ACE Basin, 6th wonder of SC

As correspondent to the South Carolina 7 Wonders expedition we spent a month exploring the state, our last week of July in the Edisto River area and ACE Basin, the 6^th Wonder of South Carolina. Want to know more about this ecologically unique area that checks all the boxes for a fantastic weekend in the Lowcountry? Keep reading to find out what the ACE Basin is, and how best to see it!

ACE Basin? What’s that?

Three rivers – the Ashepoo, the Combahee and the Edisto (ACE) – come together at St. Helena Sound in South Carolina’s Lowcountry to form a rich estuary. This 350,000-acre ACE Basin watershed contains one of the largest areas of undeveloped wetlands/uplands ecosystems remaining on the Atlantic Coast, and features a remarkable interlocking web of ecosystems including forested uplands, wetlands, tidal marshes, barrier islands, and peatlands. According to The Nature Conservancy, it supports 33 types of natural plant communities and provides critical habitat for waterfowl, migratory birds and endangered species. In 2014, National Geographic featured the ACE Basin as its cover story, and The Nature Conservancy has declared the area “one of the last great places.”

Egret and roseate spoonbill

From the early 1700s to mid-1800s, much of the ACE Basin was home to large plantations that primarily grew rice. In the late 1800s many of these plantations were purchased by wealthy sportsmen as hunting retreats, who managed the former rice fields and adjacent upland estates for a wide range of wildlife – ensuring that the region remained relatively undeveloped.

Sounds cool! But how can we see it?

The principal road through the ACE Basin is U.S. Highway 17, the ACE Basin Parkway, which skirts the north end of the protected areas connecting Charleston to Yemassee. Small communities within ACE Basin include Bennetts Point, Green Pond, Jacksonboro, Wiggins and Willtown Bluff. There are numerous access points to the public lands of the ACE Basin including 23 boat landings, allowing visitors opportunities to experience it by land and by water!

Edisto Learning Center & Edisto Beach State Park

Edisto Spanish Mount Shell Midden

A good place to start is at Edisto Beach State Park. The park’s environmental education center is a “green” building with exhibits that highlight the natural history of Edisto Island and the surrounding ACE Basin. One of four oceanfront state parks in South Carolina, it features trails for hiking and biking in addition to the 1.5 miles of beach renowned for its shelling.

Edisto Beach State Park is also an excellent home base for additional ACE Basin explorations; if camping or staying at a cabin there, you are within an easy drive of the Edisto River side of the region including ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge and Botany Bay!

View from Dawhoo Bridge boat ramp

ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge

Driving north from Edisto Beach there is a boat ramp at the Dawhoo Bridge that offers westerly views (great for sunset viewing!) over the salt marsh and towards Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge. At just under 12,000 acres, the Refuge is key in protecting the Edisto portion of the estuary. In addition, the Refuge office is a former rice plantation house that was built in 1828, one of only a few antebellum mansions that survived the civil war in the area; today it is protected on the National Register of Historical Places.

While the Grove Plantation House is temporarily closed to visitors, all Refuge grounds remain open to a variety of recreational activities such as hunting (in season), picnicking, hiking, fresh and saltwater fishing, canoeing, wildlife watching, photography and environmental education. Special events and programs are held throughout the year for visitors to learn more about the ACE Basin and National Wildlife Refuges; see the Fish & Wildlife Service website.

ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge

Botany Bay

The 3,363 acre Botany Bay Plantation Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located in the northeast corner of Edisto Island, and is important to numerous wildlife species including the federally-threatened loggerhead sea turtle and the state-threatened least tern. Cultural sites including the Fig Island Shell Rings, outbuildings from Bleak Hall Plantation and elements of the Alexander Bache U.S. Coast Survey Line – all listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The causeway to the beach is wheel chair accessible, and the designated driving tour provides excellent viewing opportunities for the mobility impaired; for more information, please visit the SC DNR website.

Edisto River & State Parks

A great way to see the Edisto River is from kayak or canoe. For more on the Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail, Edisto River Adventures tubing, and the two SC State Parks that provide access to the Edisto (Givhans Ferry and Colleton), see my article on the Edisto River and Givhans Ferry here. The blackwater river is the longest of its kind in North America, and is a favorite for cooling down on hot summer days.

