About the Club

Mission Statement

The Carolina Bird Club is a non-profit organization that represents and supports the birding community in the Carolinas through its website, publications, meetings, workshops, trips, and partnerships, whose mission is


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The Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of wildlife, particularly birds.

The Club meets each winter, spring, and fall at different locations in the Carolinas. Meeting sites are selected to give participants an opportunity to see many different kinds of birds. Guided field trips and informative programs are combined for an exciting weekend of meeting with people who share an enthusiasm and concern for birds.

The Club offers research grants in avian biology for undergraduate and graduate students, and scholarships for young birders.

The Club publishes two print publications (now also available online). The Chat is a quarterly ornithological journal that contains scientific articles, reports of bird records committees and bird counts, and general field notes on bird sightings. CBC Newsletter is published bimonthly and includes birding articles and information about meetings, field trips, and Club news.

The Club provides this website to all for free.

By becoming a member, you support the activities of the Club, receive reduced registration fee for meetings, can participate in bonus field trips, and receive our publications.

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Directions:
All distances and times are from the Greenville Marriott, 1 Parkway East, near Exit 54 off I-85
*** NOTE: IF CARPOOLING, PLEASE BE PREPARED TO CONTRIBUTE FIVE CENTS PER MILE TO THE DRIVER.
Trips #1, 9, 30
Cedar Falls County Park: 22 miles; 35 minutes
Turn left onto The Parkway then follow I-85S to Exit 51. Follow I-385S (direction Columbia) to Exit 29. Turn right on Georgia Rd and follow it for 4.5 miles to a red light at the junction with Fork Shoals Rd, SC23-146 (2 gas stations at this junction). Turn left onto Fork Shoals Rd and drive 5.3 miles to a T-junction with a STOP sign. Turn right onto McKelvey Rd and then after 0.3 miles turn left onto Cedar Falls Rd (Cedar Falls Baptist Church is at this junction). Go 1 mile to the park which will be on your left. Park near children's playground / restrooms.

Trips # 2, 22, 31
Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve: 16 miles; 31 minutes
Turn right onto The Parkway, drive about 0.6 miles and turn left (at a major junction with a red light) onto S. Batesville Rd. Drive 1.7 miles, turn right at a T-junction (red light) onto Hammett Bridge Rd. Go 0.8 miles and turn left at a red light onto S. Suber Rd and follow it for 3.6 miles (crossing US 29 en route). Turn right at a T-junction (STOP sign) onto N. Rutherford Rd, go 0.6 miles and turn left onto SC 290 (Locust Hill Rd), and follow it for 3 miles. Turn left onto Lynn Rd (car repair shop at junction). Go 1.3 miles to a STOP sign at a T-junction, and turn left onto Sandy Flat Rd. After 0.2 miles, where Rte 253 curves to the left,  stay right and follow Jackson Grove Rd for 2.7 miles. At a STOP sign make a very sharp right onto Tigerville Rd; go 0.9 miles and turn left onto Belvue School Rd; go 0.2 miles and turn left onto McCauley Rd. Drive 0.4 miles to the Bunched Arrowhead parking area which will be on your left.

Trips # 3, 19, 21, 29, 40
Cottonwood Trail: 27 miles;  34 minutes
Turn left onto The Parkway, left onto Pelham Rd,  then follow I-85N for 15 miles (direction Spartanburg). Take Exit 69 onto I-85 Business (Spartanburg) and follow it for 4.6 miles. Take Exit 5A, (Pine Street, Downtown) stay left and merge onto I-585 S (which becomes N. Pine St). Go 3.5 miles and turn left at a light onto E. St John St. (Hwy 29). Converse College will be on your left. After 0.2 miles turn left at the light onto E. Main St and drive 1.6 miles. Turn right at a light onto Fernwood Drive (Hardee's on the left at this junction), go 1 mile and turn left onto Beechwood Drive which is poorly signed. There is a sign for the Cottonwood Trail at this junction, but it is hard to see. Go 0.1 mile to the parking for the Cottonwood Trail on the right.

Trips #4, 11, 27, 37
Lake Conestee Nature Park: 10.5 miles; 15 minutes
Turn left onto The Parkway then follow I-85S to Exit 46C and take the left 2 lanes to turn left onto Mauldin Rd. Drive 2.2 miles and turn right into Conestee Park / Lake Conestee Nature Park at a red light (just past a FedEx facility on your left). On entering the park drive about 200 yds, then follow the road around a curve to the right, up a short hill and park close to the children's playground and restrooms on the left.

