1. Watch the sun rise.

Some of the best time to connect with nature is before dawn. Enjoy the sounds and the solitude with an early morning walk

around Haigler Loop. Our most popular hike, the 1 ¼ mile loop features some of the Greenway’s best scenery. Take a look at the

old road bed of the Nation Ford Road, enjoy the diverse vegetation and keep an eye out for some Great Blue Herons. Check our

website for all the highlights on our Lake Haigler Nature Walk.

2. Take a tour of the historic cabins.

Home to two historic cabins, the Greenway offers visitors a glimpse into the past with the

rich history of the Faires-Coltharp Cabin which over time has been home to the son of a Rev-

olutionary War soldier/prisoner-of-war, a Civil War soldier and several local and influential

families. Over the span of 80 years and two generations of Faires and Coltharp families,

about 21 people lived in the house, possibly with as many as 12 at one time. The Greenway’s

second historic cabin, the Graham Cabin (pictured), was built in 1780 and for a time was the

home of Billy Graham’s grandfather. This log house was originally located about two miles

from its current spot in the area known as Baxter. It was moved to the Greenway in 1999,

and was occupied continuously until it was moved.

3. Go for a Run (or Walk!)

If you’ve never tested your mettle during a trail race, this is the year to try. In partnership with local trail running club, the Rock Hill

Striders, the Greenway offers several trail races held each year including the Mill Stone 50K (February 7, 2015); Earthshaker Trail

Run (April 18, 2015); Mill Stone Half Marathon (May 9, 2015); Mill Stone Loop 10.5 Mile Race (July 18, 2015); and the Springmaid

Trail Race (October 3, 2015.) Walkers are always welcome for the 5Ks so no excuses!

4. Become a Catawba Master Naturalist.

Set to resume this March, the Greenway will host its third certification class for the Catawba Master Naturalist Program. In part-

nership with Clemson University, join us for 12 fun weeks exploring the world around you through observation and hands-on, in-

teractive learning in local and surrounding areas. The program works to educate a corps of volunteers who are dedicated to the

beneficial management of natural resources within our communities. Participants that successfully complete the program earn a

certificate from Clemson University.

5. Take your picture at the top of the Dairy Barn silo.

Say ‘cheese,’ please! Perhaps the most recognizable spot on the Greenway, a trip to the Dairy Barn is not

complete without a hike up the barn’s silo. The Dairy Barn was built in 1947 by Col. Elliott W. Springs when he

purchased a herd of registered Guernsey cattle to supply dairy products in his textile operation's cafeterias.

Today the barn has been renovated into a spacious and unforgettable setting for weddings, parties and other

gatherings. The silo is typically unlocked for visitors to venture up to the top for a picturesque view.

The Greenway Bucket List

Instead of fad diets and trendy workouts, we would like to offer a different approach to

2015: we challenge you to complete our Greenway Bucket List. We have compiled a list

of all the things every Greenway user must experience, whether you are a founding

member or you just moved to town. Check out our Greenway must-dos for you to

check out and check off.

6. Hike the whole Blue Star Trail. Dubbed by Anne Springs Close as the “main street of the Greenway,” this intermediate hiking

trail stretches more than seven miles from one end of the property to the other. Not only can it

be accessed from any entry point, but it also merges or intersects with every other trail in our

trail system. Walking Blue Star means never having to see two aspects of the Greenway twice –

from the pine stands and older hardwood forests to ponds and prairie areas, this trail gives

hikers a chance to see the property as a whole.

7. Go Geocaching.

Geocaching is an outdoor scavenger hunt using GPS-enabled devices to locate hidden containers at specific GPS coordinates. A

typical ‘cache’ is a small waterproof container containing a logbook. The geocacher enters the date they found it and signs it with

their established code name. After signing the log, the cache must be placed back exactly where the person found it. Geocaching

shares many aspects with benchmarking, trigpointing, orienteering, treasure-hunting, letterboxing and waymarking. See our web-

site for your “Greenway Passport!”

8. Spot a hawk on the Greenway.

Over the last several years, a total of eight raptors have been released on the Greenway in partnership with the Carolina Raptor

Center located in Huntersville, NC. From Red-tailed hawks to Barred owls, the Greenway has become a resource for CRC to release

their rehabilitated birds back into the wild.

9. Saddle up for a guided trail ride.

Most Saturdays, the Greenway Stables offer a guided trail ride to explore the Greenway trails from horseback. As one of Mrs.

Close’s favorite pastimes, horseback riding has always been intrinsic to the mission and daily operations on the Greenway. Wheth-

er you just enjoy seeing the horses grazing in the pasture or want to take riding lessons, we have an equestrian opportunity to fit

any ability level or lifestyle.

