South Carolina\u00a0has a number of trails with minimal obstacles. \u00a0Some are very easy and others are wheelchair accessible. \u00a0Here are just a few of them.
\nThese\u00a0links \u00a0were found through Internet search. \u00a0I would love some first-hand information. \u00a0\u00a0With 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.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Federal<\/a>
\nState<\/a>
\nLocal<\/a>
\nPrivate<\/a>
\nMiscellaneous<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Federal<\/h2>\n

• Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge<\/a><\/strong>
  \n“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.”
  \nPhone 843-335-8401\u00a0 Here is the Refuge website.<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Map of Walking Tours and Public Use<\/a>\u00a0 General Map<\/a>\u00a0 Brochure<\/a>
  \nManager\u00a0Allyne Askins\u00a0writes that , “All of our trails have been around for decades and as such constructed before the ADA law.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 We do have many elderly visitors who use the trails, but none with mobility issues.”
  \nDescriptions of the maintained trails are on the Visitor Activities<\/a> page of the refuge website. \u00a0The 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.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

  <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>

• Congaree National Park
  \n<\/strong>Many thanks to Jessica Pikula who wrote: “I’d like to recommend [Congaree National Park’s]\u00a0 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\u00a0 “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!”
  \nFrom the Park’s website<\/a>:\u00a0 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.”
  \nAccessibility<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Trail Guide with map<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Phone 803-776-4396
  \n<\/a>Boardwalk Trail 2.6 miles “Elevated sections offer access to the forest during floods, while lower sections offer closeup views in drier times.”
  \n<\/a>Bluff Trail\u00a0 1.8 miles “A gentle path through a young upland pine forest. Look for fox squirrels, deer, and evidence of prescribed fires.”
  \n<\/a>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\u2019s many oxbow lakes.”<\/p>\n

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• Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge<\/strong>
  \n“The 4,053 acre refuge includes Pinckney Island, Corn Island, Big and Little Harry Islands, Buzzard Island and numerous small hammocks.”\u00a0 “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.”
  \nHere is the Refuge website<\/a> .\u00a0 \u00a0Phone 843-784-2468 \u00a0 \u00a0Description on “Oh Ranger!<\/a>“.
  \nTrail Guide and Map<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The eight trails are all said to be “easy, flat”. Here are the two shortest:
  \n<\/a>Ibis Pond 1.2 miles round trip<\/p>\n

  <\/a>Starr Pond 2.0 miles round trip<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

• Savannah National Wildlife Refuge\u00a0<\/strong>
  \nSavannah 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. ”\u00a0 Phone\u00a0843-784-2468\u00a0 Here is their website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0 Reviewed on Trip Advisor<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Maps<\/a>\u00a0 Trail\u00a0Map<\/a>
  \nThanks to Ranger Amy Ochoa for the following information:
  \nThe only wheelchair accessible trail is at the Visitor Center\u00a0is an 800 ft. long paved trail “that runs from one side to the other. ” \u00a0However there is “an outstanding 4.25 mile wildlife drive that visitors can drive around and get …<\/span>\u00a0the 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.”
  \n? \u00a0“<\/strong><\/span>The trails are all the same surface; grass covered, earthen dikes.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Like any earthen path, they would all be subject to holes, bumps, etc. that could trip up someone not sure-footed.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

  <\/a>State<\/h2>\n

  • Aiken State Park
    \n<\/strong>Aiken State Park, in southwest Carolina sits on 1.7 miles of the Edisto River, North America\u2019s longest free-flowing, blackwater river.
    \nHere is the Park website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0 Trails<\/a>\u00a0Map<\/a>\u00a0 Brochure<\/a>\u00a0 Phone 803-649-2857
    \n<\/a>Jungle Nature Trail\u00a0 3 miles “level, easy-to-follow, 3-mile boardwalk and dirt turf loop through tropical-looking wetlands, and mixed pine and hardwood forest.”<\/p>\n

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  • Cheraw State Park
    \n<\/strong>The Park consists of 7361<\/span>acres of parkland – much of which is covered in tall pines, and a 360 acre lake.<\/span>
    \nHere is the Park website<\/a>.\u00a0 Phone 843-537-9656 \u00a0Park Map<\/a>\u00a0 Trail Map<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Brochure<\/a>\u00a0 Trails<\/a>
    \nThank you to Rhonda Griffith for information about the ease of these trails.
    \n\u00a0Lake Juniper Boardwalk Trail 0.5 mile “runs alongside of Lake Juniper. \u00a0Along the way you can see flowers, turtles and other local wildlife on the lake.\u00a0 The boardwalk continues to the spill way where our dam is located.\u00a0<\/span>There are some tree roots that might make for a bumpy ride but the short path to the water way is pretty.\u00a0 We call it a waterfall, but it is a manmade spill way for the dam.”
    \nCheraw Nature Trail and Turkey Oak Trail. \u00a0 Ms. Griffith says they are ADA, but may be bumpy. \u00a0The Cheraw \u00a0Nature Trail “is an easy 1.9-mile walk, which is the inner loop of the larger 2.6-mile Turkey Oak Trail”\u00a0…both are…\u00a0“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. ” \u00a0You 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.\u00a0If 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.”<\/span> <\/p>\n

