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Twelve Mile Recreation Area

4.6 ★★★★★ 647 Google reviews · Running trail in Clemson, South Carolina · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
12 mi
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Tree cover
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Twelve Mile Recreation Area'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.

12 miShadedScenicRestroomsWaterTrailhead parkingQuiet

Park offering a beach, a boat ramp, multiple picnic areas, playgrounds, and grills.

What runners say about Twelve Mile Recreation Area

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (647 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 15 mentions

“Clean with a small playground right on the sand and a roped off area for kids to safely swim.”

🏞️ beautiful scenery 12 mentions

“We stayed 'til the sun started dipping low, painting the sky all sorts of crazy, beautiful colors.”

🌳 shaded & cool 4 mentions

“Speaking of burgers, we commandeered a prime picnic spot – shady trees, nice table, the works – and fired up the portable grill (Old Faithful never lets me down!”

🌾 quiet & peaceful 4 mentions

“We've made two trips here, not overly crowded either trip, quiet place for a picnic and a swim.”

Alright folks, settle down now, 'cause your ol' Dad's got a real humdinger of a recommendation for ya! We packed up the trusty minivan – yep, the one with the slightly sticky cupholders, Martha insists it adds character – adjusted our ball caps, checked the tire pressure (safety first!

★★★★★ — Big , Apr 2025

Super clean and beautiful lake beach! The beach area is huge, plenty of room for several large groups. There is a small playground shaded under some large trees on the beach. The restrooms were a short walk and kept clean when we went. Small fee for parking. The boys swam and played for hours!

★★★★★ — Emily , May 2025

I had a fun time at the lake today.twelve mile Recreation Center it was clean well taken care of. The Kids,wife, and friends had a great time picnic tables are clean but there was not a lot of them we got the last one out in the heat so get here early. Has a restroom area that was clean and well taken care of.

★★★★☆ — Rev.Chadrick , Jul 2017

Nice place to have evening walk. Maintenance is good. Has a very small beach kind of place too, which is great. It is also close to my house so easy to go there.

★★★★☆ — Apurba , Nov 2020

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 647 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.

🏞️ Scenic views 13 mentions

“Beautiful and quiet small beach like setting on this beautiful lake.”

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🚻 Restrooms 8 mentions

“Speaking of burgers, we commandeered a prime picnic spot – shady trees, nice table, the works – and fired up the portable grill (Old Faithful never lets me down!”

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🌳 Shaded / tree cover 4 mentions

“Speaking of burgers, we commandeered a prime picnic spot – shady trees, nice table, the works – and fired up the portable grill (Old Faithful never lets me down!”

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🤫 Quiet / uncrowded 4 mentions

“We've made two trips here, not overly crowded either trip, quiet place for a picnic and a swim.”

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🏃 Long-run distance (5mi+) 3 mentions

“), and charted a course for the 12 Mile Recreation Area down Clemson way.”

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🅿️ Trailhead parking 2 mentions

“Also has a boat launch and ample parking.”

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🚰 Water fountains

“Clean bathrooms, Ice and water stations and a charcoal grill at evert site!”

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Plan your run at Twelve Mile Recreation Area

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • Distance12 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit. Long enough for a real long run.
  • ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
  • At the trailheadparking, restrooms, water — reported by runners
  • Websiteclemsoncity.org
  • Phone(864) 624-1120
  • Social Instagram

Hours

Monday 6 AM–11 PM
Tuesday 6 AM–11 PM
Wednesday 6 AM–11 PM
Thursday 6 AM–11 PM
Friday 6 AM–11 PM
Saturday 6 AM–11 PM
Sunday 6 AM–11 PM

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 Twelve Mile Recreation Area

113 12 Mile Park Rd, Clemson, SC 29631

Get directions

Running trails near Clemson

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

Mountain View Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 157 reviews

Clemson, SC

LoopShadedScenic

Lakeside park offering a wooded trail, boat ramp, disc-golf course & picturesque sunset views.

under a mile away

Larry W. Abernathy Waterfront Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 465 reviews

Clemson, SC

BoardwalkShadedScenic

Leafy lakefront park featuring a charming wooded expanse, multi-use shelter & paved walkways.

1.0 miles away

Jaycee Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 118 reviews

Clemson, SC

Shaded

Swings, slides, picnic tables, and a playground dot this park for kids up to the age of 5.

1.2 miles away

R.C Edwards Meadow Project

4.7 ★★★★★ 23 reviews

Central, SC

Scenic

1.4 miles away

The Dike

4.8 ★★★★★ 97 reviews

Clemson, SC

ScenicDog-friendly

Relaxed park with a trail, a hill, and a lake for sunset views, picnics, and dogs.

1.7 miles away

Gateway Park

4.2 ★★★★☆ 32 reviews

Clemson, SC

ShadedScenic

Neat park with mature trees, paths and a bioretention area.

1.8 miles away

All running trails in Clemson, 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.