Adventure Through Lynch’s Woods Park

Stressed out? Take a walk in the woods. Studies have shown strolling through forests can reduce stress and calm nerves. 

In Newberry, Lynch's Woods Park is just what the doctor ordered. With 276 acres of old growth hardwood trees and upland oak-hickory-pine forests, it's the perfect place to walk away your worries.

A 4.2-mile gravel road circles through the woodlands, offering access to 7.5 miles of hiking and biking trails. Although the terrain isn't totally flat, elevation gains top out at 130 feet. Even small children and couch potatoes can manage the mild ascents.

Mountain bikers, however, will find plenty of challenges on the trails, including twisting turns, short hills and several technical creek crossings. The gently flowing streams found throughout the park serve as the headwaters of Rocky Branch, a tributary of Cannon's Creek, which feeds into the Broad River. 

A 3-mile section of the cross-state Palmetto Trail also runs through the Piedmont park. Lynch's Woods Passage is billed as the Trail's "Gateway to the Upstate" and connects to 6 miles of equestrian paths. Two primitive campsites are located within the park for hikers who want to rest up on their way to the mountains.

Built during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the park still features structures dating back to the 1930s, including stone headwalls. In recent years, a picnic pavilion, information kiosk and restrooms were added for the convenience of visitors.