Most People Don’t Know About These Strange Ruins Of Guignard Hiding In South Carolina

To date, four kilns remain on the property. Three of them were constructed in 1920 and the fourth in 1932.

A little-known fact about the kilns? Those six iron bands that you see tightly wrapped around each kiln were put in place to keep the structure from exploding when it reached extreme temperatures.

It's difficult to get a feel for the size of these beasts from just a photo. Each one is 18 feet tall and 35 feet in diameter. The ceiling and walls are constructed entirely of brick.

It's barely two blocks long and the kilns can be seen from any point on that street.

The total drive time is just under 2.5 hours, but with the stops on the road trip, you should expect to fill an entire day with exciting fun making memories to last a lifetime. Ready? Set... let's go!

At 120 feet long and with a 14-foot gothic arch underneath to allow the flow of Little Gap Creek to pass below, the Poinsett Bridge was built in 1820 and is surrounded by tales.

©Robin Jarvis

It's a peaceful spot with little traffic. In fact, don't be surprised if you're the only one here. Well... the only one except for the ghosts people have reported.

At the edge of the gravel parking lot, you'll find the short trail up to the top of Sassafras Mountain. The elevation here is 3,554 feet above sea level — plus another 14 feet once you've climbed up to the new tower atop Sassafras Mountain.

Although it's managed entirely by the state of South Carolina, there was an agreement with our neighbor to the north to allow the structure to cross over the line. It makes for fun photo opportunities when folks decide to put one foot in each state and snap a keepsake image.

Pull off on Bad Creek Road and hike a short distance to the observation platform. You'll hike a section of the 70-plus-mile Foothills Trail to get a perfect photo like this one. The hike should take about an hour each way.

There's much to love about this underrated park, but you'll want to be sure to take the short hike into Oconee Station Falls (pictured below).

In spite of its mammoth height, this waterfall is even wider that it is tall. You'll be in awe of the sight and the sound of this one! When you're finished gawking, head back to your vehicle and head to our final destination.

Originally planned to be more than 5,000 feet of tunnel through the mountain to create a passage from Charleston to Saluda, the tunnel only saw a little more than 1,500 feet completed. Today, it's the focal point of Tunnel Park and the joy of children and adult explorers alike.