The Parson's Mountain trail wanders around the lake in the middle of the Parson's Mountain Recreation Area, around Abbeville, SC. It's a four-mile loop trail, with a spur that takes you up past some Civil War-era gold mines and to a firetower at the top of the mountain.
This tree was burned along the lower part of its trunk. 
For the first time this year, my hike was beautifully green, after the winter. 
In order to get to the spur trail, one crosses the road surrounding the lake. 
Some fenced-off areas on the spur trail protect a few pits that are all that's left of some Civil War-era gold mines. 
Great textures and depth in this old stump. 
On all sides of the trail, the scenery was so wonderfully green. 
I almost stepped on a snake trying to get a shot of this tree. 
Although the trail surround the lake, you don't often get a good look at the lake from the trail. 
The trail is bisected by a few creeks. 
Neat birdhouse on a spit of land in the lake, reached by a bridge near the end of the trail.