Audubon's Beidler Forest

A portion of the headwaters of the Edisto River and ACE Basin is Four Holes Swamp, which visitors can experience through Audubon’s Beidler Forest. This 18,000-acre bird and wildlife sanctuary in the South Carolina Lowcountry is the world’s largest virgin cypress-tupelo swamp forest, home to thousand-year-old trees and a wide range of wildlife. It is a great place to visit for families, as the entire 1.75-mile trail is a boardwalk: easy to follow, and provides safe viewing of wildlife without getting muddy or wet. 

Ravenel Caw Caw Interpretive Center

This nature center has over six miles of walking trails that wind through its diverse habitats, with interpretive exhibits, displays, and an assortment of programs. Boardwalks take visitors through the wetlands and rice fields dating to the eighteenth century. Caw Caw is a birding hotspot for coastal SC, but is also important historically: it’s one of the important sites of the Stono Rebellion, a Member of the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program, and features thousands of naturalized tea plants from a 20th century tea farm.

Caw Caw Interpretive Center

On your visit you can expect to see American alligators, swallow-tailed kites, and bald eagles! Admission is $2/person, for more information see the Charleston County Parks website. 

Bear Island Game Management Area

It was a hot day in July when we found ourselves turning off Highway 17 towards Bennetts Point a few weeks ago. Much like many of the destinations on this side of Charleston – Edisto Beach, Hunting Island, Hilton Head – there is a significant drive from the main highway to reach the ocean. Over the next 15 miles we wound our way along live oak-shaded lanes, the giants draped in Spanish moss functioning almost as curtains to the lands beyond. After crossing the Ashepoo River we entered Bear Island Game Management Area, home to countless waterfowl and protected species such as wood storks and bald eagles. The miles of dikes on Bear Island provide plenty of wildlife-viewing, hiking, biking and hunting opportunities.

ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve

Soon after passing Bear Island we arrived at the Michael D. McKenzie Field Station. Headquarters for the ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), the field station serves as a community hub for coastal science, education and collaboration. The NERR encompasses nearly 100,000 acres of ACE Basin, and is managed in a joint effort by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SC DNR) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). Adjacent Mosquito Creek was living up to its name, but luckily we were able to escape the insects by boarding a boat and heading out on the Ashepoo River as part of the South Carolina 7 expedition.

NERR, photo credit Charlie Whitney

Viewing the ACE Basin from the water is an excellent way to not only get away from the bugs, but also to get a feel for the enormity of coastline and estuary protected by the NERR and other entities.  There are numerous science, education and training programs operated by the SC DNR out of the field station including ones off and on the water; the facility contains offices, wet/dry labs, a conference room and an outdoor classroom, while science related school groups and naturalists visit the field station for a variety of educational outdoor activities. For more on the programs and workshops offered, please visit the ACE Basin NERR website. Our boat tour with the SC7 team included an orientation to the ACE Basin watershed, and contained a look at the oyster reefs, plenty of wildlife-viewing, and discussions of salt marsh and estuarine diversity. For those wishing to tour the ACE Basin by boat, but looking for an option other than the NERR, a number of outfitters in Charleston, Beaufort and Colleton counties offer guided kayaking trips on the three rivers, as well as tours for those who prefer to enjoy the scenery from the comfort of a motorboat.

Islands only accessible by boat!

If traveling by water in the area, you more than likely will pass through or near the St. Helena Sound Heritage Preserve, a collection of coastal and barrier islands only accessible by boat. Otter Island is part of this Heritage Preserve, and receives special protection because of its significance for rare plants, threatened and endangered species, and as an historic site. With developed islands to the north (Edisto) and to the south (Harbor, Fripp and Hunting), Otter Island is the only spot where wildlife species can rest, feed and reproduce without development pressures for a long stretch of coastline. Another barrier island only accessible by boat but providing ample wildlife viewing is South Fenwick Island.

Loggerhead sea turtle nesting area

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area

Heading back out from Bennetts Point you’ ll pass the 8,000-acre Donnelley Wildlife Management Area just as you reach ACE Basin Parkway (Highway 17). The nature trails here offer birdwatching, hiking, biking, riding and hunting opportunities; check the website for seasonal closure information, as the WMA is closed during certain hunt periods. 

