Page 35 - THE MATHMATE November 2024

Paris Mountain State park math Trail

Cindy Parker

Just a short drive from downtown Greenville, Paris natural habitat. You will pass the swimming area,
Mountain State Park is a haven for those seeking cross a boardwalk foot bridge and circle the lake.
a quiet place in a mountain setting. Formerly a At the far, right end of the lake, you will descend
watershed for the city, Pairs Mountain is one of the and ascend the steep slopes below the dam. You
oldest protected areas in the state. This 1,275- will walk through the picnic area before you return
acre park is well known for its stands of large to the bath house where you began.
trees, lake swimming, hiking and numerous picnic
areas. Paris Mountain State Park’s roots date as far
back as the Great Depression, when it was built
What is a Math Trail? It’s a mathematical journey by the Civilian Conservation Corps. This heritage
anywhere – on a city street, in a garden or can still be seen in the preserved stone and
museum, at the mall – even on a trail at Paris timber outside of the renovated bathhouse, now
Mountain State Park. We’re about to explore math known as the Park Center. Inside, the center
on a park trail. Hopefully, you will learn some new features historical exhibits and a classroom to
math concepts, some new ideas about math and teach young and old about the park’s ecology.
look at math a little differently. Teachers at Paris
Elementary, and middle and high school teachers Paris Mountain State Park was developed by the
from different areas of South Carolina helped Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a New Deal
develop the activities on this Math Trail. They Program created by President Franklin D.
found examples of math concepts and math Roosevelt. The CCC was instrumental in the
problems along the trail. We hope this math trail development of many of South Carolina’s state
gives you a new view of math and nature, math parks.
and community, and math and you.
Several buildings built by the CCC in the 1930s
are still in use at the park along with the lakes and
dams built by the Paris Mountain water company
th
in the late 19 century which makes this part a
historic district on the National Register.

Paris Mountain Lake Placid Trail We used the Post Markers as a guide for the math
Length: 0.75 Mile Loop Hiking Trail activities suggested. When we left the bath house
Difficulty: Easy to begin the train, we bared left around the lake.
Description: Description: From the bath
house/Park Center, you will take a left to begin Math Activity #1
this easy-walking, mostly-level, nature-trail loop Before starting the trail, make a list of five items
along the shores of Lake Placid. You may see a you think you will see on the trail. Keep a tally of
variety of wildlife as you walk amid tall trees in this those items. Stop recording when you count

Scctm The MathMate 35 Volume 44/Number 1 October 2024