State Parks are a wonderful way to explore the beauty of a state, and South Carolina State Parks do not disappoint. With more than 90,000 acres of protected lands, including beautiful forested mountains, sandy beaches, blackwater rivers, towering waterfalls, idyllic marshes, and scenic inland lakes, South Carolina has remarkably diverse landscapes, and the state parks offer a chance for visitors to explore them all!
10 Charles Towne Landing State Park
Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site sits just 15 minutes outside downtown Charleston on the Ashley River and is famous for being the first permanent European settlement in South Carolina when English settlers landed in 1670. Today, Charles Towne Landing gives visitors a history of the earliest colonial history of Charleston, including a 17th-century replica sailing ship. There is also a small natural habitat zoo where visitors can see otters, bears, and bison, making it a perfect escape from the city.
9 Goodale State Park
Just 40 miles out of the capital city Columbia and close to the small town of Camden is Goodale State Park. With its 140-acre lake full of bass, bream, and catfish, it is a perfect spot for a day of fishing and picnicking while spotting wildlife like kingfishers, osprey, and occasionally bald eagles. But the real gem of the park is a little-known kayaking trail off of the lake, which winds for 3 miles through cypress trees and aquatic plants.
8 Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site
Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site is a great place to learn more about some of the key events in South Carolina's tumultuous history. Back in 1860, Rose Hill had as many as 178 enslaved people living on the plantation, many of whom labored in agriculture or performed skilled trades. Today, visitors can take a guided tour of the plantation home, one of the best preserved in the South, to learn more about the stories of people who lived at Rose Hill, including William Henry Gist and his family, enslaved people, freedpeople, and tenant farmers. There is also a short hiking trail through the forest and down to the Tyger River.
7 Woods Bay State Park
Woods Bay State Park is a 1,590-acre park located in the coastal plains region of South Carolina. The park has a 1,150-foot boardwalk snaking through the cypress-tupelo swamp, where visitors may see alligators hiding amongst the reeds, as well as a nature trail that encircles the mill pond. For a unique perspective of the cypress-tupelo swamp, visitors can canoe down a 1-mile trail along Carolina Bay.
6 Aiken State Park
Aiken State Park is found in the Midlands, close to the small town of Aiken, and is another popular choice for kayaking and canoeing. The scenic 1.7-mile trail winds its way down the Edisto River and is one of the most idyllic of all the South Carolina paddling routes. There is also a 3-mile Jungle Trail and plenty of options for fishing and bird-watching throughout the park.
5 Table Rock State Park
Table Rock State Park is found in Pickens County, right at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is one of the most beautiful parks in all of South Carolina. Inside the park stands Pinnacle Mountain, the tallest mountain totally within the state, and visitors can hike to the top for spectacular views looking back toward Table Rock. There is also a hiking trail up Table Rock mountain, with majestic views over the glistening lake below. The park is also an access point for the 76-mile Foothills Trail, which connects several of the South Carolina State Parks. Whilst beautiful throughout the year, Table Rock State Park is magical in fall when the leaves change color.
4 Croft State Park
One of the largest parks in South Carolina is Croft State Park; with over 7000 acres of land, more than 20 miles of equestrian trails, and 50 campsites, it is hard to believe that it is only 5 miles from downtown Spartanburg. It was once an army training base and is now one of the most popular places for horseback riding. The park regularly hosts shows in its equestrian arena.
3 Devils Fork State Park
The shores of Lake Jocassee in upstate South Carolina are mostly undeveloped, and the only public access point to the lake is Devils Fork State Park. The huge lake is fed by four mountain streams and several waterfalls, making the water cooler than others across the state and, therefore, a great place for trout fishing, and the clean waters make it a wonderful spot for scuba divers and swimmers.
2 Caesars Head State Park
With more than 60 miles of trails to explore, Caesars Head State Park is one of the state's most spectacular. A short, easily-accessible walk takes visitors to one of the best mountain overlooks in the state, with views spanning Table Rock, North Carolina, and Georgia. Although beautiful all year round, the colors in fall make it truly breathtaking. The Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area is a 13,000-acre area of mountainous forest connecting Caesars Head to Jones Gap State Park and offers a plethora of hikes of various difficulty.
1 Hunting Island State Park
Hunting Island is South Carolina’s most popular state park, and it is not difficult to see why. With five miles of pristine beaches, a saltwater lagoon, scenic marshes, and acres of forest, Hunting Island State Park is a paradise. The park is home to the historic Hunting Island lighthouse, which visitors can climb for remarkable views over the South Carolina coastline. A particularly unique experience is to walk along the 0.2-mile Breach Trail down to the breach in the lagoon caused by Hurricanes Matthew and Irma. This incredible beach is covered in uprooted trees and branches, a remarkably beautiful insight into the destruction left behind in the wake of a hurricane.