10. Become a Friend of the Greenway.

This spectacular landscape would not be possible without the financial support of our Friends of the Greenway. Founded in 1995,

this group of donors contributes to the Greenway’s annual operations, supporting the Exceptional Equestrians program, summer

camps, school fieldtrips, trail building projects, efforts to maintain lakes and control invasive species, and so much more. As a

Greenway member, you know firsthand how important the mission of the Greenway is to our community. Perhaps the Greenway

has provided you with some special moments – where getting close to nature becomes an irreplaceable experience and lifelong

memory. We ask you to consider joining us as a Friend of the Greenway.

11. Picnic near the peach orchards.

The Greenway has dozens of ideal picnic locations, with acres of field space and scattered picnic table locations. Pack your picnic

basket with goodies, grab a blanket or tablecloth and enjoy the time with family and friends as well as the surroundings and

outdoor experience. Picnic tables (some with charcoal grills) can be found near the Comfort Station at the Nature Center entrance,

under the pines in front of Rush Pavilion, behind the Nature Center and also below the Dairy Barn.

12. Attend a sheep herding competition.

Earth Day is the Greenway’s largest event of the year and will celebrate its 21st anniversary this

April. More than 2,000 visitors descend on the Greenway and with the help of many volunteers,

we are able to provide a free day of family fun with activities that include wildlife exhibits, wagon

rides, cane pole fishing, kayaking, guided hikes, border collie demonstrations and much more.

13. Turn up the adventure with a mountain bike ride. The Sugar Loop Trail is our most popular bike path, starting from the Recreation Complex and running 3-1/2 miles in length. The

intermediate loop starts at the Complex tunnel and leads to Sugar Island, at which point it continues south along the Sugar Creek

floodplain and then westward back to the Complex tunnel. Our mountain bike trail volunteers have been busy this past quarter

making improvements to Sugar Loop so that it is a safer, more enjoyable ride. Check our calendar for the next volunteer workday

and upcoming bike workshops. In 2015, we hope to offer some beginner mountain biking clinics to help introduce people to both

the sport and the Greenway’s fun and challenging bike trail system.

14. Take a night hike around Lake Crandall.

One of the best parts about the Great American Backyard Campout held each summer on the Greenway is the opportunity to

spend the evening at our Outdoor Classroom, enjoying s’mores over the campfire and taking a night hike around Lake Crandall.

Nature sounds different at night – escape the lights and noise of your typical routine and make plans to join us for the campout on

June 26, 2015.

15. See a concert in the Woodland Amphitheater.

Set to officially open during the Earth Day Celebration on April 18, 2015, the Woodland

Amphitheater is Fort Mill’s newest community asset. Nestled among oak trees and set in a

natural bowl below the Dairy Barn, the amphitheater has no formal seating and

provides a natural environment to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Already scheduled to host

the Greenway Summer Concert Series, the amphitheater will provide a setting for musical acts

and concert performances, plays and comedy troupes, children’s theatre and much, much

more. Bring your chair or a picnic blanket and enjoy nature’s surroundings.

16. Help provide a meal for the needy.

Located near Greenway Headquarters on Dairy Barn Lane, the Plant-A-Row for the Hungry Garden (PAR) gives support to volunteer

committees that want to promote vegetable and community gardening at the local level. The PAR Garden (in addition to growing

fruits and vegetables) provides outreach, training and assistance in coordinating the local food collection. The PAR Garden also

monitors the volume of donations being given to food agencies. To volunteer in the PAR Garden, please contact the Greenway at

803.548.7252.

17. Go on a photo scavenger hunt.

How many different plants and animals can you capture? With nearly 40 miles of trail to explore, there are plenty of photo opps

waiting for you on the Greenway. Does your child also exhibit signs of becoming a shutterbug? Sign him up for our Greenway Pho-

tography Camp this summer!

18. Visit the Grist Mill.

Webb’s Grist Mill was among the first of its kind in the area. Built circa 1780, the mill served European settlers and their descend-

ants for over 100 years and is commemorated in the name of “Fort Mill,” originally known as Little York. To be successful at the

time, a mill needed water for power and accessibility for customers. As a result, Webb’s grist mill site is on Steele Creek near Steele

Road, once a spur of the Nation Ford Road. A historic representation interprets the significance of the site.