When should we visit?

As anyone who has spent time in the Lowcountry knows, each season down near the coast comes with advantages and hindrances. Summer days can be hot and buggy, especially in the marsh, however a hot August day might just be perfect for tubing the Edisto or enjoying the ocean surf. Spring and fall offer excellent birdwatching, cooler temperatures and fewer bugs, but some areas might see closures for hunt seasons. And while winter might mean you have the trail/boardwalk to yourself, it also brings cold & unpredictable weather… As with any trip, planning ahead can really pay off in terms of knowing what to expect and what adjustments might have to be made. Our year-round basics include protection against the weather & insects, water and snacks, and comfortable clothes & footwear.

But snakes, alligators and spiders?!

Before we took our boys tubing on the Edisto, I asked how often they see alligators on that stretch of the river – the answer was never. However if you are kayaking the Four Holes Swamp, chances are you might see one or two. In any case, the key is to follow the basic guidelines as you would with all animals - keep your distance, and don’t feed or harass the wildlife. For our family, the fear of encountering the animals that get all the bad press has slowly turned to hopes of catching a glimpse of one of them: a gator from a causeway as we head out to one of the barrier islands, a snake from the safety of the boardwalk at Francis Beidler Forest, or a shark feeding out beyond the break as we sit safely on the shore of Edisto Beach. Know what to do in case you come across a venomous snake, and know how to tell the difference between the ones that can hurt you and the harmless ones that help keep the rodent population in check. And finally, stay on the trail, be mindful of where you are stepping, and exercise caution when out in the wilderness; animals are a part of the outdoor experience, and will add so much to your ACE Basin adventure!

Something for everyone!

More than 130,000 acres of land have been protected through public/private partnerships in the heart of the ACE Basin, qualifying it as one of the most acclaimed freshwater natural areas found on the East Coast. It is open to hiking, biking, boating, driving, riding, diving, viewing, tasting (we enjoy stopping at local stands for fresh produce and seafood – but that’s a whole other post!)… Each time we visit, we discover another thing we love about the area, and I hope this article has inspired you to visit the ACE Basin and find something of your own to love. Happy adventuring!

Four Holes Swamp, Beidler Forest

For more on the ACE Basin, check out The Nature Conservancy page. 

This article first appeared on Kidding Around Greenville in conjunction with the South Carolina 7 Expedition as Here’s How to See Amazing Wildlife and Plants in South Carolina’s ACE Basin.

Givhans Ferry State Park & the Edisto River

 As correspondent to the South Carolina 7 Wonders expedition for family website Kidding Around Greenville, our family had the opportunity to explore the Lowcountry, including the Edisto River area and Givhans Ferry State Park. What we found is that not only is the Edisto deserving of the title 5^th Wonder of South Carolina, but together with the surrounding area makes a unique destination for a family weekend in the Lowcountry!

Edisto slough

The Edisto River is the longest, free-flowing, blackwater river in North America, the water appearing tea-like from the tannins released by decaying vegetation. Blackwater rivers such as the Edisto are typically slow-moving waterways that flow through forests, swamps, or wetlands. From the spring-fed headwaters in the central Sandhills, the Edisto flows through the heart of old-growth stands of tupelo-cypress forests to the rich estuary of the ACE Basin.

Edisto River’s name originated from the word edisto, a Native American term that means “black.” It was most likely named as such by the Edisto Tribe, a member of the Cusabo family of tribes that lived along the river in present-day Edisto Island and surrounding Charleston and Colleton counties. This tribe disappeared from the area in the early 1700s as a result of disease and warfare, however, the Kusso-Natchez Tribe adopted Edisto Indian Organization as their new name in the 1960s in honor of their ancestral settlements along the river in present-day Dorchester and Colleton counties, and communities of their descendants live there today.

Paddle the Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail

There are many ways to experience the Edisto, but one of the best ways to explore it is from the water: by kayak, canoe or tube. The Edisto is a paddler’s paradise, with 62 of its 250 miles officially part of the Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail (ERCKT), and among a multitude of public and private camping and access points to the ERCKT are two state parks, Colleton and Givhans Ferry. Both offer camping & picnicking sites and have convenient launch sites for an Edisto paddle – it is 23 miles from one park to the other via the river.

