May 21, 2024
How could anyone not like a place named Peach Haven! Georgia has had the title of growing the most peaches in the US for many years, but the title once belonged to South Carolina. Peach trees dominated the area surrounding Gaffney near Spacious Skies Peach Haven before the World Wars, but between development, disease, and the depression, many of the orchards are gone. There are still a few multi-generational families with massive orchards that sell to large corporations, but don’t worry, during the July peach season expect to find roadside markets everywhere.
I visited during the spring to follow the flowers, so my love of peaches (my home in east Texas is also known for their peaches) was fulfilled at a year-round market of peach items. The Strawberry Hill market in Gaffney was full of juicy red strawberries and sweet corn currently in season when I visited. But plenty of peach items were on the shelves. I went crazy and purchased peach bread freshly made, peach jam, peach cider, and took “to go” a peach milk shake made in the ice cream shop in the back of the store.
Spacious Skies Peach Haven is true to its name, a wonderful clean and attractive campground that had concrete patios with patio furniture, grills plus fire pits perfect for roasting a peach smore. The patio tables are a nice upgrade from picnic tables that are often difficult to navigate and hard to sit on.
My campsite located in the new pull-through area was nicely level, so I set up Tipper’s portable fence for the first time during this major road trip. It came in very handy, and she sat outside often so happy to be off the leash. It was also nice when I cooked, which I do often to save money. Eating out can be expensive and is one of the reasons I tow an RV on road trips. However, my camper is very small, and since Tipper is a 50 lb. dog, she constantly had to move every time I opened the refrigerator!
There are three fishing ponds linked together by a small natural underground spring that flows from the top pond down to the last pond. A nice trail circles the triple ponds, with a fishing dock and comfortable benches along the way to sit and just hang out. Perfect for our nature birding and coffee walk every morning. A great blue heron was often seen fishing on its own terms along the shore.
Spacious Skies Peach Haven is within a few miles of the town of Gaffney, and I highly recommend a few places to see. Lots of good information can be found about those good ole days at the Cherokee County Museum near the historic area in Gaffney. A first-class museum housed in an old elementary school building has exhibits about the Native Americans who first lived in this area, the railroad’s affect and follows a timeline of historic and cultural changes throughout the years. My favorite exhibit was a beautiful quilt sewn by a slave who designed secret codes into the quilt that was important for the Underground Railroad slaves running for freedom, and sometimes for their lives. While in this area, drive around the historic residential districts to see lovely old homes built in the late 1700s.
Then of course, take a drive by the icon of the area – the peachoid – a tower 60 feet tall with a peach sitting on top that looks so real you can taste it. It can be seen from miles away, but there is a small parking area near it for one vehicle which is where I took my photo. The history of the tower is told in an exhibit at the Cherokee County Museum.
The wildflowers are in full bloom, especially the azaleas! The best place I discovered to see them was about a thirty-minute drive north of the campground at the Kings Mountain National Military Park. One of the most important battles during the Revolutionary War took place at the top of Kings Mountain.
Stop first at the visitor and interpretive center which has first rate exhibits that take you through the reason this mountain top was so important, and how the battle was won by farmers and business owners surrounding the mountain all inexperienced volunteers.
Then walk the 1.5-mile trail which is very easy to walk and wheelchair accessible. I usually avoid battlefield sites, mainly because I find them very sad. But this site of the American Revolution War to win our independence from Great Britain was beautifully designed, inspiring and peaceful. The bonus was the wildflowers along the trail of which I would love help in IDing by anyone out there reading this blog.
Ann Bush
FB group: green gypsy travel
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