Yes, it does exist!  If you are looking for a place to park, York County recommends parking at the McCelvey Center in Historic Downtown York (212 Jefferson Street).

Stay on course by following these route markers:

The route is advertised as “approximately” 49 miles and because my use of the mapmyrun app went less than desirable, I’ll have to stick with this estimate until I give the route another try.

The route spans across an arguably diverse track of land which includes an abundance of farm land, wooded areas and even downtown York.

In my estimate most of the route is made up of single-lane roads with a moderate paved shoulder.  Paved shoulder translates to pavement which extends beyond the white “fog” line.  At its largest, the paved shoulder is about 4 feet wide; however, the route also includes areas where there is no paved shoulder at all.  The majority of the Hands Mill Highway (HWY 274) is four lane, no shoulder but with a generous right-hand lane.

Though there are a few rough road patches along the route, it is generally in great shape, with no major pot holes or hazardous asphalt conditions.  There are two traffic circles along this route both of which cyclists are to proceed through in a generally straight direction.  As with the majority of the route, there are signs prior to and after major intersections to assist unfamiliar cyclists.

Throughout my trip I did encounter vehicle traffic in both directions and on most all roads, the most traffic being on HWY 274.  Generally, passing vehicle driver’s moved their vehicles entirely into the on-coming lane to pass, with very few exceptions.

I saw 8 other cyclists out the morning that I went, all wore helmets and most had on much more appropriate cycling attire.  I mention this, because it is obvious that the bike route is being used and the more it is used the more of an expectation it will create for local vehicle traffickers which helps make it safer for all.

Depending on the time of year (and the time of day), you can expect to see rooster/chickens, squirrels, geese, cows, goats, horses, dogs, rabbits and wild turkey.  Among the views were old barns, crops, ponds and open fields which were some of the peaceful scenes that were most enjoyable to me.

You can even take a break at one of the several businesses selling fresh local produce…mainly peaches.

I am looking forward to tackling the Reservation Route (Route 2) next.  You get a sneak peak of this route from Route 1 at the intersection of Falls Road, Ogden Road and Robertson Road.

Route 2 is said to be a 31 Mile route, with optional 3.8 mile cut-through.  It is located between historic downtown Rock Hill and the Catawba Indian Nation.  Public Parking is available in downtown Rock Hill, Freidheim Park, South Pointe HS, Rock Hill High School, and Catawba Indian Nation.

These are the first 2 completed routes of the 5 planned routes which will ultimately link King’s Mountain State and Military National Park, Catawba Indian Nation, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Clover, York, Rock Hill, Hickory Grove and Sharon…in other words a great deal of the Metrolina!

If you’re in the area and want a guide or any advice get in touch with me at atlasconcepts@yahoo.com.

More local resources:

Rock Hill Bicycle Club

Bike Town

Bike Rock Hill

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Jordache Williams is a resident and local business owner in Rock Hill, SC. His first glance at Rock Hill was obtained while attending Winthrop University near the turn of the 21^st century. After an eight-year enlistment in the United States Army, Jordache settled down in Rock Hill with his wife Jessica and daughter Gia. He enjoys sharing his local experiences as a way of promoting mental and physical health.