Getting to know the Anne Springs Close Greenway

Beyond the Dairy Barn

[on-the-greenway]

Where to park?

Is it just me, or do Springfield Parkway, Old Nation, and Highway 21 look a lot alike?  Before I started driving them frequently, I could never remember which Greenway entrance was on which road, nor how exactly to get to the road I needed.  I’m an old pro now, and I even have a favorite shortcut to get to the Lake Haigler entrance, so let’s start there.

Lake Haigler entrance

This entrance is on Highway 21 between Gold Hill Road and Highway 160. From Captain Steve’s (everyone knows where that is, right?), turn right. Heading South, the entrance is on the right at Coltharp Road. Incidentally, Coltharp cuts a diagonal and comes out on Pleasant Road just North of 160 (by CVS and Walgreens).  It’s a convenient way to get to that entrance from the areas West of I-77.  Use this entrance to access these trails:

Lake Haigler Loop

Timberline trail

Kimbrell Loop

Peach Loop

Blue Star trail

Dogwood trail

Wild Azalea trail

Muscadine trail

Hickory trail

Wagon Loop

Billy’s Walk

Ford Gap

Nation Ford Road

This entrance has plentiful parking for events like the Fall Frolic, and several other activities and amenities, including:

Rush Pavilion

The Nature Center

Lake Haigler Spillway

Fishing

Camping

Kayaking

Riding Ring (along with horse trailer parking)

I probably park here the most, because the South side of Lake Haigler provides access to so many trails.

Adventure Road entrance

At the other side of the Greenway is the Adventure Road entrance, off Springfield Parkway. The entrance is South of Nation Ford High, before you reach Steele Street.  It’s on the right if you’re heading South. Heading East on Gold Hill Road from I-77, go straight at Captain Steve’s, pass the Harris Teeter and Carolina Orchard on the left, and continue until you pass the high school.

As the name suggests, this entrance is where you’ll find the Adventure Center. This multipurpose building on the side of Lake Crandall is used for summer camps, an after school program for middle schoolers, homeschool and Scout programs and other activities.  My Girl Scout troop (7th graders, at the time) earned an Archery badge there last November - boy, does the staff put on a great event.  They sure know how to provide the right variety and pace to keep kids engaged.

In addition to the Adventure Center, this entrance features the Field Trial Barn and the Mary Warner Mack Dog Park.  It’s also a favorite of mine for moderate and quick loop hikes with water. 

Prairie Loop

Mill Pond trail (accessible from the Prairie Loop)

Trekker Loop

Stumpy Pond

If you haven’t been to the Grist Mill, you should make a point of it.  It’s a cool historical site, just a short detour off the Mill Pond trail.  It’s fascinating to walk through the headrace and imagine what it took for the area’s early settlers to dig that out by hand.  It’s also a fun place to slide around on ice during the winter.

If you follow the Muscadine trail from Adventure Road you’ll reach the old railroad trestle and can then follow Steele Creek to the Blue Star trail.  From there you can either connect to the North Steele Creek trail, or follow Blue star to Old Nation Rd, across from the Dairy Barn entrance.  As always, take a trail map if you are trekking through here - the woods are thick and lose daylight quickly.

Dairy Barn entrance

I’d guess that the Dairy Barn entrance, off Old Nation Rd, is the best place to park for an event at the Greenway.  Most of the festivals and concerts are held in this section, at or near the Dairy Barn, or at the Amphitheater.  This is a great area for kids and photo ops - there are usually horses grazing in the fields, and the two historic cabins are along paved stroller-friendly paths.  

Another family favorite is the swinging bridge that crosses Steele Creek.  Just continue at the end of the pavement and follow the Blue Star until you reach the bridge.  On the other side you can follow the wide Nation Ford Road to the Nature Center, or take the Ford Gap to the right or the Wagon Loop to the left. Neither loop would add more than two miles to your round trip.

This entrance is also the entry point for the home course of the Fort Mill High School cross country team.  The 5k course starts with the gorgeous North Steele Creek trail, which you pick up to the left right before you reach the swinging bridge.  The course goes under Old Nation Rd and runs along the North side of the creek before cutting left and following the Blue Star North until it exits the forest by Old Nation Rd (I mentioned this section earlier, as an option to continue from the Muscadine trail). Then it’s across the street to the Dairy Barn entrance and the finish line.  

