Bombs Away: the atomic bomb impact crater in Mars Bluff, SC

Fun (little known) fact: the US has dropped a nuclear bomb on the Carolinas.... twice.

About three hours east of Greenville lies the small town of Mars Bluff. Originally known as Marr's Bluff during the American Revolution, the name was shortened to Mars Bluff at some point before the Civil War, near the end of which the inland Confederate Mars Bluff Naval Yard was established.

I had never heard of the naval yard, but the town’s name is familiar; Mars Bluff has the distinction of having been inadvertently bombed with an atomic bomb by the United States Air Force. This might otherwise not have been on my radar, but my boys are budding US history buffs and so it was a given that we would eventually visit the site.

On a spring day in 1958, a B-47 Stratojet was en route to the U.K. to take part in “Operation Snow Flurry.” A fault light lit up, indicating the bomb’s harness locking pin had not engaged, and Captain Bruce Kulka went to investigate. As he reached around the bomb to pull himself up he accidentally hit the emergency release pin; the 8,500-lb. device hit the bomb bay doors, broke through them, and went screaming towards earth.

Aerial photo of the Gregg home after the bomb (Photo credit: Columbia Star)

Luckily for Walter Gregg and his family, the bomb wasn’t armed with its nuclear rod; its fission core was stored in a separate part of the plane. Unluckily for Walter Gregg, it was loaded with about 7,600 pounds of explosives; the resulting explosion destroyed his house, flattened his garden & surrounding forest, and created a mushroom cloud that could be seen for miles. By some miracle, not a single person was killed in the blast. The military reimbursed Gregg giving him a chance to start over, and the property was passed through the hands of several owners over the next fifty years. The hole was never filled in.

The original bomb crater was 30 feet deep and measured 75 feet across, although today not much remains to indicate that this was the site of a local footnote in Cold War history. A historical road marker on the north side of Interstate 76 marks the entrance to an overgrown road that leads to a hard-to-follow trail. Wind your way through a pine thicket past the foundation of the Gregg house, and you’ll come to what is now just a leafy depression in the woods, most easily recognized by the large plywood cutout of a bomb and kiosk with newspaper stories that were prepared for a 50th anniversary event. At one point the crater was used as a burn pit, giving the rainwater a murky appearance.

Crater Road

Because the property remains in private hands, visitors need the owner’s permission to visit the site. There is a second, much easier access point off Lucius Circle – also on private property. To round out the trip, make sure to stop by the Florence County Museum after stops at the crater and historical marker; it houses several fragments of the bomb. 

After the Mars Bluff incident all flights were required to ensure that bombs were locked down properly before takeoff. That still wasn’t enough to prevent a second Carolina event, as on January 23, 1961, a B-52 bomber broke up mid air, dropping two Mark 39 hydrogen bombs over Goldsboro, North Carolina. Information declassified in 2013 showed that one of the bombs came very close to detonating; it had its trigger mechanisms engage and its parachute open, two things that only happen when the bomb is intended to explode on target. Only one low-voltage trigger kept the bomb from detonating upon landing. In July 2012, the State of North Carolina erected a historical road marker in the town of Eureka, 3 miles north of the crash site, commemorating the crash under the title "Nuclear Mishap" – maybe a future destination for our crew?

"Commander Admits Crew Error Possible" and "It Was a Bad Day in Mars Bluff"

TRACK Trails - A Kids in Parks Program

“Get Unplugged. Get Outdoors. Get Cool Prizes.”

This is the Kids in Parks motto, on the free TRACK Trail program designed to get kids to have fun outdoors. With TRACK Trails in twelve states as well as an e-Adventure and Backyard Adventure option, Kids in Parks is an expanding network of family-friendly outdoor adventures that has been another way our family gets outdoors to explore new places.

Each TRACK Trail features self-guided brochures that turn your visit into a fun outdoors experience as you learn about the things you see all around you. Most trails have multiple brochures available, so that your kids can choose a topic that interests them and is appropriate for their age level. Common topics include insects, geology, animals and plants, and it is common for my boys to each choose a different brochure and end up sharing what they have discovered with each other.

