Rock Hill, SC Outdoor Activities

The altitude fiends at Climb Upstate entreat climbers of all skill levels to practice their vertical vernacular in the architect-designed indoor facility. Climbers clamber through a simulated cave while perfecting their mole-people dialect or emulate a bouldering adventure on more than 100 feet of continuous scaling space. Numerous routes designed for every ability take advantage of the facility’s ample lean-back walls, 35 feet of roof climbing, and top-rope stations, two of which stretch all the way to the ceiling. Between ascents, guests may relax in the party space and catch screenings of climbing movies on a 42-inch flat-screen or dust off their chalky hands for a round of table tennis on the facility's ping-pong table.

Guests at Mount Mitchell Golf Resort soak in beautiful views of forests, the resort's namesake mountain, and the South Toe River while enjoying relaxing outdoor activities. In addition to swinging away on the resort's links, ranked among the best top places to golf in North Carolina by Golfweek, vacationers can cast lines into the South Toe to lure trophy brown and rainbow trout, either independently or with the assistance of a fishing guide. Additional resort attractions include trail hiking, tennis, mining for gemstones or abandoned gopher stereos, summer theater, and horseback riding. When craving a restaurant meal, visitors may stop by Hawtree's Pub or the clubhouse dining room, TEO'S, with views of the golf course's 18th hole.

At the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park surrounds a 5-acre lake with a constellation of camping stations and activity centers. The Garcia family graciously plays host to guests who careen down the twists and turns of the park's 300-foot waterslide, play mini golf, or cast lines into the lake to catch waiting fish. Along with opportunities to connect with nature and name every tree after their fathers, the Garcias furnish visitors with space to set up tents, pop-ups, and RVs, or stay in the ground's own rough-hewn cabins. They also provide showers and laundry facilities to help campers maintain ties with civilization. The family becomes especially excited when pointing guests in the direction of North Carolina's Chimney Rock or Grandfather Mountain for hikes and breathless sightseeing adventures.

American saddlebred horses trot across more than 55 acres of verdant countryside at Jansal Saddlebreds LLC’s training facility, where experienced equestrians devote themselves to riding, breeding, and caring for their trusty mares and stallions. Budding riders bond with carefully selected mounts as instructors teach them to trot, canter, and conduct clopping symphonies in private or group lessons held in an outdoor arena or a lighted, climate-controlled indoor arena. Pastures, turnout paddocks, and scenic trails await beyond the arenas’ fences, where professional trainers Janelle D’Amato and Bobby Jones occasionally lead rides. The facility’s professional roster includes a litany of show-ring champions and a barn manager who curates shows in which horses can display their finest salt-lick sculptures.