Givhans Ferry Canoe launch

For maps, river access points and more information, check out the ERCKT website.

Go fishing, hiking or tubing at Givhans Ferry State Park

Givhans Ferry State Park is one of 16 SC State Parks built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, including its 4 cabins and Riverfront Hall on a bluff overlooking the river. It is the closest park to Charleston with overnight facilities, and also has 25 full-service campsites and 2 picnic shelters. Both Givhans Ferry and Colleton participate in the SC Dept. of Natural Resources sponsored Tackle Loaner Program, with rods and reels available for loan at the park office. With a valid SC fishing license, your family can fish the Edisto for flathead, catfish, bass and eel.

The Park also offers hiking, with the 1.5-mile River Bluff Nature Trail boasting scenic views and opportunities to birdwatch, bike and geocache. It is a very short walk down to the kayak launch, where there is a small beach area and riverfront. Although there are no lifeguards on duty, the Edisto access is very popular with families looking to cool off during the hot summer months. For admission information, please visit the SC State Parks website.

A favorite Givhans Ferry activity is tubing with Edisto River Adventures. After launching from the kayak launch, you’ll float the two miles to the Edisto River Adventures take-out where you can play a game of sand volleyball or cornhole, picnic, and utilize the changing rooms before the drive home. For more information and pricing, please visit the Edisto River Adventures website.

Discover the wildlife of Audubon Beidler Forest

Another great way to experience the area is with a visit to Francis Beidler Forest, the 18,000-acre bird and wildlife sanctuary in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Beidler is the world’s largest virgin cypress-tupelo swamp forest, home to thousand-year-old trees and a wide range of wildlife. It is a great place to visit for families, as the entire 1.75-mile trail is a boardwalk: easy to follow, and provides safe viewing of wildlife without getting muddy or wet. On our recent visit we saw numerous lizards and snakes, as well as birds of all sizes, even in the heat of a summer afternoon!

Tickets are required for boardwalk admission, and the Center’s hours are currently limited; please visit the website for more information. The second Saturday of every month is free admission, or if unable to register for a walk on the boardwalk, there is the new Grasslands-Woodland Trails near the entrance to the center instead that doesn’t require tickets. You can follow Beidler on Instagram and Facebook for a virtual look at the Sanctuary and the animals that call it home!

For the adventurous kayaking the ERCK Trail to Givhans Ferry, a short side trip will take you to the confluence of the Edisto River and Four Holes Swamp in Beidler Forest; keep your eyes open for wild turkey, beaver, kingfisher, great blue heron and egrets along the way!

An uncertain future

In 2014 the South Fork of the Edisto appeared in America’s Most Endangered Rivers report, and the year after that Edisto was added as well. As the state’s most heavily used river for irrigation, excessive water withdrawals continue to be a major threat; lower water levels allow sunlight to penetrate further into the water, allowing for more vegetation in the water as well as algae blooms, as well as causes salt water to encroach higher upstream.

Together with the Ashepoo and Combahee Rivers, the Edisto is part of the ACE Basin. More than 130,000 acres of land have been protected through public/private partnerships in the heart of the ACE Basin, and organizations such as American Rivers continue to work to provide sustainable water supplies for all, while supporting river health and recreation on the Edisto and neighboring rivers.

The South Carolina State Parks such as Givhans Ferry and Colleton are excellent places for us to learn more about these unique ecosystems of South Carolina, including the black waters of the Edisto. It is easier to protect the places that we know and love, and the opportunity to get our families outside and to be active in these beautiful places is a blessing. I hope you’ll enjoy discovering the beauty of this area of South Carolina as much as our family has!

Have you ever been swimming in a blackwater river? Please let us know what your family’ s favorite place to visit on the Edisto River is!

This post first appeared on Kidding Around Greenville in conjunction with the South Carolina 7 Expedition as Givhans Ferry State Park & the Edisto River: Things to do at the 5th Wonder of SC.

Historic Newberry, a "most charming small town"

Newberry was recently named one of the "Most Charming Small Towns in America" by Travel Channel, as well as chosen as Day 14 of the South Carolina 7 expedition. As the Kidding Around Greenville SC7 correspondent, I joined the team on the trail to see what all the press is about!