The Glassy Mountain TRACK Trail at Carl Sandburg Home NHS

The program in South Carolina has really grown since I first wrote about it! There are currently 66 adventures, including ones in our National Parks - in Congaree, another in Cowpens National Battlefield, and one Ninety Six National Historic Site. The Swamp Rabbit Trail has a TRACK Trail in Travelers Rest, and there's another on the Peak to Prosperity Passage of the Palmetto Trail. Many of our State Parks have implemented TRACK Trails, such as Table Rock, Landsford Canal, Hunting Island, and Oconee Station and Musgrove Mill Historic Sites. And several of the County Parks and a few Heritage Preserves also have gotten in on the game: Nalley Brown, Chau Ram and Glassy Mountain. In addition, there are numerous adventures in North Carolina that are easily reached on a daytrip, including several in places that you’ve likely already visited: Gorges State Park, Pisgah National Forest, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Chimney Rock State Park and the NC Arboretum.

Signing up is easy; you just create an account, and then start logging your hikes. Register here: https://www.kidsinparks.com/user/register. If you would rather not create an account, you can still participate; the brochures at the trailheads are free, and you’re sure to still have fun even if you don’t log your hikes online. First, find a TRACK Trail near you, and then let the adventures begin!

A luna moth caterpillar near Bolin Creek, Carrboro, NC

In return for registering hikes, kids receive cool gear. With their very first hike they’ll get a nature journal in the mail, where they’ll be able to put their trail stickers (each trail has its own sticker) and write down cool things that they saw or did. Additional hikes earn prizes like bandanas and hand lenses, with a total of eight prizes for those who have hiked eighteen TRACK trails.

The program isn’t just about hiking… In addition to the hiking trails there are also biking trails, geocaching trails, paddling trails, nature trail disc golf courses, and even adventures you can do in your own back yard. The Nature Trail disc golf courses have their own prizes, such as a course dogtag for each course played, and the Bike TRACK Trail gear includes a bike light and bell.

The NC Arboretum TRACK Trail near Asheville NC

The miles add up quickly! You’ll be able to track your adventures in online nature journal; see how many trails you’ve visited, how many miles you’ve hiked, and earn virtual medals for accomplishing extra goals within the program: TRACK Trail Traveler (visiting more than one TRACK Trail), State TRACKer (visiting TRACK Trails in multiple states), and Outdoor Adventurer (more than 1 type of TRACK Trail).

You can read more about some of the TRACK Trails in our region by following these links:

Congaree National Park, Hopkins SC

Cowpens National Battlefield, Gaffney, SC

Ninety Six National Historic Site, Ninety Six SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail, Travelers Rest SC

Table Rock State Park, Pickens SC

Landsford Canal State Park, Catawba SC

Hunting Island State Park, Beaufort County SC

Oconee Station State Historic Site, Walhalla SC

Musgrove Mill State Historic Site, Clinton, SC 

Nalley Brown Nature Park, Easley SC 

Chau Ram County Park, Westminster SC 

Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve, Pickens SC

Peak to Prosperity, Alston SC

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Flat Rock NC

Chimney Rock State Park, Chimney Rock NC

NC Arboretum, Asheville NC

Crowders Mountain, Kings Mountain NC

Oconaluftee River in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Blackrock Summit Trail in Shenandoah NP

Carrboro, NC (Charles Herman Wilson Park)

Jockeys Ridge State Park, Nags Head NC

Lake Benson, Garner NC

Antietam National Battlefield, Sharpsburg, MD

Crowders Mountain TRACK Trail

To sign up for the Kids in Parks program, click here.

For a map of all the TRACK Trails, click here.

To learn more about the prizes the kids will receive in return for logging hikes, click here.

And to see examples of the brochures you’ll find on the TRACK Trails, click here.

