I first met Dennis Chastain in March 2021 in the most likely place he could be – wandering the wilds of northern Pickens County.
Local conservation organization Upstate Forever had organized a trip to Jocassee Gorges to highlight the rare Oconee Bell, found in a few secluded pockets of the Upstate and almost nowhere else. It flowers for a few weeks in early spring and otherwise blends quietly into the forest flora.
As someone fond of both wandering in the woods and photographing flowers, this was not a difficult assignment. I was primed to enjoy the tour before I pulled into the parking lot.
But there was Dennis – and beloved wife Jane, who was always by his side – leading the expedition and spinning knowledgeable yarns about the slice of the Blue Ridge he called home. He was raised in Pickens County and lived near Table Rock. White-bearded, wearing a ballcap and leaning on a tall walking stick, he answered all my questions before I could ask. A good moment got better.
My abiding recollection of the day is casually chatting with Dennis and Jane after the walk-and-talk. Dennis asked me if I’d ever been to Jumping Off Rock. Having moved to the area just nine months prior, I had not.
We were already a few miles inside Jocassee Gorges Wilderness Area and he implied I was practically there. If I was this close, I had to go on up the road and see it, he said.
If you’ve never been to Jumping Off Rock, high on a ridge above the northeast portion of Lake Jocassee, it is difficult to explain how much Dennis was misrepresenting “close.” The grand overlook is among the more remote public places in the Upstate still accessible by “road.”
(I use quotes here because the road in question is nothing more than miles of loose, single-track gravel, some of it quite steep and none of it appropriate for my tiny hatchback.)
And yet … Dennis was right. Jumping Off Rock was a wondrous sight. I had the whole view to myself on a midweek afternoon. It was glorious, made finer by the unexpected journey.
Dennis lived a beautiful life and helped others do the same. On the morning of Nov. 21, 2025, he passed away peacefully at his home with Jane nearby.
For many years, he shared his love of the Upstate’s wonders. How many did he encourage to wander a little farther in the woods, to listen to the rhythm of nature, and to see why preserving one special corner of the world was a worthy lifetime task?
How many value this place a little more because of Dennis Chastain?
I met Dennis only a handful of times in person, but editing his column every two weeks put me at the front of the line for what was on his mind. It was an honor to edit “Field Notes” for the Greenville Journal. I’m going to miss the folksy turns of phrase, woodsy wisdom, practical advice and nostalgic tangents. Our readers will, too.
Farewell, Dennis, and thank you.
Ryan Gilchrest is the editor of Greenville Journal and director of content for Community Journals.
