A rose garden and riverside walk on the North Edisto River in Orangeburg. 175 acres of gardens, walking paths, and river views. Free admission. Best in spring when the roses bloom.
The only national park in South Carolina. A 2.4-mile elevated boardwalk through the largest old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the Southeast. Fully wheelchair accessible.
30 acres of botanical gardens and nature trails along Black Creek in Hartsville. Mountain laurel and kalmia bloom in spring. Free admission. Managed by Coker University.
Two of the most extraordinary natural experiences in South Carolina, 45 minutes apart. Angel Oak is a 400-500 year old live oak with a canopy that covers 17,000 square feet. Botany Bay is a ghost forest boneyard beach unlike anything else on the East Coast.
A large county park in North Charleston with paved trails, a water park, fishing, and a dog park. The best urban outdoor recreation option in the North Charleston area.
Mary Black Rail Trail & Cottonwood Trail, Spartanburg
Up to 5 miles
1-2 hours
Spartanburg’s urban trail network on a converted railroad corridor. Flat, paved, and welcoming to strollers, wheelchairs, bikes, and joggers. A legitimate outdoor option in the heart of the city.
A 1,400-acre state park on the edge of Columbia with a lake, hiking trails, and a mountain bike trail. The best accessible outdoor recreation closest to the state capital.
295 acres on the Clemson University campus, free to visit. Cultivated display gardens, a geology museum, nature trails through Piedmont forest, and a stream corridor beautiful year-round.
The most haunting ruins in South Carolina. A Greek Revival church burned by the British in 1779 and again by Sherman in 1865. Massive tabby columns standing in a field of Spanish moss. Free to visit.
Paved riverfront trail along the Congaree River through Cayce and West Columbia. Flat, scenic, and accessible. Sunset views of the Columbia skyline from the river are among the best in the city.