On the Blackrock Summit TRACK Trail in Shenandoah National Park

Congaree National Park with the SC 7 Wonders Expedition

As we made our way to the Harry Hampton Visitor Center, sweat was already dripping down the small of my back; the heat index was somewhere close to 100˚ and it was only 9am. I had Zintis in the carrier and a backpack loaded down with extra water, and each of the other three boys had on their own packs with water bottles. We had woken early in order to make the 2-hour drive to South Carolina’s only National Park, and now were making our way to the Visitor Center to meet up with South Carolina 7 Wonders Expedition. I was already wondering if this wasn’t a mistake on my part; the older boys could hold their own on most hikes, but would we be able to keep up with the team on what was turning out to be one hot day? Not to mention the logistics were to be a little different – Zintis was not yet 2 months old and this would be my first solo hike with all four boys...

Introductions were made as the hikers gathered at the Visitor Center. We were joining a team that had for most part already been hiking together for half the month, and heading up the Expedition that would eventually traverse the entire state was Tom Mullikin. Tom has dived all of the world’s five oceans and summited more than 20 mountains across the globe. The former U.S. Army JAG officer has served as a “National Geographic Expert,” and is a Fellow in the Manhattan-based Explorer’s Club & London’s Royal Geographical Society. Currently Tom serves as chair of the Governor’s S.C. Floodwater Commission, and is leading the effort to build a flood-mitigating ocean-reef off the SC coast, all the while heading up his non-profit, Global Eco Adventures. A few words on the day’s hike, and soon we were entering the shade of the floodplain forest’s canopy.

Photo credit: Megan Roe

The SC7 expedition is named for the 7 Wonders of South Carolina. Along with treasures such as the Wild & Scenic Chattooga River, the highest point in the state and the Jocassee Gorges (one of Nat Geo’s “Last Great Places”), Congaree National Park takes its well-deserved place on the list as the 4^th Wonder of South Carolina. Over the course of 30 days, the SC7 team is traversing the state to visit each of the 7 Wonders, utilizing the Palmetto Trail as the guiding pathway from the Carolina mountains to the coast. For the entire month of July, Tom and SC7 are hiking, rafting, horseback riding, and scuba diving along more than 300 miles of the Palmetto Trail, stopping along the way to engage the public in conversation on topics such as adult & childhood fitness, conservation, renewable energy, plastic waste, and flood mitigation. You can read the entire itinerary on the SC7 website and listen to snippets of interviews and the fireside chats on their Facebook page; how many of South Carolina’s seven wonders have you visited?

Source: SC7 website

As it turned out, I should not have worried about our keeping up. The SC7 team set a fast pace, but there were plenty of stops along the way – the first of which was not more than a hundred steps into our hike when we met a resident rat snake. Our guide was Chief of Resource Stewardship and Science Ranger David Shelley, who proved to be a fountain of information on every topic: flora and fauna, history of the Park, and the effects of a changing climate on the region. Tackling this topic and raising awareness was one of the main goals of the expedition, and what better place to do it than the largest remaining area of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in North America?

Ranger Shelley among the cypress knees

Ranger Shelley led the way south on Sims Trail, where we learned about cypress trees and their knees, and caught a glimpse of a barred owl roosting just a hundred feet off the trail after it startled us with a loud hoot. Zintis had fallen asleep shortly after meeting the rat snake, and now happily dozed as we kept on. I chatted with Michelle McCollum of the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor about the miles the team had already logged, plans for the second half of July, and future plans for SC7. While the pandemic might have disrupted the 2020 expedition, the hope is that next summer the team’s goal of getting Carolinians out and active in the state’s most beautiful places can be realized.

Upon reaching Wise Lake we took a breather, the Ranger telling us more about the Congaree’s unique ecosystem as we gazed out over the still waters of the oxbow lake, a former bend in Cedar Creek. It was in another of these lakes that we spotted an enormous alligator gar on a previous visit – who knows what else lurks in these dark waters! (Well, Ranger Shelley probably knows, but I still won’t be taking a swim anytime soon!)

Just beyond the lake we got our first up-close look at a giant cypress tree, not quite a champion but in the same class. The Congaree boasts the tallest known specimens of 15 species of trees, including a 167-foot loblolly pine that is just 18 feet shy of the Boogerman white pine in Great Smoky Mountains NP, the tallest known tree in the East! The Congaree has the nickname “Redwoods of the East,” altogether home to six national and 23 state champion trees.