19. Know your native plant species.

Do you know what to look for when you’re out on the Greenway? Anne Springs Close’s favorite

tree on property is the flowering dogwood, which blooms white and pink in the spring. They are

the most shallow-rooted tree on the Greenway and so are the first to succumb to drought. And

have you ever heard of a PawPaw Patch? These trees can grow up to twelve feet tall and

produce a sweet fruit that tastes like a cross between a banana and a mango. Another native

species is the Schweinitz’s sunflower (pictured) which the Greenway manages in connection with

the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The daisy-like blooms can be seen from late August through

October below the Field Trial Barn, heading down to the swinging bridge.

20. Pitch a tent under the stars.

Grab your camping gear and head to the Greenway for a night with nature. Tent camping is available on the north side of Lake

Haigler, each site accommodating up to three tents. Adjacent to the camping area, a bathhouse provides restrooms and showers

for campers. Time to pull out the sleeping bags and spooky campfire stories!

21. Paddle the Greenway lakes.

Of the Greenway’s five lakes, the most easily accessed by boat are Lake Frances and Lake Crandall. Kayaks and canoes (even a

standup paddleboard!) can be rented from May through September at Lake Haigler on Saturdays and Sundays with no reservation

for a fee of $5/member. Boats are available on a first come, first served basis. Don’t forget a person flotation device (PFD)!

22. Treat yourself to Springs Farm Market homemade ice cream.

If you frequent the Greenway’s Field Trial Barn entrance, you’ve likely noticed the small Farm Market located across the street

from the strawberry fields. If you’ve never stopped in, you should! Open seasonally, the Springs Farm Market serves up delicious

and refreshing homemade frozen treats throughout the summer, in addition to fresh fruits and vegetables from Springs Farm.

Peach smoothie, anybody?

23. Take a stroll around Lake Haigler.

Lake Haigler was built in 1952 by Col. Elliott W. Springs and named for a great Catawba Indian

Chief, King Hagler. There are many points of interest along the Haigler Loop, but be on the lookout

for beaver dams! The beaver, North America’s largest native rodent, is a vegetarian and constantly

cutting trees, eating the inner bark and using the rest to build lodges and dams. The best time for

viewing beavers is in the evening, as they are primarily nocturnal. They can get up to three to four

feet in size and weigh 50 to 60 pounds!

24. Bring your appetite and appreciation for bluegrass to the annual Fiddle ‘n Pig Shindig.

For the 10th year, the Greenway will host the annual barbecue and bluegrass festival, the Fiddle ’n Pig Shindig on Friday and Satur-

day, September 20th and 21st. More than 30 cook teams will compete again for bragging rights in the Kansas City Barbeque Society

–sanctioned event. The lineup of bands also includes a fresh crop of talent (Chatham County Line) along with some of our old blue-

grass favorites like The Hinson Girls and Lonesome Road Band. New this year is the festival’s relocation near the Woodland

Amphitheater, which we’re predicting will be the place to be in 2015.

25. Go fly a kite.

When was the last time you flew a kite? We bet it’s not as easy as you remember! The Greenway’s large open landscapes provide

the perfect setting for kite-flying. Treat your children or grandchildren to an afternoon of good ol’ fashioned fun. See who can fly

their kite the longest and the highest!

26. Learn to fish.

Did you know that the Greenway has five – count ‘em 5! stocked fishing ponds? Lake Haigler, Lake Crandall, Lake Frances, Stumpy

Pond and Lake Katherine. Fishing is available exclusively to Greenway members (you’ll need a valid SC fishing license). Lakes have

been stocked with Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Shellcracker and Channel Catfish. We bet you’re pulling out your Greenway map right

about now…

27. Feel the history.

Get out and walk the same trail used by Native Americans, traders, settlers and Revolutionary soldiers. The road was part of the

Great Philadelphia Wagon Road, which stretched from Philadelphia, PA to Augusta, GA and was the first

major road on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. For hundreds of years, the path was an important conduit for

trade, war and settlement. At its peak in the late 1700s, more than 1,000 wagons per day passed along the

trail through Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and was known to be the most heavily traveled

road in America. Locally, it is known as the “Nation Ford Road” because it went through the Catawba Indian

“nation” and led to a “ford”, or crossing, in the Catawba River.

28. Take a photo on a swinging bridge.

The Greenway is home to five swinging bridges spread throughout the property – find them on Blue Star,

Prairie Loop and School Loop East. If you have never ventured out onto a swinging bridge before, gingerly head out to the center of

the bridge to get its full “swing” effect. [We love watching dogs do this for the first time – they all react differently to the swing be-

neath their paws!]

