Although you can see birds everywhere, specific areas with habitats attract a diverse range of species, like South Carolina. Even in winter, birds are soaring and perching in our state parks. And with numerous state parks around retirement communities in Greenville, SC, you can zoom in on any one of those hot birding areas and watch the birds. You might even catch a glimpse of our national symbol, the bald eagle. Birdwatching is a great activity for older adults in active independent living. You or your loved one can easily hop on the provided transport to visit these birdwatching areas. If bird watching is one of your favorite activities, here are the four best birdwatching spots to visit near Greenville, SC.
Paris Mountain State Park
Paris Mountain is located in the fast-growing city of Greenville, South Carolina. While it was once a rural getaway, hikers and bikers, hikers, and visitors to Camp Buckhorn now keep the park busy all year. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the park during the Great Depression. You can still see traces of this heritage on the timber and stones which lay outside the Park Center. Inside the center are historical exhibits and a classroom where visitors of all ages can learn about the park’s environment. Bird viewing is a popular pastime in the park. In the evening, keen-eyed birders may spot woodpeckers, hawks, and owls.
Lake Conestee Nature Park
Lake Conestee Nature Park is a 400-acre natural habitat on the Reedy River only six miles south of downtown Greenville, South Carolina. The park has both hardwood and evergreen forests, vast wetlands, three miles of river, and a diverse range of wildlife habitats. The park is home to deer, raccoons, beavers, foxes, river otters, and other small mammals, as well as several reptiles and amphibians. The Greenville County Bird Club has recorded over 170 bird species from their walks and birdwatching activities at the park. It is little wonder that this is one of their favorite birdwatching spots. Even the National Audubon Society, a nonprofit bird conservation organization, identified the park as an “Important Bird Area of Global Significance.”
Caesars Head State Park
Caesars Head is linked to Jones Gap State Park via the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, a 13,000-acre pristine southern mountain forest. Hikers can take several loops and traverse hiking paths that connect the parks, and those who prefer the longer routes can camp along the way. Visitors can enjoy the stunning view atop the Blue Ridge Escarpment’s rocky peak, stretching into North Carolina and Georgia. This vantage point also makes it an excellent place for the Hawk Watch program that happens every fall. From 3,200 feet above sea level, birders can enjoy a panoramic view of Caesars Head while catching sight of hundreds of hawks, kites, eagles, falcons, and other birds.
Jones Gap State Park
Jones Gap State Park and neighboring Caesars Head are part of the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. For bird watching, hike along the 4.3-mile out-and-back Rainbow Falls path to spot the resident birds and spring migratory songbirds. Jones Gap State Park is also one of the Greenville County Bird Club’s favorite bird-watching spots in Greenville, SC.