Trips #5, 25
The Wilson Farm:  20 miles; 33 minutes
Turn right onto The Parkway, drive about 0.6 miles and turn left (at a major junction with a red light) onto S. Batesville Rd. Drive 1.7 miles, turn right at a T-junction (red light) onto Hammett Bridge Rd. Go 0.8 miles and turn left at a red light onto S. Suber Rd and follow it for 3.6 miles (crossing US 29 en route). Turn right at a T-junction (STOP sign) onto N. Rutherford Rd, go 0.6 miles and turn left onto SC 290 (Locust Hill Rd), and follow it for 10 miles to the junction with US 25.  Turn right on US 25N and go 0.8 miles. Turn left just before a light onto SC 414W, Bates Crossing Rd. Drive 1.7 miles and then slow down as the farm buildings come into sight on the left hand side of the road. Just past Talley Bridge Road (on your right) turn left into the unmarked very narrow entrance to the farm. Continue slowly along the driveway and park behind the barn on the left.

Trips #6, 15, 26, 36
Nine Times Preserve: 42 miles; 1 hour. Meet leader at parking area at junction of Eastatoe Creek Rd and Preston McDaniel Rd.
Turn left onto The Parkway then follow I-85S to Exit 40. Turn right and follow SC 153 towards Easley for 5.8 miles; merge onto US 123S and drive 2.1 miles. Keep right to continue on SC 93 and go 2.7 miles. Continue straight onto SC 8, go 6.9 miles to Pickens and turn left onto Main Street, SC 183. Drive 0.7 miles and turn right onto Reece Mill Rd (Tony's Italian Restaurant is at the junction). After 0.6 miles turn left at a 3 way STOP to stay on Reece Mill Rd and continue for 2.5 miles. Turn right onto Meece Mill Rd at a 4 way STOP and go 0.4 miles. Turn left onto Nine Times Rd (small rural gas station at the junction), go 3.7 miles, turn left at a STOP sign onto E. Preston McDaniel Rd and follow it for 1.9 miles to a small gravel parking area on the right at the junction with Eastatoe Creek Rd.

Trips #8, 33
Furman University - Swan Lake: 16 miles; 30 minutes
Turn left onto The Parkway then follow I-85S for 1.9 miles. Take Exit 51 for I-385N towards Greenville. Go 6 miles and take Exit 42 for US 276 towards Stone Ave / Travelers Rest. Turn right onto US 276N and go 1.5 miles. Turn right at a light to stay on US 276N (Rutherford St) and go 4.7 miles. Exit right for Furman University and go 0.4 miles to a traffic circle. Take the second exit from the traffic circle and drive 0.4 miles (beware of speed bumps!). Turn left into the Amphitheater Parking area.

Trips #10, 23
North Greenville Lakes Tour: 11 miles; 22 minutes
Turn right onto The Parkway, drive about 0.6 miles and turn left (at a major junction with a red light) onto S. Batesville Rd. Drive 1.7 miles, turn right at a T-junction (red light) onto Hammett Bridge Rd.  Go 2.2 miles and turn left onto S. Buncombe Rd. Drive 2.3 miles (crossing US 29) and continue straight onto Hwy 101N. After 0.4 miles take a right to stay on 101N and follow it for 3.2 miles. Turn right just after a bridge and fire station onto N. McElhaney Rd. The parking area for Lake Cunningham will be on your right.

Trips #12, 34, 39
Caesars Head SP: 40 miles; 1hour.
Turn right onto The Parkway, drive about 0.6 miles and turn left (at a major junction with a red light) onto S. Batesville Rd. Drive 1.7 miles, turn right at a T-junction (red light) onto Hammett Bridge Rd. Go 0.8 miles and turn left at a red light onto S. Suber Rd and follow it for 3.6 miles (crossing US 29 en route). Turn right at a T-junction (STOP sign) onto N. Rutherford Rd, go 0.6 miles and turn left onto SC 290 (Locust Hill Rd), and follow it for 10 miles to the junction with US 25.  Turn right on US 25N  and go 4.5 miles to the SC 11 exit. Turn left on SC 11S towards Cleveland and go 4.5 miles to the junction with US 276. Turn right onto US 276N. After 5.4 miles take a right to stay on US 276N and follow it up a very winding road for 7.4 miles to the Caesars Head SP Visitor Center which will be on your left.

