Greenville’s Falls Park and Swamp Rabbit Trail Voted USA TODAY 10Best
Greenville, South Carolina – April 16, 2024
Greenville’s Falls Park on the Reedy and Swamp Rabbit Trail have both won USA TODAY 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards. The Public Spaces award winners were announced on Tuesday, April 16. The awards highlight the very best in food and drink, lifestyle, and travel. Every week, USA TODAY 10Best invites a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite points of interest and attractions across a range of categories. Nominations are then vetted by 10Best editors, who select a final set of nominees to be voted for by readers for four weeks.
Falls Park Ranks No. 9 for ‘Best City Parks’
Beloved Falls Park is what put the (no longer) hidden gem that is Greenville on the map across the country, drawing in tourists from all over. The park offers much for visitors to walk through within the city, like local art displays, lush gardens, and lovely stonework. A USA TODAY story described the Reedy River as “small and scenic,” passing through the heart of downtown. Liberty Bridge, an award-winning pedestrian suspension bridge, also overlooks the falls. If you visit the bridge during this time of year, you will get a glimpse of proud families snapping pictures of their high school graduate sons and daughters in front of it.
Other city parks that made the list include:
- No. 1: Gathering Place, Tulsa, Oklahoma
- No. 2: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
- No. 3: Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri
- No. 4: Wildwood Preserve Metropark, Toledo, Ohio
- No. 5: Klyde Warren Park, Dallas, Texas
- No. 6: Ala Moana Regional Park, Honolulu, Hawaii
- No. 7: Railroad Park, Birmingham, Alabama
- No. 8: Bruce Park, Greenwich, Connecticut
- No. 9: Falls Park on the Reedy, Greenville, South Carolina
- No. 10: Loring Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Swamp Rabbit Trail Places No. 5 for ‘Best Recreational Trails’
The Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail follows the bed of a former railroad, named after a large cottontail rabbit, that used to roam its grounds. Since the railroad no longer runs, the trail snakes along the Reedy River, stretching on for 28 miles across Greenville County. It passes by parks, picnic areas, and schools, and is also a popular geocaching spot. Locals can be spotted biking, hiking, and walking the park, making stops at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery for a quick treat. The trail also connects to downtown Greenville, where locals can continue venturing throughout Falls Park and various shops.
Other recreational trails that made the list include:
- No. 1: Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama
- No. 2: Chessie Trail, Lexington, Virginia
- No. 3: Katy Trail, Missouri
- No. 4: Great Allegheny Passage, Maryland and Pennsylvania
- No. 5: Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail, Greenville, South Carolina
- No. 6: Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail, Virginia
- No. 7: Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, Austin, Texas
- No. 8: Greenbrier River Trail, Frankford, West Virginia
- No. 9: B-Line Trail, Bloomington, Indiana
- No. 10: Little Miami Scenic Trail, Ohio