29. Identify a tree.

Did you know the Greenway is home to an Oak-Hickory Forest? This type of forest ecosystem produces four prominent oak and

hickory species that are identifiable on the Greenway. They include white oak, southern red oak, black oak and chestnut oak, while

the hickory varieties include pignut, red, shagbark and mockernut. Already restricted by limited available habitat, Basic Oak-Hickory

Forests have been reduced considerably by a long history of agriculture, conversion of hardwood forests to intensively managed

pine stands and urban development. Some of the types in this group can be considered uncommon or rare in the state.

30. Attend the Winter Wonderland Craft Fair.

Last November, more than 100 artisans and craftsmen from our local area descended on the Dairy Barn to sell their goods and

wares. For more than 15 years, the Winter Wonderland Craft Fair has been an after-Thanksgiving staple, providing locals with the

perfect opportunity to buy something handmade by local vendors. Be one of the 2,000 people to attend this year on Saturday, No-

vember 28, 2015.

31. See, hear and feel our natural surroundings at the Greenway Nature Center.

The Greenway Nature Center has seen a lot of TLC in the last few months and we are ready to show off our hard work! Bring your

kids to experience wildlife exhibits, points of interest and other environmental education opportunities for all ages.

32. Find a Native American arrowhead.

The Nation Ford Road provided the Catawba Indians and other southern tribes with an access route for trade

and communication with northern tribes. It was known by several names, including the “Occaneechi Path,” the

“Catawba Path” and the "Indian Road." The convergence of trading paths at Nation Ford made the position of

the Catawbas a strategic one, as they could control the flow of trade to other tribes. Pack trains of horses were

loaded and headed south carrying goods such as guns, powder, shot, hatchets, kettles, fabrics, blankets, and

trinkets, all to be traded to the Catawbas and other tribes for skins and other products.

33. Explore the Greenway with a Guided Hike.

We are going to make it really easy for you – leave the navigating to one of our Master Naturalist volunteers and join in on

“Exploring the Greenway!” Guided hikes are led on the first and third Saturday of every month from varying locations on the

Greenway. Check our website for a complete list throughout the year.

34. Do some bird watching. Did you know that 27 bird nesting sites were monitored on the Greenway this past year? For the

last sixteen years, Greenway member and volunteer Dick Metzler has lead the effort to monitor

breeding bluebirds on the 2,100-acre property. Now with the help of John Marklewitz, a graduate

of the Catawba Master Naturalist program, our monitoring systems continue to grow – from

Carolina chickadees to Eastern bluebirds, there are plenty of beautiful birds to observe while out.

Also keep your eyes open for the Wood Duck boxes placed near Lake Haigler. Known as the

“Summer Duck,” the Wood Duck is the only native South Carolina water fowl that stays year-round

and doesn’t migrate. It gains its name from nesting in trees, instead of on the ground.

35. Send us your Greenway Bucket List items. We want this list to continue growing! Tell us about your fa-

vorite user experiences.

____ 1. Watch the sun rise.

____ 2. Take a tour of the historic cabins.

____ 3. Go for a run (or walk!)

____ 4. Become a Catawba Master Naturalist.

____ 5. Take your picture at the top of the Dairy Barn silo.

____ 6. Hike the whole Blue Star trail.

____ 7. Go Geocaching.

____ 8. Spot a hawk on the Greenway.

____ 9. Saddle up for a guided trail ride.

____ 10. Become a Friend of the Greenway.

____ 11. Picnic near the peach orchards.

____ 12. Attend a sheep herding competition.

____ 13. Turn up the adventure with a mountain bike ride.

____ 14. Take a night hike around Lake Crandall.

____ 15. See a concert at the Woodland Amphitheater.

____ 16. Help provide a meal for the needy.

____ 17. Go on a photo scavenger hunt.

____ 18. Visit the Grist Mill.

____ 19. Know your native plant species.

____ 20. Pitch a tent under the stars.

____ 21. Paddle the Greenway lakes.

____ 22. Treat yourself to Springs Farm Market homemade ice cream.

____ 23. Take a stroll around Lake Haigler.

____ 24. Bring your appetite and appreciate for bluegrass to the Fiddle ‘n Pig Shindig.

____ 25. Go fly a kite.

____ 26. Learn to fish.

____ 27. Feel the history.

____ 28. Take a photo on a swinging bridge.

____ 29. Identify a tree.

____ 30. Attend the Winter Wonderland Craft Fair.

____ 31. See, hear and feel our natural surroundings at the Greenway Nature Center.

____ 32. Find a Native American arrowhead.

____ 33. Explore the Greenway with a guided hike.

____ 34 Do some bird watching.

____ 35. What did we miss? Send us your Greenway Bucket List Items!

The Greenway Bucket List