South Carolina has a number of trails with minimal obstacles. Some are very easy and others are wheelchair accessible. Here are just a few of them.
These links were found through Internet search. I would love some first-hand information. With your help, we can share our knowledge with disabled people everywhere and also increase awareness of the need for more accessibility. Please e-mail me with your suggestions using the form in the sidebar.
Federal
State
Local
Private
Miscellaneous
Federal
Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
“Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of 47,850 acres…” “Numerous small creeks and tributaries, along with thirty man-made lakes and ponds and 1,200 acres of fields, support a diversity of habitats for wildlife.”
Phone 843-335-8401 Here is the Refuge website. Map of Walking Tours and Public Use General Map Brochure
Manager Allyne Askins writes that , “All of our trails have been around for decades and as such constructed before the ADA law. Our trails range in length from 1/4 mile to 3.5 miles, but all have slight hills, soft footing, tree roots and other debris. We do have many elderly visitors who use the trails, but none with mobility issues.”
Descriptions of the maintained trails are on the Visitor Activities page of the refuge website. The trails include the one mile loop Woodland Pond Nature Trail, 0.25 mile Longleaf Pine Trail, 3.5 mile Tate’s Trail, the 0.6 mile Pine Barrens Gentian Trail, and the 0.25 mile Tripod Trail that leads to a photo blind on Martin’s Lake. Congaree National Park
Many thanks to Jessica Pikula who wrote: “I’d like to recommend [Congaree National Park’s] boardwalk. It’s a roughly 2.5 mile wooden boardwalk loop, listed on the NPS website as being wheelchair and stroller accessible, with very little elevation change. Photos found by searching “Congaree National Park Boardwalk” on google are pretty representative of the entire path. The Sims trail is the only other trail I’ve been able to walk so far, and it’s a very flat gravelly road- not good for wheelchairs but would be easy walking, though I haven’t experienced it in muddier conditions. Also, there are a few other trails that are considered “easy” by the park, being fairly short and the whole area being pretty flat, but I don’t have any experience with those myself yet!”
From the Park’s website: the park is “…the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and Wateree Rivers sweep through the floodplain, carrying nutrients and sediments that nourish and rejuvenate this ecosystem and support the growth of national and state champion trees.”
Accessibility Trail Guide with map Phone 803-776-4396
Boardwalk Trail 2.6 miles “Elevated sections offer access to the forest during floods, while lower sections offer closeup views in drier times.”
Bluff Trail 1.8 miles “A gentle path through a young upland pine forest. Look for fox squirrels, deer, and evidence of prescribed fires.”
Sims Trail 3.2 miles “Follow a former hunting club road used by conservationist Harry Hampton to Cedar Creek. A short spur trail leads to Wise Lake, one of the park’s many oxbow lakes.”Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge
“The 4,053 acre refuge includes Pinckney Island, Corn Island, Big and Little Harry Islands, Buzzard Island and numerous small hammocks.” “There are several biking and hiking trails. A trail network of 2 to 10 miles traverse the island. The trails are easy and flat, and appeal to even novice hikers. The salt marsh environment is lush with birds and other wildlife.”
Here is the Refuge website . Phone 843-784-2468 Description on “Oh Ranger!“.
Trail Guide and Map The eight trails are all said to be “easy, flat”. Here are the two shortest:
Ibis Pond 1.2 miles round tripStarr Pond 2.0 miles round tripSavannah National Wildlife Refuge
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge has “…29,452 acres of freshwater marshes, tidal rivers and creeks, and bottomland hardwoods. About half the refuge is bottomland, composed primarily of cypress, gum, and maple species. Access to these areas is by boat only. ” Phone 843-784-2468 Here is their website. Reviewed on Trip Advisor Maps Trail Map
Thanks to Ranger Amy Ochoa for the following information:
The only wheelchair accessible trail is at the Visitor Center is an 800 ft. long paved trail “that runs from one side to the other. ” However there is “an outstanding 4.25 mile wildlife drive that visitors can drive around and get … the same wildlife viewing opportunities as walking on the trails…..pretty much anywhere along it there’s room for a car to pull to the side, stop, even get out and look, while still allowing room for a vehicle to pass by.”
? “The trails are all the same surface; grass covered, earthen dikes. They’re not always mowed, depending on the availability of heavy equipment operators to run the large mower, so things like fire ants and snakes could be present and not easily seen. Like any earthen path, they would all be subject to holes, bumps, etc. that could trip up someone not sure-footed.”
State
Aiken State Park
Aiken State Park, in southwest Carolina sits on 1.7 miles of the Edisto River, North America’s longest free-flowing, blackwater river.
Here is the Park website. Trails Map Brochure Phone 803-649-2857
Jungle Nature Trail 3 miles “level, easy-to-follow, 3-mile boardwalk and dirt turf loop through tropical-looking wetlands, and mixed pine and hardwood forest.”Cheraw State Park
The Park consists of 7361acres of parkland – much of which is covered in tall pines, and a 360 acre lake.