Warning: When you’re following the 5k course for the first time, watch carefully for the turn from the North Steele Creek trail onto the Blue Star trail.  We were chatting away the first time and missed the turn. When we reached the railroad trestle we realized we’d gone way too far and didn’t have enough daylight to retrace our steps. Remember how I said the woods are thick and lose daylight quickly? That’s first-hand knowledge. Luckily I was familiar with the Muscadine trail and knew it would take us up to the Adventure Road entrance without passing through any other wooded areas.  My youngest daughter has been hesitant to hike with me after 3:00pm ever since. I keep telling her that getting lost is okay as long as you are prepared to right yourself. I am a Girl Scout leader, after all. Someday she’ll understand.

To recap, these are the key trails at this entrance:

Nation Ford Road

Blue Star

North Steele Creek

Recreation Center

This last entrance is the only one on Highway 160.  The trailhead is behind the Recreation Center in the right corner of the parking lots, between the two ball fields.  The trails back here are great for mountain biking, and you’ll usually be sharing the trail with some riders (unless you are on the hiking-only Blue Star, which either starts or ends here, depending on your perspective).

The key trails here are:

School Loop East & West

Sugar Loop

Both are between 3 and 4 mile loops, the School Loop an Intermediate mountain biking trail with more of a green tunnel feel, and the Sugar Loop requiring more advanced, technical riding skills. Both are great for hiking, but I’ll choose Sugar Loop every time because it looks like nowhere else on the preserve. It offers tons of elevation changes and quick turns, with long views and varied terrain.  If you’re wearing headphones on your hike, keep the volume low so you can make way for riders frequently - they need to maintain their momentum!  For that matter, keep your volume low on the School Loop as well - there is a lot of wildlife noise that’s fun to hear.

Wherever you park, be sure to drop your hiking fee at the kiosk.  The facility runs on donations, membership fees and fundraising - there is no public funding.  Today - in 2016 - non-members pay $5 per day per hiker. Members pay no daily access fees.

Note: I’m not affiliated with the ASC Greenway, I’m just a member who loves it and wants to help others take full advantage. These are my opinions and experiences, and I’ve done my best to link directly to their site for the details because they know their facility best.

[on-the-greenway]

Here is the current trail map, as of summer 2016.

I immediately notice that the Field Trial Loop has been taken off the map.  It’s on the latest hard copy that I grabbed, but who knows how old that is.   I hiked the Field Trial Loop once - and discovered the hard way that they stopped maintaining it when they built the Mary Warner Mack Dog Park, which dissects the old loop.  I bushwhacked my way through the forest on a frigid January afternoon and came out into an open field, with no idea how to find a return trail. I had to use my phone’s Google map to figure out where I was.  It was only when I got home to record that trail on my Trail Passport that I noticed it wasn’t on there, I’d just assumed it was. Wish I’d have paid better attention before I headed out!  

Always check before you head out.  

[on-the-greenway]

I’m counting the days until Fall.  The Peach Loop is one of the prettiest places at the Greenway when the colors are changing.  The area feels more open than some of the others, with more elevation changes and tree variety.  Just my impression, of course - I’m sure the Greenway’s Master Naturalists could teach me a thing or two about the landscape. I’ve rarely run into other hikers down in this section, making it a very peaceful hike. 

Park at the Lake Haigler entrance.  Be sure to grab a trail map - you’ll need it. The simplest way I’ve found to reach the Peach Loop is to follow the Timberline trail.  It’s a hiking and equestrian trail so it’s wide and open, and on the weekend you’ll probably be sharing it with some horseback riders.  Watch your step!  You can pick up Timberline by following the Haigler Loop to the right from the kayak hut. After you cross the land bridge, Timberline goes right, while the Haigler Loop continues left. There are several unmarked trail junctions, but if you keep going to your right you will stay on Timberline and make your way down.  When you reach the Peach Loop signs, near a small creek that’s quite easy to cross, start paying close attention to landmarks. I’ve found myself turned in circles a few times on this trail. Make sure you have plenty of time and water; you’ll want to enjoy the trip without stressing about a wrong turn. At one point you’ll find yourself at the edge of the forest, near one grove of peach trees that border Highway 21. Stay inside the forest to stay on the Loop. When you’re back at the creek, you can rejoin Timberline to head out.