Trips #13, 24, 32
Cleveland Park: 10 miles; 18 minutes.
Turn left onto The Parkway then follow I-85S for 1.9 miles. Take Exit 51 for I-385N towards Greenville. Go 6 miles and take Exit 42 for US 276 towards the Greenville Zoo. Turn left onto US 276S and go 0.4 miles. Turn right onto E. Washington St, go 0.4 miles and turn left onto Cleveland Park Drive. The large parking lot will be on your left.

Trip #16
Ashmore HP & Persimmon Ridge Rd: Meet leader at Mountain Park Village - 23 miles; 40 minutes.
Turn right onto The Parkway, drive about 0.6 miles and turn left (at a major junction with a red light) onto S. Batesville Rd. Drive 1.7 miles, turn right at a T-junction (red light) onto Hammett Bridge Rd. Go 0.8 miles and turn left at a red light onto S. Suber Rd and follow it for 3.6 miles (crossing US 29 en route). Turn right at a T-junction (STOP sign) onto N. Rutherford Rd, go 0.6 miles and turn left onto SC 290 (Locust Hill Rd), and follow it for 10 miles to the junction with US 25.  Turn right on US 25N  and go 4.5 miles to the SC 11 exit. Turn left on SC 11S towards Cleveland and go 0.7 miles. Turn right following a sign for The Cliffs Information Center at the entrance to Mountain Park Village.  After 0.2 miles and turn right into the first parking area to meet the trip leader.

Trip #17
Jones Gap SP and Old Fish Hatchery: 34 miles; 55 minutes.
Turn right onto The Parkway, drive about 0.6 miles and turn left (at a major junction with a red light) onto S. Batesville Rd. Drive 1.7 miles, turn right at a T-junction (red light) onto Hammett Bridge Rd. Go 0.8 miles and turn left at a red light onto S. Suber Rd and follow it for 3.6 miles (crossing US 29 en route). Turn right at a T-junction (STOP sign) onto N. Rutherford Rd, go 0.6 miles and turn left onto SC 290 (Locust Hill Rd), and follow it for 10 miles to the junction with US 25.  Turn right on US 25N  and go 4.5 miles to the SC 11 exit. Turn left on SC 11S towards Cleveland and go 4.5 miles to the junction with US 276. Turn right onto US 276N. Go 1.4 miles and turn right onto River Falls Rd. Go 4.5 miles, turn right onto Jones Gap Rd and go 1 mile to the parking area.

Trip #18
Blue Wall Preserve and FENCE: 27 miles; 44 minutes to Blue Wall.
This is the ONLY trip which starts on Parkway East a side road behind the hotel. Do not confuse with The Parkway.
Exit the hotel at the rear and turn right on Parkway East, which almost immediately turns sharp left and becomes Dry Pocket Rd. Go 0.7 miles, to a STOP sign at Batesville Rd. Go straight across Batesville Rd and then almost immediately turn left onto Gibbs Shoals Rd and go 3 miles and turn left onto SC 14 at a T-junction (red light with left turn lane). Stay on SC 14 for 18.9 miles (passing through Greer, crossing US 29 and Hwy 11), then make a left onto Oak Grove Rd. This turn is 2.8 miles north of where SC 14 crosses Hwy 11. Go 1.9 miles and make a slight right onto Lake Rd; go 1.2 miles and turn left onto E. Lakeshore Drive at a STOP at a T-junction; go 0.4 miles and turn left onto Dug Hill Rd (sign for the Palmetto Trail); go 0.3 miles and make a slight left onto Pennell Rd (sign for the Palmetto Trail) and then take an immediate left into the trail parking lot.

Trip #38
Green Mountain and Oil Camp Creek Road: 27 miles; 44 minutes.
Turn right onto The Parkway, drive about 0.6 miles and turn left (at a major junction with a red light) onto S. Batesville Rd. Drive 1.7 miles, turn right at a T-junction (red light) onto Hammett Bridge Rd. Go 0.8 miles and turn left at a red light onto S. Suber Rd and follow it for 3.6 miles (crossing US 29 en route). Turn right at a T-junction (STOP sign) onto N. Rutherford Rd, go 0.6 miles and turn left onto SC 290 (Locust Hill Rd), and follow it for 10 miles to the junction with US 25.  Turn right on US 25N  and go 4.5 miles to the SC 11 exit. Turn left on SC 11S towards Cleveland and go 4.5 miles to the junction with US 276. Turn right onto US 276N. Go 0.5 miles and turn into the Sunoco gas station on the left to meet the trip leader.