At the very heart of downtown is the Newberry Opera House. Completed in 1882, the Opera House was designed as a place of entertainment for locals and as a seat of government for the city – including a fire engine room and three jail cells! Silent pictures were slowly replaced by movies, and in the 1920s it was renovated as a movie theater. But in 1952 the movie theater closed, and there was even talk of tearing it down; luckily the Newberry Historical Society stepped in, and in 1970 the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. After extensive renovations the Newberry Opera House was reopened for performances in 1998.

Newberry Opera House

However, in 2010 downtown Newberry was struggling in the wake of the large national recession. When the City took steps to begin a revitalization of downtown, to make it more pedestrian friendly and welcoming to visitors, the Opera remained at the center of it all. The location between the Greenville-Spartanburg corridor and Columbia makes it one of only a few venues in the Midlands/Piedmont, and musicians coming from Charleston often take the opportunity to get in one more show before heading north/west. Newberry has really capitalized on the unique location in regards to the arts, and today is a vibrant, old-fashioned town center that is a centerpiece for the community.

The Travel Channel praised Newberry as “a college town with lots of extras: lovely architecture, a historic Opera House, a winery where rocking chairs beckon from a big porch and world-class dining and drinking experiences. Nicknamed the ‘City of Friendly Folks,’ it’s been called one of the 100 best small towns in America.” The accolades are well-deserved, and Newberry has something for everyone… even for a cross-state expedition!

The Palmetto Trail

The South Carolina 7 Expedition has been using the Palmetto Trail as a backbone to its explorations, and on a sunny summer day I found myself “hiking” the Newberry Passage along with Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, Pamela Evette, and Mayor of Newberry, Foster Senn. Our urban hike took us into the very heart of Newberry, passing Newberry College, established in 1856, past several ornate homes built 1880-1915, then right up to Main Street. We passed the old Coca-Cola bottling plant (turned indoor shooting range, turned law office), and City Hall.

The Newberry Passage is a 10-mile section of trail, with approximately 4 of those miles within city limits. Be warned that there is little shade, and most of the section is along busy roads. However, I found the 3-4 miles within city limits to be interesting, with the historic houses, an old cemetery, and of course the renovated Main Street with shops, cafes, bars and ice cream parlors.

Another Newberry treasure is a second passage of the Palmetto Trail, Lynch’s Woods. In direct contrast with the urban Newberry Passage, Lynch’s Woods is a relaxing 5-mile loop hike through a beautiful park full of old growth trees. Lynch’s Woods Park was created in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and today the 276-acre park features trails for mountain bikers, hikers, and equestrians.

Plenty to do with families!

We stopped in the Old Court House, completed in 1853, to get a map and a few brochures – the historic building now houses the chamber of commerce. There, they directed us to the Newberry Museum, housed in the 1911 Federal Building and United States Post Office. The museum offers permanent and rotating exhibitions about the history of the county as well as surrounding municipalities. For a calendar of exhibits, please visit their website.

The Newberry Museum

Only a few blocks from the museum is the Newberry Arts Center. Through the windows we could see children busy creating as part of the NAC Youth Summer Camp, and the Art Center store was full of hand-made pieces by local artisans. The Arts Center also sponsors Rec Mobile Friday Art in the Park, a free, traveling activity with a local artist occurring the 6 weeks of summer. Art programs are offered year-round; more information can be found on their website.

I was pleasantly surprised that Newberry has a Japanese Garden, tucked away and just waiting to be discovered. We were a little disappointed that the garden was closed, as it is currently undergoing construction, but the chamber of commerce assured me it should be open within a month. The Wells Japanese Garden is a Newberry landmark that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. For more on the garden, please visit the Newberry website.

Newberry Community Center

Newberry hosts many events through the year, including Oktoberfest on the first Saturday in October, a pumpkin painting party in late October, and Main Street Lights in late November; all in the charming setting of Memorial Park, opposite the Opera House. Originally the parking area for horses and carriages, on our recent visit it was transformed into an exuberant welcome to the SC7 expedition, tables set up in the shade of the enormous trees where we ate our fill of barbecue and ice cream while listening to a DJ play music. Just around the corner the Newberry Police Dept. had set up a bike rodeo, for young cyclists to test their knowledge of road signs and their skill at navigating an obstacle course. To top it off, the Opera House hosted the green carpet premier of the SC7 documentary “Higher Ground,” and we were able to see the ornate interior of the grand building. Yes, Newberry can also throw a party!

