United States

Greenville, SC

The Best Places to Run in Greenville and Surrounding Area

Greenville is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. The terrain is hilly, given its location in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains. There’s a growing running scene in Greenville, with the best opportunities centered around the Reedy River and the 22-mile Swamp Rabbit Trail. Note: Summers in Greenville are hot and humid, with 40+ days averaging over 90F (32C). Runners should plan accordingly. Also, the area is quite hilly.

We’ve mapped several routes incorporating the Swamp Rabbit Trail, including a central section along the Reedy River between Falls Park  and Cleveland Park. The trail also heads north to Travelers Rest, while a southern trailhead is located in Lake Conestee Nature Park. There’s also some pleasant running in the historic districts and residential areas near downtown and east Greenville. The bucolic campus of Furman University is another great place to run in Greenville. For some trail running, the hills of Paris Mountain State Park are very popular, while Issaqueena Lake Trail is worth a visit. We’ve also provided a guide to several small lakes and parks nearby.

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Some of our favorite runs in Greenville, SC

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Greenville has a good climate for running year-round, except for the height of summer. Summers are hot and humid, with temperatures averaging 90F and sultry nights. Fall and winter are delightful. Winters are cool to mild, with January daytimes averaging 53F (11C) and nights typically dipping to the freezing mark. Precip is spread evenly throughout the year, but in the summer it’s mainly downpours and thunderstorms.

RUNNING STORES

There’s a good variety of running stores in Greenville, considering the city’s relative small size.

Fleet Feet. Indy running store, with lots of group runs and events they sponsor.

Gotta Run. Two local stores in the area — in Simpsonville and Clemson.

Run In. Great specialty running store.

Greenville Running Company.

New Balance Grenville.

GROUP RUNS

Fleet Feet group runs calendar.

Looking for road or trail races in this area? Find them on RaceRaves, the best online race calendar and reviews community for runners!

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