Here is the Park website. Phone 843-537-9656 Park Map Trail Map Brochure Trails
Thank you to Rhonda Griffith for information about the ease of these trails.
Lake Juniper Boardwalk Trail 0.5 mile “runs alongside of Lake Juniper. Along the way you can see flowers, turtles and other local wildlife on the lake. The boardwalk continues to the spill way where our dam is located. There are some tree roots that might make for a bumpy ride but the short path to the water way is pretty. We call it a waterfall, but it is a manmade spill way for the dam.”
Cheraw Nature Trail and Turkey Oak Trail. Ms. Griffith says they are ADA, but may be bumpy. The Cheraw Nature Trail “is an easy 1.9-mile walk, which is the inner loop of the larger 2.6-mile Turkey Oak Trail” …both are… “a pleasant walk through a very dense forest of longleaf pine, blackjack oak, turkey oak, hickory trees, ……native irises called Blue Flags in the spring, and rose pogonia orchids in the summer. ” You may also see “…. lizards, deer, snakes, and a vast assortment of birds. A short spur trail offers a chance for you to see the rare red cockaded woodpecker. If you chose to continue on the Turkey Oak Trail, you will enter a cypress swamp as you approach Lake Juniper, where you may see waterfowl such as ducks, egrets, geese, and pied billed grebe. You may also be treated to a wide array of raptors such as bald eagles, ospreys, red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, and Mississippi kites.” Edisto State Park
“Rich in Native American history, Edisto Beach on Edisto Island is one of four oceanfront state parks in South Carolina.”
Here is their website. Phone 843-869-2156 Map & Trails Brochure
From the staff at Edisto Beach: “All of our trails, except for the Forest Loop Trail, were designed to be ADA-Accessible. Our trails were built with a nice, hard packed sand that makes for easy walking or movement in a wheelchair. The trails are also very flat and feature only minimal gains in elevation. They are also very wide and easy to navigate due to the placement of trail markers at each intersection. The bridges over Scott Creek were also designed to accommodate the passage of wheelchairs, so you should have no problems with them.”
Spanish Mount Trail 1.7 miles “One of the earliest Native American shell mound sites in South Carolina can be found at the western terminus of the Spanish Mount Trail.”
Scott Creek Trails 0.7 miles “..takes one through the maritime forest offering views of the marsh from three boardwalks. ”
Big Bay Trail 0.4 miles “This short trail will take you from the Education Center through the boat ramp parking area to the Spanish Mount. ”
Campground Trail 0.3 miles …”will take you from the Education Center through the boat ramp parking area to the Spanish Mount.”
Edisto Bike Trail 0.4 miles “runs along the paved causeway leading to the beach area of the park and to the Town of Edisto. From the intersection of the Scott Creek Trail and the Edisto Bike Trail, it is an easy 0.4 miles to the beach.”Harbison State Forest
Bounded along its northeastern edge by the Broad River, Harbison Environmental Education Forest encompasses 2,137 acres of forestland only nine miles from downtown Columbia.
Here is the Forest website. Phone 803-896-8897 Trail Guide and Map Photographs
Learning Trail 0.9 mile is a short trail around the Education Center.Manchester State Forest
Manchester State Forest is “approximately 28,675 acres of mixed pine and hardwood species native to the midlands of South Carolina. Soil type is light sand, interspersed with swamps and bays.”
Trails Map Phone 803-494-8196 Here is their website.
? Wateree Passage of the Palmetto Trail The first 2.25 miles of this 7.2 mile trail sound doable, but better call first. Manager J Map You can start from Poinsett State Park on the Scout Nature Trail. Read this review from tripleblaze.com for information and a caution about two other starting points. From Carolina HikingPoinsett State Park
Poinsett State Park is in the “mountains of the midlands,” a mixed ecosystem with a high degree of biodiversity.
Here is the Park website. Phone: 803-494-8177 Map Trail Map Trail and Topo Map Brochure
?? Scout Trail 1.9 miles connects to the Wateree Passage of the Palmetto Trail. The first part (maybe 0.5 mile) , along the Palmetto Trail, appears to be pretty flat. See description under Manchester State Forest. The Park describes all its trails as “moderate”, but tripleblaze.com describes the Scout Trail as “easy” and sctrails.net says the trail is “moderately difficult”.Sesquicentennial State Park
Sesquicentennial State Park, affectionately known to locals as “Sesqui,” is a spacious, green getaway in the heart of the Sandhills region.
Here is the Park website . Phone 803-788-2706 Map Trail Map Brochure Trails
Sandhills Hiking Trail 2 miles “This resurfaced and stroller-friendly trail circles the park’s 30-acre lake. Hikers, bikers and joggers will enjoy the sights and sounds of the Sandhills as they venture into the forest and through wetlands on boardwalks.”
? Loop Trail 3.5 miles “This multi-use trail uses an existing roadbed great for joggers, hikers and bikers. See a diverse array of plants and wildlife as you circle through the park’s forests and wetlands. USE CAUTION! Part of this trail is open to vehicles.”
