From the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the sandy shores of the Atlantic Ocean, South Carolina presents all kinds of pure landscapes. For many years, the state has prioritized safeguarding these areas to allow them to be loved effectively into the longer term.
Most just lately, South Carolina officers have introduced that the plans for its first new state park in 20 years are transferring ahead – and residents are over the moon. Right here’s what’s deliberate for the undertaking and when guests can anticipate to see it open.
South Carolina Is Opening Its First New State Park In Two Many years
In a press release last week, the Open House Institute (OSI) introduced that South Carolina is getting ready to open Black River State Park in 2026 – the state’s first new park in 20 years. The undertaking, launched in 2021, is a collaboration between the OSI, the South Carolina Division of Parks, Recreation & Tourism (SCPRT), and the College of South Carolina’s Nationwide Estuarine Analysis Reserve (NERR) Program.
In a latest growth, the OSI has bought the 330-acre “Brown’s Ferry” property in Georgetown County, located just over an hour from South Carolina’s Florida Everglades lookalike. The location, which is able to quickly be added to the park, consists of two miles of riverfront, 150 acres of upland areas for recreation, and 180 acres of bottomland hardwoods that may stay protected. An extra 850 acres, often called the Mingo and Chilly Creek tracts, have additionally been transferred to SCPRT with the assistance of $1.5 million in federal funding.
“It’s thrilling to guide SCPRT as Black River State Park develops. Will probably be a jewel in our state park community, creating new public entry to this distinctive river, defending distinctive and fragile ecosystems, and giving guests new causes to discover Georgetown and Williamsburg Counties,” mentioned Pleasure Raintree, Director, SCPRT.
Collectively, these additions cowl greater than 5 miles of shoreline, offering expanded alternatives for paddling, climbing, and minimal-impact tenting sooner or later.
How Black River Differs From Current Park Openings
South Carolina launched May Forest State Park in 2023, however the website is at present restricted to weekday, daytime use and doesn’t but embody the facilities vacationers typically affiliate with a conventional state park. With no tenting or in a single day services and solely a handful of leisure choices, it stays in an early “comfortable open” stage whereas future growth continues to be being deliberate. Ramsey Grove State Park, set to open in 2025, will even function on an analogous day-use foundation with restricted services.
Black River State Park, however, is being constructed from the beginning as a totally geared up vacation spot. The park will supply the services, actions, and customer entry sometimes present in a state park.
Locals Say They’re Excited About The Prospect Of A New State Park In South Carolina
Reactions to a WCIV ABC News 4 Facebook post concerning the new state park had been overwhelmingly optimistic. Many individuals mentioned they had been glad to see South Carolina taking steps to guard its pure areas, whereas others wished their very own counties may see related tasks. One commenter took a extra humorous but optimistic strategy to the information.
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They wrote: |
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“So elated to see the preservation of our pure sources and tradition!” |
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“We want one in Berkeley County!!!!” |
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“South Carolina is lastly doing one thing proper? Stunning.” |
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“AWESOME SOUTH CAROLINA” |
On Reddit, one consumer expressed related enthusiasm but additionally raised a sensible concern. With a number of new state parks deliberate, they questioned whether or not the state would have sufficient sources to function all of them successfully:
“That is one in all seven new state parks coming on-line: Could Forest, Pine Island, Black River, Misty Lake, Dearborn Island, Ramsey Grove, Winyah Bay. I hope the park service has the sources to handle them,” wrote Better-Temporary-146.
Whereas there’s loads of enthusiasm for the brand new Black River State Park and different future tasks, solely time will inform how easily they unfold.
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