HomeSouth CarolinaSpartanburg › The Palmetto Trail: USC Upstate Passage

The Palmetto Trail: USC Upstate Passage

3.7 ★★★★☆ 28 Google reviews · Running trail in Spartanburg, South Carolina · Open 24 hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Loop distance
Not reported
Shape
Loop
Shade
Tree cover
Access
Open 24 hours

Confirmed from The Palmetto Trail: USC Upstate Passage's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

LoopOpen 24hShadedTrailhead parking

What runners say about The Palmetto Trail: USC Upstate Passage

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (28 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 3 mentions
🏞️ beautiful scenery 3 mentions

“Just a quick stop while passing through, but it is beautiful and peaceful.”

It is a nice shady walk through the forest. If you walk far enough, you will find a stream. Very pleasant walk.

★★★★★ — Alice , Jun 2022

This is a nice scenic walk just off the campus of Upstate College. I parked in the Education Center parking lot and followed the trail. A little over half way through I could smell the sewer system however it wasn't to bad.

★★★★☆ — V , Sep 2021

Nice trail without having to drive to the mountains. It begins at the back right corner of the parking lot. Look for a bench and trail sign. The map is weathered but still readable. The path is wide, flat, and marked with yellow blazes and stakes. A few tenths if a mile in, it T’s.

★★★★☆ — Diana , Nov 2022

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 28 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🅿️ Trailhead parking 5 mentions

“I parked in the Education Center parking lot and followed the trail.”

More trails like this →

🌳 Shaded / tree cover 3 mentions

“It is a nice shady walk through the forest.”

More trails like this →

🔁 Loop trail 2 mentions

“Left is longer in and out and right is shorter, I believe a loop but didn’t go that way.”

More trails like this →

Plan your run at The Palmetto Trail: USC Upstate Passage

The practical stuff

  • AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
  • At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
  • Websitepalmettoconservation.org
  • Phone(803) 771-0870

Hours

Monday Open 24 hours
Tuesday Open 24 hours
Wednesday Open 24 hours
Thursday Open 24 hours
Friday Open 24 hours
Saturday Open 24 hours
Sunday Open 24 hours

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find The Palmetto Trail: USC Upstate Passage

Palmetto Trail, Spartanburg, SC 29303

Get directions

Running trails near Spartanburg

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Upper Chinquapin Greenway

4 ★★★★☆ 46 reviews

Spartanburg, SC

Dog-friendly

1.7 miles away

Cleveland Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 2,514 reviews

Spartanburg, SC

ShadedScenic

Lakeside park with fishing, an amphitheater & a promenade on the water, plus rental facilities.

2.7 miles away

Butterfly Branch Greenway

3.2 ★★★☆☆ 9 reviews

Spartanburg, SC

3.6 miles away

Beaumont Mill Village Pathway

4.7 ★★★★★ 17 reviews

Spartanburg, SC

PavedScenic

3.7 miles away

Drayton Mills Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 8 reviews

Drayton, SC

4.0 miles away

Cottonwood North Trail Head

4.6 ★★★★★ 12 reviews

Spartanburg, SC

4.9 miles away

All running trails in Spartanburg, SC →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.