Shopping and restaurants

On our wanders through downtown we saw several intriguing antique stores, including one advertising “World Famous, as seen on American Pickers.” An antique bookstore, art galleries, clothing and jewelry stores round out the shopping experience – we could easily have spent a morning wandering the shops. Don’t forget the Art Center store when looking for that souvenir!

We had lunch and ice cream at family-friendly Laila’s Place, and cultural icon “Zesto’s” was on the Newberry Passage on the way into town. Several fine dining establishments catered to the Opera House crowd, and the Figaro Market was stocked full of local products and tantalizing eats.

Figaro Market

Lodging options include several of the big chains, although there are a few bed & breakfast type options in the vicinity.

Nearby attractions

Just to the south is the popular Peak to Prosperity Passage of the Palmetto Trail, great for biking and hiking, and known for the converted rail bridge that now allows pedestrians to traverse the Broad River.

Less than an hour away is Lake Murray, with all sorts of recreational opportunities. This time of year we go to see the purple martins on their way south; the thousands of birds all coming in to roost on Bomb Island at dusk is a sight to see! (For more on how to see the purple martins, please see my post The Purple Martins of Lake Murray)

 

That evening the lights were dimmed in the grand Opera House, and after Governor Henry McMaster gave a welcome speech, the lights were dimmed to the premier of “Higher Ground.” We sank into our plush, red velvet chairs, and took it all in: the historical, the hiking, the small-town, the culture…. Yes, indeed, Newberry is one of the best small towns in America! 

This post originally appeared on Kidding Around Greenville in conjunction with the South Carolina 7 Expedition as Historic Newberry, SC: “Most Charming Small Town.”

Blackstock Battlefield

One of the benefits of living in South Carolina is the chance to bring history to life by visiting the hundreds of historical sites across the state. We’ve visited Musgrove Mill State Historic Site many times, as it covers all the bases for my kids: Revolutionary War battlefield to explore, Tyger River trail to hike, and Horseshoe Falls to cool down in. But did you know Musgrove Mill manages a second battlefield? Located only 7 miles to the north, Blackstock Battlefield preserves the site of the Revolutionary War battle where infamous British Lt. Col. Tarleton was foiled in his attempt to defeat Patriot Brig. Gen. Sumter in 1780. We recently received a tour of Blackstock Battlefield during the South Carolina 7 Wonders Expedition, and wanted to share with you more on this little-known historic site just 40 minutes from Spartanburg!

Boys taking in the view over Blackstock Battlefield

Revolutionary War Action

Some months after the Battle at Kings Mountain, Sumter had gathered troops in preparation to attack the British post at Ninety Six. The British summoned Tarleton from his pursuit of the “Swamp Fox” Marion down near the coast to intercept Sumter, and the British Lt. Col. managed to secretly cross the Broad with his feared Dragoons before a defector informed Sumter he was being pursued. Sumter chose to make a stand at Blackstock’s Plantation on the Tyger river as Tarleton raced towards his position with his cavalry and mounted infantry.

When the British caught up with Sumter, they were at a disadvantage; they had gotten ahead of their infantry and artillery in hopes of catching Sumter unawares, and instead were themselves caught in the open under heavy fire from the high ground. After suffering heavy losses and regrouping, Tarleton retreated to join his infantry and artillery – but without half of his men, who had been lost in the battle. Sumter was badly wounded, and was evacuated overnight. Tarleton pursued the Patriots for two more days, and although he claimed a victory for dispersing Sumter’s militia, it was a costly defeat for the British in that they lost numerous officers, horses, and equipment. The Battle of Blackstock’s was a precursor to the action later at Cowpens.

Historical map of battlefield, courtesy of South Carolina State Parks

On Your Visit

Directions: From Exit 44 on I-26, go east on SC Hwy 49 about 5.5 miles to the Blackstock’s Historical Marker. Turn left onto Blackstock’s Road, then go about 1.2 miles and turn right onto Monument Road. Continue until the pavement ends, and park in the parking area before the gate.