Photo credit: Megan Roe

By now sweat was streaming down my face, but luckily the boys were in excellent spirits despite the temperature having climbed to 93˚. We fell into step with Ost Haus, the film crew that will produce the documentary of the expedition, and were able to get in some questions about their adventures so far and about the logistics of filming. All I could think about was how much the equipment they were lugging along weighed! The broadcasting and media production company followed the expedition’s every hike from the mountains to the sea, making some extra stops along the way to document epic sunrises and special places. The crew has also been conducting interviews along the way; will this be the lucky break yours truly has been waiting for? (If it is, I owe it all to my cute kiddos, who (hopefully) stole the spotlight from this sweaty mess!)

We retraced our steps on Sims Trail until we reached the boardwalk, and hiked it back towards the Visitor Center. At this point we lagged behind most of the group, as every spider was examined and the forest floor scrutinized for snakes. The Ranger entertained the boys with dozens of cool facts about all the things they spotted, and the “did you know” stories continued on the ride home and well into the next week. The boardwalk is also incorporated into a Kids in Parks TRACK Trail, forming a flat 2.4 mile loop through the floodplain forest; the Kids in Parks program is a network of family-friendly outdoor adventures that feature self-guided brochures and signs that turn your visit into a fun and exciting outdoors experience. Our total mileage of Sims Trails to Wise Lake and boardwalk loop back was over 5 miles after taking into account the detour for the boardwalk section that is still closed – the kids slept well that night!

A big thanks goes out to the SC7 team for having us along on a portion of their adventure! We really enjoyed the hike, and wish we could have tagged along the whole month. It was also a pleasure following the SC7 Expedition online, learning so much about the state of South Carolina and adding a slew of ideas to our list of places to visit. While the 2020 expedition might have come to a close in Charleston last week, the adventure continues; whether in our state and national parks or in our own backyards, the beauty and inspiration of the natural world is all around us. Can’t wait to see what is in store for us with SC7 2021!

Opossum Creek Falls

We’ve been putting in extra energy to find places to recreate that don’t have the summer crowds, and are finding that the key is to be flexible, and to be willing to put in a bit of work. The roadside waterfalls, state parks and easy-to-get-to scenic overlooks are slam full, unless you’re willing to get up early. The out-of-the-way trailheads are much better, however we always have a back-up-plan just in case. The longer and steeper the hike, the better the chance of having the place to yourself; of course, this has to be realistic to account for heat and small children. And it helps to have a reward – either a plunge pool to cool off in, or a treat waiting in the cooler for after the hike.

One of the most successful of these excursions has been Opossum Creek Falls and the Chattooga River. Located in the Andrew Pickens Ranger District of Sumter National Forest, the trailhead is off Turkey Ridge Road (FS 755, also has the trailhead for Long Creek Falls) about 1.5 hours from Greenville. Make sure to download driving and hiking instructions as there is little service out that way, although strangely enough I had a signal once I got down on the Chattooga.

The hike is 5 miles round-trip if you take the trail that leaves from the road slightly before the parking area (the trail takes off between two boulders). For 2.2 miles you will be descending down to the Chattooga River along Camp Branch. The trail is easily followed, and the poison ivy avoided if you stay on-trail. There is an elevation change of more than 750ft, so plan accordingly!

Once you reach the river, the trail continues to the left along Opossum Branch. It is only another 1/3 mile to the falls, however there are a couple of tricky spots to reach the base.

After spending some time at the waterfall, we returned to the Chattooga for a few hours on the beach. The shoals just upstream have deposited a nice sandy beach, along with a shallow area great for kids. The opposite bank is Georgia, and you’ll see rafts and kayaks coming down the river on warm summer days.

The Chattooga River is designated a Wild and Scenic River, which means no roads to the river or development of any kind are allowed on 39.8 miles of the river since 1974. This is a remote corner of the state, the river bisecting the Ellicott Rock Wilderness which straddles three states (Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina) and three National Forests (the Chattahoochee, Nantahala and Sumter National Forests). To read more about the region, see my post The Wild and Scenic Chattooga River.

