Nathan L., Daniel P., MarySue S., Tracy T., and Jen R..
We look forward to seeing you again on May 16, 2026!