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  • Edisto State Park<\/strong>
    \n“Rich in Native American history, Edisto Beach on Edisto Island\u00a0is one of four oceanfront state parks in South Carolina.”
    \n<\/strong>Here is their website<\/a>.\u00a0 Phone 843-869-2156\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Map & Trails<\/a> \u00a0Brochure<\/a>
    \nFrom the staff at Edisto Beach: “All of our trails, except for the Forest Loop Trail, were designed to be ADA-Accessible.\u00a0 Our trails were built with a nice, hard packed sand that makes for easy walking or movement in a wheelchair.\u00a0 The trails are also very flat and feature only minimal gains in elevation.\u00a0 They are also very wide and easy to navigate due to the placement of trail markers at each intersection.\u00a0 The bridges over Scott Creek were also designed to accommodate the passage of wheelchairs, so you should have no problems with them.”
    \n<\/a><\/span>
    \nSpanish 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.”
    \nScott Creek Trails \u00a00.7 miles \u00a0 “..takes one through the maritime forest offering views of the marsh from three boardwalks.\u00a0”
    \nBig Bay Trail \u00a00.4 miles \u00a0“This short trail will take you from the Education Center through the boat ramp parking area to the Spanish Mount. ”
    \nCampground Trail \u00a00.3 miles …”will take you from the Education Center through the boat ramp parking area to the Spanish Mount.”
    \nEdisto Bike Trail \u00a00.4 miles \u00a0“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.”<\/p>\n

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  • Harbison State Forest
    \n<\/strong>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.
    \n<\/strong>Here is the Forest website<\/a>.\u00a0 Phone 803-896-8897 \u00a0 Trail Guide and Map\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Photographs<\/a>
    \nLearning Trail 0.9 mile \u00a0is a short trail around the Education Center.<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • Manchester State Forest\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>
    \nManchester 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.”
    \n<\/strong>Trails Map<\/a>\u00a0 Phone 803-494-8196\u00a0 Here is their website<\/a>.
    \n? <\/strong>Wateree Passage<\/a> of the Palmetto Trail<\/a>\u00a0 <\/strong>\u00a0The first 2.25 miles of this 7.2 mile trail sound doable, but better call first. Manager J \u00a0Map<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0You can start from Poinsett State Park on the Scout Nature Trail. \u00a0Read this review from tripleblaze.com<\/a> for information and a caution about two other\u00a0starting points. \u00a0From\u00a0Carolina Hiking<\/a><\/p>\n

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  • Poinsett State Park<\/strong>
    \nPoinsett State Park is in the “mountains of the midlands,” a mixed ecosystem with a high degree of biodiversity.
    \n<\/strong>Here is the Park website<\/a>.\u00a0 Phone: 803-494-8177 \u00a0<\/strong>Map<\/a>\u00a0 Trail Map<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0Trail and Topo Map<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0Brochure<\/a>
    \n??<\/strong> Scout Trail\u00a01.9 miles connects to the Wateree Passage of the Palmetto Trail. \u00a0The first part (maybe 0.5 mile) , along the Palmetto Trail, appears to be pretty flat. \u00a0See description under Manchester State Forest. \u00a0The Park describes all its trails as “moderate”, but tripleblaze.com<\/a> describes the Scout Trail as “easy” and sctrails.net<\/a> says the trail is “moderately difficult”.<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • Sesquicentennial State Park
    \n<\/strong>Sesquicentennial State Park, affectionately known to locals as “Sesqui,” is a spacious, green getaway in the heart of the Sandhills region.\u00a0
    \n<\/strong>Here is the Park website .<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 Phone 803-788-2706 \u00a0<\/strong>Map<\/a>\u00a0 Trail Map<\/a>\u00a0 Brochure<\/a>\u00a0 Trails
    \n<\/a>Sandhills Hiking Trail 2 miles \u00a0“This resurfaced and stroller-friendly trail circles the park\u2019s 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.”
    \n?\u00a0<\/strong>Loop Trail\u00a03.5 miles\u00a0“<\/strong>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\u2019s forests and wetlands. USE CAUTION! Part of this trail is open to vehicles.”
    \n? Jackson Creek Nature Trail \u00a00.5 mile \u00a0“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”<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

  • South Carolina State Parks Guide<\/a>, <\/strong>produced by the Department of Parks,\u00a0Recreation\u00a0& Tourism,\u00a0<\/strong>is a pretty thorough guide to the 47 state parks. \u00a0However, you still need to contact each park individually to learn about accessibility.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