 

On the way back to Greenville, you might want to check out Chattooga Belle Farm. If you have any energy left, they have you-pick peaches, blueberries and nectarines. Or, pick up fresh produce from the farm store, have lunch at the bistro, or even enjoy a tasting at the distillery. More information here.

Your Guide to the Palmetto Trail

The Palmetto Trail is really not one trail at all; it is a network of them, stitched together from the trail systems and roads that criss-cross the state. The nearly-continuous passageway stretches from Oconee State Park in the Upstate Foothills, to its low-country terminus at Awendaw and Buck Hall on the Intracoastal Waterway. Established in 1994, it is South Carolina’s longest pedestrian & bicycle trail. Today 350 of the proposed 500 miles of trail have been completed!

By offering 26 passages ranging from 1.3 to 47 miles, with easy, moderate, and strenuous levels of difficulty, the Palmetto Trail is accessible for day trips, weekend excursions, and longer treks. The entire Palmetto Trail is open to hiking and backpacking, but designated sections are available for biking, horseback riding and camping. Whether thru-hiking, or just out for a stroll, the trail explores the rich diversity and fascinating history, culture, and geography of the Palmetto State.

The goals of the Palmetto Trail (according to the Palmetto Trail Conservancy) are to:

• Showcase conservation and preservation from mountains to sea
• Provide free public access to active, healthy outdoor recreation
• Foster tourism, business, and economic development 

THE PASSAGES (from NW to SE)

Stumphouse Passage: 1.5 mile hiking trail and 9.34 mile mountain bike park

The Stumphouse Mountain Passage is the newest addition to the Palmetto Trail. It begins in Sumter National Forest at the Stumphouse Tunnel Park in Oconee County’s Walhalla. Stumphouse Mountain Tunnel is an incomplete railroad tunnel for the Blue Ridge Railroad of South Carolina, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. The park is also home to Issaqueena Falls.

Ross Mountain: 5.0 miles

The newest passage to be completed along the Palmetto Trail, this passage connects the Stumphouse Passage to Oconee State Park.

Oconee Passage: 3.2 miles

This Passage begins in Oconee State Park and ends at Oconee Station State Historical Site, a backcountry military garrison and trading post from the 1790s. Make sure to visit Station Cove Falls on the way! Intersections with the Foothills Trail and Tamassee Knob Trail allow easy access to Hidden Falls and Tamassee Knob in Oconee State Park.

A ¼ mile spur trail from the Oconee Passage leads to Station Cove Falls

Eastatoe Passage: 4.6 miles

Starting in Keowee Toxaway State Park on Natural Bridge Trail, this Passage travels along Eastatoe Creek upstream from Lake Keowee and climbs through mountain forest in the acclaimed Jocassee Gorges with its abundance of flowers, birds and wildlife. Two new bridges including the Zeke wilderness trail bridge were recently opened to the public and are destinations in themselves!

Blue Ridge Electric Co-Op Passage (Jocassee Gorges): 12.3 miles

This section of the Palmetto Trail offers a view of the remote and rugged Jocassee Gorges area, with it abundance of wildflowers and wildlife, mountaintop vistas, and waterfalls. The Passage starts in Table Rock State Park, which boasts stunning trails such as the Pinnacle Mountain, Carrick Creek and Table Rock Trails. The Foothills Trail can also be accessed from the Park.

Roundtop Mountain: 5.9 miles

Connecting the Blue Ridge Electric Co-Op Passage to the Foothills Trail and Sassafras Mountain, this section creates opportunities for circular hikes in the Jocassee Gorges wilderness in Pickens County. 

Middle Saluda Passage: 10.9 miles

With its waterfalls and challenging elevation, this passage connects about 14 miles of existing trails in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area of Jones Gap and Caesars Head State Parks. Highlights include Hospital Rock, Rainbow Falls, and 420-foot Raven Cliff Falls. Camp in Jones Gap State Park, or continue beyond Hospital Rock to Falls Creek Falls for an added 2½ miles. (For more on Jones Gap Falls: click here)'

Rainbow Falls, as seen from spur trail

Saluda Mountains Passage: 9.1 miles

The Saluda Mountains Passage runs along the ridge dividing the Carolinas, with the Poinsett Watershed to the south. The 19,000-acre watershed is a pristine wilderness area providing habitat for multiple rare plants and animals, including the threatened Peregrine falcon.

