The Upcountry

The Upcountry covers the northwestern corner of South Carolina, the foothills-and-mountain country running from the North Carolina line south to the Savannah River and west to the Georgia border. The terrain is the most varied in the state — the Blue Ridge Escarpment rising abruptly along the western edge with peaks above 3,500 feet, the Piedmont rolling country in the south and east, and the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway connecting them. Lake Hartwell, Lake Keowee, and Lake Jocassee fill the western valleys. Six counties cover the region. Greenville holds Greenville (the largest city, with a redeveloped downtown and Falls Park on the Reedy); Spartanburg holds Spartanburg and Wofford College; Anderson holds Anderson; Pickens holds Pickens, Easley, and Clemson (with Clemson University); Oconee holds Walhalla and most of Lake Jocassee; Cherokee holds Gaffney. Sumter National Forest, Caesars Head State Park, Table Rock State Park, Lake Jocassee Gorges, and the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway anchor the major outdoor scenery. Most trips here run mountain-and-college focused. Greenville handles the urban itinerary — the Liberty Bridge over Falls Park, the Peace Center, the food scene; Clemson runs football and the South Carolina Botanical Garden; Lake Jocassee draws boaters and waterfall-cruise visitors; Caesars Head and Table Rock state parks pull hikers.