    <\/a>Local<\/h2>\n

    • Greenville City and County<\/a>
      \n<\/strong>City Parks<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0County Parks & Recreation<\/a>
      \nSwamp Rabbit Trail<\/a>\u00a0 21 mile \u00a0system that runs along the Reedy River. \u00a0Maps<\/a>
      \n“Call Colin Young at 864-676-2180 x160 \u00a0or Ty Houck at 864-331-9631, 864-676-2180\u00a0 X 141 \u00a0for more information.”<\/p>\n

      <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

      <\/a>Private<\/h2>\n

      • Blue Heron Nature Center<\/a>
        \n<\/strong>“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.”\u00a0\u00a0
        \n<\/strong>Phone 843-726-7611 Here is their website.\u00a0 \u00a0Brochure<\/a>\u00a0Map<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0Trail Map<\/a>
        \n“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.”
        \n?<\/strong>\u00a00.6 miles one way. \u00a0 There is no mention of ADA on the website or brochure, but all the photos of their paved trail and boardwalk look wheelchair negotiable. \u00a0However, you had better call ahead to be sure they will work for you.<\/p>\n

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      • Audubon Center & Sanctuary at Frances Beidler Forest
        \n<\/strong>Beidler forest is a “…18,000-acre bird and wildlife sanctuary [that] offers a beauty unsurpassed in the South Carolina Lowcountry.\u00a0 Beidler is the world\u2019s largest virgin cypress-tupelo swamp forest…”
        \n<\/strong>Here is their website<\/a>.\u00a0 Phone: 843-462-2150
        \n<\/strong>The Boardwalk<\/a> 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.”<\/p>\n

        <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li>

      • Lake Conastee Nature Park
        \n<\/strong>“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, \u00a03 miles of the Reedy River, and a rich diversity of wildlife habitat.”
        \nHere is the Park website.\u00a0 Map<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 “The park contains both hardwood and evergreen forest, extensive wetlands, \u00a03 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…”
        \nBreazeale Farm via Swamp Rabbit Trail and TreeFrog Trail Map <\/a>\u00a0options of\u00a01.8 miles or 1.58 miles. \u00a0Churchill to Brushy Creek is paved.
        \nForrester Farm via Raccoon Run & Dragonfly Way. Map<\/a>\u00a0options of 0.67, 0.98, and 1.44 miles.
        \n<\/a>Henderson Farm via Whitetail Trail, Swamp Rabbit Trail, and Spring Lizard Link. \u00a0Map<\/a>\u00a0options of 1.05 mile and 1.13 mile.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

      • Audubon Center & Sanctuary at\u00a0Silver Bluff
        \n<\/strong>“Audubon\u2019s Silver Bluff Sanctuary is a 3,400-acre woodland overlooking the Savannah River.\u00a0 Here you\u2019ll 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.”
        \nHere is their website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0 Trail map<\/a>\u00a0 Phone: 803-471-0291
        \nThank you to Director Paul Koehler for the following information:
        \nNuthatch Trail 3\/4 mile loop. \u00a0 “our \u00be-mile trail is 8 feet wide and perfectly flat.\u00a0 At times it has some fallen pine cones and sticks on it, but those are negotiable by nearly everyone. \u00a0It has a bench halfway along for a walker to sit and rest.”
        \nTanager Loop Trail 2 miles “<\/span>The two-mile trail is similar, but has two 100-foot stretches with a slight elevation change.\u00a0 It takes about an hour to walk if one walks at a steady pace.\u00a0 It has several benches along the way.\u00a0 The length of this trail, of course, would prohibit some people from attempting it. ”
        \n“<\/span>I have seen a knobby-wheeled motorized wheelchair and baby strollers use both trails.\u00a0 Access to our visitor center, the restrooms, and water fountain are all ADA compliant.”<\/span><\/p>\n

        <\/div>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n

        <\/a>Miscellaneous<\/h2>\n

        • South Carolina State Trails Program<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>produces a comprehensive website\u00a0<\/strong>through which you can drill to get descriptions of hundreds of trails. \u00a0You can search by county<\/a> or by type of trail<\/a>. \u00a0The Hiking<\/a> page\u00a0divides the state into three regions and clicking on one of these regions will bring you to a list of\u00a0trails with length and a link to a description of the trail\u00a0and contact information.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

        • Nature For The Blind<\/a> has a directory of Braille trails for almost every state in the US and for many other countries.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

        • The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy<\/a> lists wheelchair accessible trails in South Carolina.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>

        • SCGreatOutdoors.com<\/a> <\/strong>gives a wealth of information about South Carolina. \u00a0Interactive map<\/a> of parks with hiking trails with links to park information.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul> Back to top<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          South Carolina\u00a0has a number of trails with minimal obstacles. \u00a0Some are very easy and others are wheelchair accessible. \u00a0Here are just a few of them. These\u00a0links \u00a0were found through Internet search. \u00a0I would love some first-hand information. \u00a0\u00a0With your help, we can share our knowledge with disabled people everywhere and also increase awareness of the … Continue reading SCGreat Outdoors<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-399","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=399"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/399\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5880,"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/399\/revisions\/5880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.accessiblenature.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}