Another return option is to pick up the Blue Star trail where it cross the Loop. Blue Star is a hiking only trail, so it’s more narrow and winding.  It’s worth a trip - and several posts - of its own - but it’s also a pleasant way to experience a different view on your way back.

[on-the-greenway]

This ASC Greenway trail map is a little old, but in some parts it's better than the map you pick up on site now.

This map answers a question I’ve had about why the mileage indicated on the current trail map sometimes doesn’t match my GPS.  There are some trails marked here that aren’t on the current map - trails that shorten the loops.  For example, this shows you how to do the Prairie Loop without the Mill Pond Trail. Although I’d never want to skip the Mill Pond Trail. If I were low on time, I’d just choose a shorter trail.

[on-the-greenway]

A spectacular spot on the Mill Pond Trail, about 1.5 miles off the parking lot on Adventure Road (via the Prairie Loop trail).  This is one of my favorites for babbling water sounds and peaceful views.  The water slows down behind beaver dams at a few places along the creek, but there are two sections of small rapids.  They sound amazing.  There are a few spots along this trail where you can walk down to the water’s edge, including one sandy section - it’s almost a little beach. You may need a trekking pole to get up and down there easily.

[on-the-greenway]

#Goals

In 2015 rather than making New Year’s Resolutions, I made measurable goals. One was hiking mileage - I vowed to hike 100 miles.  Doesn’t sound like that much, but for a working mom of 2 busy teens with a husband, 2 dogs and a Girl Scout troop, it was a stretch goal.  Even so, hiking is one of the only things that makes me feel peaceful in this hectic life, and I realized I needed to prioritize it, for my sanity.  

I love grabbing a weekend day and heading to the mountains for a hike.  It’s wonderful to step away from my normal surroundings and climb to vistas that put everything else into perspective.  It’s also a huge time suck. I realized about half way through the year that I’d never come even close to my goal if I had to spend 6 hours driving to get a few miles of hiking in.  It’s hard enough to find a few hours, much less an entire day I can devote to getting there, hiking and getting home.  I needed to hike closer to home.  

We’re very fortunate in the Fort Mill-Tega Cay area to have the Anne Springs Close Greenway right in our backyards.  Twenty-one hundred acres of nature, just ten minutes from home. Like most people in the area, I’ve enjoyed a stroll from the Dairy Barn to the swinging bridge, explored the Grist Mill, brought the kids to the Earth Day festival, and walked around Lake Haigler.  I knew there was a lot more, I just had no idea how to tackle it.  

Enter the All Trails Challenge.  A goal - I love goals! To complete the challenge, all you have to do is hike or bike all 40-some miles of trails at the Greenway. I was sold.  I bought a family membership to the Greenway and dove in.

It took me about nine months to complete the challenge - nine months during which I sweated and froze, hiked in sweltering heat and pouring rain, focused on wild flowers, snuck up on frogs, completely zoned out, finished countless audio books, and got lost and found my way again many times over.  

Finishing that Challenge was very satisfying, but afterward I asked “What now?” Isn’t that always the case?  I have done several hikes in the mountains this year, but I’m behind on my 100-mile goal for 2016 because I haven’t been visiting the Greenway as much.  Still, when I do visit the Greenway, I usually check in on social media and post a photo, and friends often ask where I do my hiking in there.  I hear the same comments repeatedly - they don’t know where to go. Well, I do know where to go, because I’ve now been on all the trails. And so, I found my next goal - one to keep me out there hiking these trails, for my physical and mental health and to help others who want to take better advantage of this fantastic resource.  

Here, I’ll show you the trails that are on and off the beaten path, so to speak.  I’ll warn you when there is a trail junction that may not match the trail map.  I’ll tell you when weather conditions might make you want to avoid certain areas, and which seasons are better for which trails.  I’ll let you know where you’re likely to be sharing the trail with a lot of mountain bikes and horses.  I’ll show you some of my favorite spots. If my phone has a lot of battery left, I’ll give you the mileage I recorded on my GPS, because it doesn’t always match the trail map. I’ll answer any questions you have about the hiking trails.  And at the end of the day, I hope I’ll help you take better advantage of this amazing place.