Poinsett Reservoir Passage: 6.6 miles

Poinsett Reservoir Passage travels the mountain ridges along the northern boundary of Poinsett Watershed. This pristine watershed of 19,000 acres contains the headwaters feeding Poinsett Reservoir of the Greenville Water System.

Blue Wall Passage: 14 miles

The Blue Wall Passage is home to a wide array of wildlife, stunning scenery including a 30-foot cascading waterfall, and 100+ species of birds. The eastern trailhead is located in the Foothills Equestrian Nature Center (FENCE), and country roads and sidewalks wind through Landrum and around lovely Lake Lanier before entering the Blue Wall Preserve and climbing the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment to Vaughns Gap.

View of Hogback Mountain from Blue Wall Passage

Peach Country Passage: 14.1 miles

The numerous peach orchards of the region are spectacular when blooming, which is why cycling the Peach Country Passage along the back roads from Inman to Landrum brings such joy in the spring. The passage traverses mostly lightly traveled gravel roads, except for a quarter mile on the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (SC Hwy 11) near Campobello.

USC Upstate Passage: 1.3 miles

This short passage begins on the campus of the University of South Carolina Upstate campus in Spartanburg, SC, and descends through the woods to Lawson’s Fork Creek.

Hub City Connector: 12 miles

The Connector includes sections of greenways, bicycle lanes, and safe, signed sidewalks through the city of Spartanburg, traveling along the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail and through Liberty Garden, and connecting the School for the Deaf and Blind, with downtown, Converse College, Wofford College, Spartanburg Regional Heart Center, Spartanburg Medical Center, and USC Upstate. Trail spurs include Chinquapin Greenway, a 1.6-mile trail spur located at the city’s northern gateway.

Croft Passage: 12.6 miles

In the 1700s, the area that today is part of Croft State Park was a hotbed of mills, trading, and political activity centered around the shoals. There was a Revolutionary militia victory at the First Battle of Cedar Springs in 1780, and during World War II it served as an Army training center.

Glenn Springs Passage: 7 miles

Rolling farmlands, mature forests, and the historic town of Glenn Springs highlight the Glenn Springs Passage. In the 19^th century, Glenn Springs was known for the health benefits of its mineral waters. Now listed in the National Register, the historic district includes 20 historic buildings from about 1840 to 1940 and the site of a popular resort hotel.

Blackstock Battlefield Passage: 4 miles

Enjoy four miles of nature trails, camping, and mountain biking along the Tyger River at the site where Revolutionary War patriots defeated the British; on November 20, 1780, patriot militia fighting under Gen. Thomas Sumter prevailed over British regulars under Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton. Two months later Tarleton lost the Battle of Cowpens and fled north with his remaining troops.

Life on the Enoree

Enoree Passage: 36 miles

Hike or bike the 36 miles of trail through Sumter National Forest linking Newberry, Laurens and Union counties. The trail meanders through the diverse habitats located in the Enoree Ranger District and River corridor, while Macedonia, Sedalia, and John’s Creek lakes provide plenty of opportunities to fish on the way to the northern trailhead at Sedalia Campground.

Lynch’s Woods Passage: 4.9 miles

This Park is a well-kept secret just outside of Newberry. Created by the 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps, the park protects 276 acres of woodlands full of old-growth hardwoods and the rambling Rock Branch Creek and tributaries, and allows hiking, cycling and horseback riding. 

Newberry Passage: 11 miles

The Newberry Passage is one of three urban passages on the trail, taking you through the heart of Historic Downtown Newberry and showcasing a number of historical and cultural points of interest.

Peak to Prosperity Passage: 10.8 miles

The highlight of this section of trail is the impressive 1,100-foot-long Broad River trestle. From there the former railway follows Crims Creek west through the Dutch Fork area to Pomaria and Interstate 26. Read more about this Passage here.

