About Easley
Easley is a city of about 23,000 people in Pickens County, in the Upstate of South Carolina, about 12 miles west of Greenville. It was founded in 1873 when the Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railway came through, and it was named for General William King Easley, who helped bring the railroad. The tracks still run alongside its historic Main Street, and textile mills, some now converted, shaped the town for a century.
Downtown Easley has red-brick storefronts with local restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques, and the city hosts concerts and seasonal events in its downtown plaza. The restored Old Market Square and the Easley Farmers Market bring weekend crowds. Pickens County's history is told nearby at the Hagood Mill Historic Site, a working 1845 gristmill with petroglyphs, and the Pickens County Museum of Art and History.
The Doodle Trail, a rail-trail along the route of the old Pickens Doodle train line, connects Easley with the town of Pickens for walking and biking. Easley sits at the edge of the Blue Ridge foothills, so Table Rock State Park, Caesars Head and Lake Keowee are all within about 45 minutes, and Clemson University and downtown Greenville are each about 20 minutes away.
Best seasonApril to May and October to November for the Doodle Trail and foothills color.
Ideal stayHalf a day for downtown and the Doodle Trail, plus a day trip to the foothills.
ArrivingGreenville-Spartanburg International Airport is about 35 minutes away; US 123 links Easley and Greenville.