Parson’s Mountain Tower and Lake Trails

Parson’s Mountain Recreation Area just south of Abbeville is home to an 800-foot summit and a moderately difficult 4-mile loop trail. You don't have to climb the mountain to enjoy the mostly clay-surfaced Parson’s Lake Trail. The forest around this recreation area includes woods overflowing with flowering flora such as sparkelberry, redbud, wild ginger, and dogwood. You can see many of these by merely following the loop around Parson’s Mountain Lake. If you're up for a tougher hike, a spur branches off at the westernmost portion of trail, and you will climb past Civil War-era gold mines to the summit of Parson’s Mountain. The mountain is neither terribly high nor dramatic, but it offers compelling views of the sur- rounding countryside. Geologists call this type of hill a "monadnock," which is a technical term for a mound of hard rock left when all the surrounding land erodes away. Restrooms and drinking ware are available at the recreation area.