? Jackson Creek Nature Trail 0.5 mile “This trail is a short loop through a bottomland forest area, upward into an open pine habitat and ending with a scenic view of Centennial Lake. There are interpretive signs to help you learn about the unique plants and animals that call Sesqui home”South Carolina State Parks Guide, produced by the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, is a pretty thorough guide to the 47 state parks. However, you still need to contact each park individually to learn about accessibility.
Local
Greenville City and County
City Parks County Parks & Recreation
Swamp Rabbit Trail 21 mile system that runs along the Reedy River. Maps
“Call Colin Young at 864-676-2180 x160 or Ty Houck at 864-331-9631, 864-676-2180 X 141 for more information.”
Private
Blue Heron Nature Center
“This 10-acre green space boasts the Blue Heron Nature Trail, a quarter-mile recycled rubber trail around a three-acre pond, and a quarter-mile of boardwalk through forested wetlands.”
Phone 843-726-7611 Here is their website. Brochure Map Trail Map
“Located on 10 acres of green space at Exit 21 on I-95 in Ridgeland, the Blue Heron Nature Center offers you a chance to see blue herons, osprey, alligators, and turtles in their natural setting. Come and enjoy the songs of Carolina wrens and cardinals or the chorus of tree frogs.”
? 0.6 miles one way. There is no mention of ADA on the website or brochure, but all the photos of their paved trail and boardwalk look wheelchair negotiable. However, you had better call ahead to be sure they will work for you.Audubon Center & Sanctuary at Frances Beidler Forest
Beidler forest is a “…18,000-acre bird and wildlife sanctuary [that] offers a beauty unsurpassed in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Beidler is the world’s largest virgin cypress-tupelo swamp forest…”
Here is their website. Phone: 843-462-2150
The Boardwalk is a “1.75-mile self-guiding boardwalk trail allows visitors the chance to safely venture deep into the heart of the swamp…to experience the peace and serenity that have characterized the area for centuries…to hear the sounds of bird and bug and breeze that have echoed through the trees for ages…to take a relaxing and informative walk back into time…to see a swamp the way nature intended them to be! The boardwalk provides the opportunity to stroll past the 1000-year-old trees and native wildlife that abounds in this pristine sanctuary that has been untouched for millenia. The walk is fully accessible, with rest areas and rain shelters along the way.”Lake Conastee Nature Park
“Lake Conestee Nature Park consists of approximately 400 acres of beautiful natural habitat on the Reedy River just 6 miles south of downtown Greenville, South Carolina. The park contains both hardwood and evergreen forest, extensive wetlands, 3 miles of the Reedy River, and a rich diversity of wildlife habitat.”
Here is the Park website. Map “The park contains both hardwood and evergreen forest, extensive wetlands, 3 miles of the Reedy River, and a rich diversity of wildlife habitat. Deer, raccoon, beaver, fox, river otter, and various small mammals inhabit the park, along with numerous species of reptiles and amphibians. Over 200 bird species have been reported…”
Breazeale Farm via Swamp Rabbit Trail and TreeFrog Trail Map options of 1.8 miles or 1.58 miles. Churchill to Brushy Creek is paved.
Forrester Farm via Raccoon Run & Dragonfly Way. Map options of 0.67, 0.98, and 1.44 miles.
Henderson Farm via Whitetail Trail, Swamp Rabbit Trail, and Spring Lizard Link. Map options of 1.05 mile and 1.13 mile.Audubon Center & Sanctuary at Silver Bluff
“Audubon’s Silver Bluff Sanctuary is a 3,400-acre woodland overlooking the Savannah River. Here you’ll find extensive pine forests and bottomland hardwood forests; 22 miles of horse and walking trails; 50 acres of lakes and ponds; 100 acres of grassland; and all manner of birds and wildlife.”
Here is their website. Trail map Phone: 803-471-0291
Thank you to Director Paul Koehler for the following information:
Nuthatch Trail 3/4 mile loop. “our ¾-mile trail is 8 feet wide and perfectly flat. At times it has some fallen pine cones and sticks on it, but those are negotiable by nearly everyone. It has a bench halfway along for a walker to sit and rest.”
Tanager Loop Trail 2 miles “The two-mile trail is similar, but has two 100-foot stretches with a slight elevation change. It takes about an hour to walk if one walks at a steady pace. It has several benches along the way. The length of this trail, of course, would prohibit some people from attempting it. ”
“I have seen a knobby-wheeled motorized wheelchair and baby strollers use both trails. Access to our visitor center, the restrooms, and water fountain are all ADA compliant.”
Miscellaneous
South Carolina State Trails Program produces a comprehensive website through which you can drill to get descriptions of hundreds of trails. You can search by county or by type of trail. The Hiking page divides the state into three regions and clicking on one of these regions will bring you to a list of trails with length and a link to a description of the trail and contact information.
Nature For The Blind has a directory of Braille trails for almost every state in the US and for many other countries.
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy lists wheelchair accessible trails in South Carolina.
SCGreatOutdoors.com gives a wealth of information about South Carolina. Interactive map of parks with hiking trails with links to park information.