For the best vantage point of the battlefield, continue up the gravel road to Monument Hill. Standing with your back to the monument, Blackstock’s Ford of the Tyger River is down the hill to the right. The open meadow was much larger when the Blackstock family lived there, and the British would have come charging up the hill to meet the forces lined up along the top. On the far end of the meadow was where the house and barn were located.  

Take a Hike

The parking area is also the trailhead for the Blackstock Battlefield Passage of the Palmetto Trail. This 1.6-mile loop descends to the Tyger River, and then follows the river for about ½ mile before climbing up to the battlefield. Skirting the edge of the open field, the trail re-enters the woods and returns to the parking area.

The SC Park Service asks that you remain on signed roads & trails while visiting the battlefield, going off trail can be hazardous, especially to children, as there are many deep holes from when the area was logged and the stumps were buried. On our visit we also saw fire ants, bees, and snakes. Highlights included seeing an eastern box turtle, taking in the view from Monument Hill, and experiencing another piece of the Revolutionary War puzzle that we have been piecing together during our southeastern travels.

Eastern box turtle

Things to do near Blackstock Battlefield

After hiking the Palmetto Trail Passage, my kiddos were more than happy to make the 15-minute drive to Horseshoe Falls, a small waterfall on a tributary of the Enoree River that is located in Musgrove Mill State Historic Site off Battlefield Trail. Just across the Enoree is the main portion of the State Park, including a Visitor Center and British Camp Trail. A little farther to the east is another State Historic Site, Rose Hill.

Just to the southeast is the Enoree Ranger District of Sumter National Forest. In addition to camping, cycling, OHV, fishing, horseback riding and hunting, the Enoree is home to the Enoree Passage of the Palmetto Trail, with 36 continuous miles of trail linking Newberry, Laurens, and Union counties.

If you are headed back north towards Spartanburg on your way home, you will pass near Glenn Springs, a small community with a lot of history, as well as by Croft State Park. 

Additional links:

• Sumter National Forest recreation opportunities: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/scnfs/recreation/hunting/recarea/?recid=47225&actid=54
• Blackstock Battlefield Passage of the Palmetto Trail: Blackstock Battlefield Passage – Palmetto Conservation Foundation
• Blackstock Battlefield - South Carolina | AllTrails

Blackstock Battlefield is open 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily. Please see Musgrove Mill State Historic Site website for more information. Admission to Musgrove Mill is $3 adults; $1.50 SC seniors; $1 children age 6-15; age 5 & younger free. 

This post originally appeared on Kidding Around Greenville in conjunction with the South Carolina 7 Expedition as Explore Revolutionary War History With a Hike Through Blackstock Battlefield in Enoree, SC.

Historic Glenn Springs

The country roads in the Upstate hold all sorts of secrets: old battlefields, Native American sites, drive-up movie theaters and quirky stores... Americana from a by-gone era, and modern-day wayside stops. On our recent hike with the South Carolina 7 Expedition we found ourselves in Glenn Springs, SC, an unincorporated community in Spartanburg County, and what we discovered there was a lot of history for such a little place!

Glenn Springs historic marker

The mineral springs

Not far from present-day Pauline, SC, there is a spring. The waters from this spring are said to have healing properties, and for over one hundred years were visited by people who came to enjoy their waters. According to the Glenn Springs Preservation Society, it was a Cherokee medicine man that discovered the mineral properties of the spring. Later, legend has it that soldiers returning from the Revolutionary War with various skin ailments came to the spring for its healing powers after finding that the minerals in the mud cleared up their health issues. Even George Washington was said to have stopped there to try the waters on a trip to neighboring Georgia. Recent water analysis shows calcium, sulphur and magnesium compounds, lending credence to the idea that the water had special properties.

Glenn Springs Mineral Water label photo, courtesy of Glenn Springs Preservation Society

In the late 18th century, the springs and the land around them were granted to a Henry Storey by the king, and then in 1825, John B. Glenn bought the land and opened an inn. The inn was so popular that ten years later a large hotel was built, one that quickly gained a reputation for elegance and comfort – and of course the water. A bottling facility was constructed, and at one point a railroad connected the inn to Roebuck, SC.