Crossing the trestle bridge over the Broad River between Peak and Prosperity

Capital City Passage: 10.2 miles

The first urban passage on the Palmetto Trail features South Carolina’s largest city and seat of state government. The passage follows city sidewalks through Columbia’s neighborhoods, past city parks and schools, along the historic Horseshoe at the University of South Carolina, and across the steps of the State Capitol. The passage links Fort Jackson Passage to Riverfront Park and the Broad River.

Fort Jackson Passage: 16.2 miles

Fort Jackson Passage takes you through the heart and into the woods of this military facility located just east of Columbia, SC. Fort Jackson was established in 1917 in preparation for WWI, named in honor of Major General Andrew Jackson. At 52,000 acres, it’s the Army’s largest basic training center.

Wateree Passage: 11.4 miles

One of the most diverse sections of the Palmetto, this portion of the trail crosses swamps and hills on its way from Poinsett State Park then through the SCE&G property to Hwy 601. Passing through a section of Manchester State Forest traveling along the remnants of the old SC Railroad through Sumter Junction, it crosses over the Wateree River and Molly’s Bluff - elevation 260 feet – with excellent views across Wateree swamp.

High Hills of Santee Passage: 9.4 miles

Named for the high, sandy ridges that are part of the Sandhills geographical region, these rolling hills are the remains of an ancient ocean shoreline found in the Carolinas and Georgia. Over time, the beach sand and shells transformed into coquina, which can be seen today throughout the park. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps used the native stone to build many structures in the park. Birdwatching includes the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.

Lake Marion Passage: 33.6 miles

This passage skirts along the north side of Lake Marion between Santee and Mill Creek County Park. A short side trip down Fort Watson Road leads to the site of ancient Santee Indian burial mounds (3,500 years old); the site is now part of Santee National Wildlife Refuge.

Santee Passage: 12.7 miles

This passage utilizes the dirt roads and rural highways of Orangeburg County, traveling through farmlands to the town of Santee.

Eutaw Springs Passage: 21.3 miles

From the site of the Revolutionary War Battle of Eutaw Springs to downtown Eutawville, with a 5-mile spur trail that connects to Santee-Cooper Wildlife Management Refuge and Lake Marion.

Lake Moultrie Passage: 26.9 miles

Hugging the eastern and northern shores of 60,000-acre Lake Moultrie, the views make this a popular passage for mountain bikers. Following levees and service roads, the trail crosses the Santee Canal and traverses the swamps around Bulltown Bay.

Swamp Fox Passage: 47.2 miles

This passage named for Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion is the Palmetto Trail’s longest. From the swamps of Francis Marion National Forest, to long-leaf pine forests that are home to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, from the grassy savannas near Dog Swamp and Turkey Creek, to Wadboo Swamp; three trailheads provide users with plenty of options! Just make sure to bring plenty of water, as there is only one water source on the Swamp Fox Passage at the Ranger Station off Steed Creek Road.

Awendaw Passage: 7.1 miles

The coastal terminus of the mountains-to-sea Palmetto Trail, the Trail’s namesake trees greet users at the Buck Hall Recreation Area trailhead. Starting at the Intracoastal Waterway, the Trail meanders westward through maritime forest and offers sweeping vistas of Lowcountry salt marsh along Awendaw Creek. At Walnut Grove, look for a scenic overlook and boardwalk. A canoe launch for Awendaw Creek is located at the end of Rosa Green Road.

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One way to see the trail is during the Annual Palmetto Trail Challenge. Each year, Palmetto Conservation Foundation hosts The Palmetto Challenge to inspire teams of two, three, or four to hike or bike as many miles as possible between March 9 and April 26; more information can be found here.

If you want to see the state - really get out there and experience what South Carolina has to offer - the Palmetto Trail is the way to go! As Palmetto Conservation puts it: “Backcountry. Rails-to-Trail. Greenways. City sidewalks. Urban bikeways. Steps of the State Capitol. Bridle. (The trail) connects state and county parks, national forests, nature preserves, wildlife management areas, Revolutionary War battlefields, Native American paths, urban to rural, swamps to mountains, maritime to sandhills to piedmont, and much more…"

Well, what are you waiting for? You've got 350 miles to go!!!