J W Bell owned Glen Springs from the 1930s until 1970. When the hotel burned down in the 1940s, it was never rebuilt, but the J W Bell Company in Spartanburg kept bottling the spring water in gallon glass bottles, 12,00-15,000 cases a year being shipped throughout the US and Europe until the Great Depression.

Glenn Springs Hotel photo, courtesy of Glenn Springs Preservation Society

Today

While you will not find a bottling plant or fancy hotel, the Glenn Springs Historic District and Williams Place are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If your family is interested in visiting, here is what you need to know!

Your first stop should be the Old Stone Church (3700 Glenn Springs Road). Built in 1908, the property was built by the Glenn Springs Preservation Society in 2013, the old stone church is now an event and community center. The neighboring wooden building was originally the Cates Store, used as a Sunday school building until 1961. The wooden kiosk at the site has plenty of information on the area, as well as driving tour brochures that feature 23 historic structures, most on the National Register of Historic Places.

Kiosk at Old Stone Church

Take the driving tour

The brochure features a list of the Glenn Springs sights, including whether it is still standing, the address, and if it is on the National Register of Historic Places. The hotel was located near the Old Stone Church site, as is the spring – the entrance to the original springs and the bottling plant was off what is current-day Boys Home Road, across from the Episcopal Cemetery. Also on the tour is the Browning Home, which was haunted by resident ghost “Willie” who would knock over floor lamps and turn on radios until he was asked to leave in 1992. Nearby Camp Hill got its name after British Army Major Patrick Ferguson and his loyalist militia camped on the site in 1780, prior to their defeat by Patriots at the battle of Kings Mountain, and today features a Greek Revival style house built in the 1830s. The Storey Cabin, built by Henry Storey after he obtained the land grant from King George III in the 1750s, is located near a second spring (that feeds Storey Creek) and is still owned by the Storey family. The Old Jail House could hold two people, and was once a stage coach stop before being used for storage, and the Glenn Springs Post Office (and saddler’s shop) has been restored and moved to the very center of historic Glenn Springs.

Glenn Springs Historic Post Office

Go on a hike

The Post Office can be accessed from a parking lot at 3670 Glenn Springs Road. This is the parking area for the Glenn Springs Passage of the Palmetto Trail, which connects Croft State Park to Stagecoach Road. The Passage is unique in that it traverses mostly private property, in contrast to most of the Palmetto Trail which is located on state and federal public lands. From the parking area, follow the connector trail behind the kiosk for a third of a mile to reach the Palmetto Trail. From this point it is a little over 3 miles north to Croft Park, or 4 miles south to Stagecoach Road.

For more information on parking and the trail, please visit the Palmetto Trail Glenn Springs Passage page. We found the hike to be easy to moderate, though it did involve walking along roadsides for short distances, not ideal for children. Mountain bikes are allowed on most of the trail, and there is a bypass for the section that doesn’t. Highlights for us were the farm animals we saw (chickens, goats) on the farm next to the trail on the south end of the Passage, historic Glenn Springs, and Mineral & Storey Branch creeks.

Glenn Springs passage trailhead

Nearby things to do:

Glenn Springs provides a great stop during a day of exploration in Spartanburg County. Old Stone Church could be a great picnic spot, while the driving tour offers an opportunity to rest after a hike. A short drive away are several other attractions:

• Walnut Grove Plantation is just 15 minutes away in Roebuck. In addition to the home and outlying buildings, visitors can also view the property’s cemetery and walk a nature trail, or enjoy a picnic at the pavilion. Walnut Grove Plantation recounts how free and enslaved people settled the South Carolina Backcountry, fought for independence, and built a new nation. 
• Once an army training base, Croft State Park covers more than 7,000 acres of rolling, wooded terrain just a few miles from downtown Spartanburg. The Park offers over 20 miles of biking and hiking trails, a playground, picnicking and camping, as well as fishing and boating in one of two lakes.
• 20 minutes north of Glenn Springs is Glendale Shoals Preserve, featuring a 1928 pedestrian bridge, trails, mill ruins and gardens.

Goats as seen from the trail

This post was originally published on Kidding Around Greenville in conjunction with the South Carolina 7 Expedition as Hike and Explore Historic Glenn Springs, SC.