The Palmetto State
South Carolina
Blue Ridge waterfalls, longleaf pine savannas, and the ACE Basin: one of the best preserved estuaries on the East Coast.
South Carolina at a Glance
Blue Ridge Escarpment
South Carolina's Blue Ridge Escarpment creates some of the most dramatic waterfalls in the East, with the Chattooga River cutting through remote wilderness
Francis Marion Forest
Francis Marion National Forest protects longleaf pine savanna and Carolina bays, a habitat type found only in the southeast
Chattooga River
The Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River forms the South Carolina-Georgia border, with class IV-V whitewater through roadless wilderness
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker
Sumter and Francis Marion National Forests are strongholds for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, dependent on mature longleaf pine
Foothills Trail
The Foothills Trail runs 76 miles through the Blue Ridge Escarpment, connecting Table Rock and Oconee State Parks through some of the most rugged terrain in the state
Carolina Bays
Francis Marion National Forest protects dozens of Carolina Bays, mysterious elliptical wetlands of unknown origin found only in the southeastern US coastal plain
When to Visit
Year-round, with spring (March through May) for waterfall viewing and mountain wildflowers. Fall brings reliable color in the Blue Ridge Escarpment. Summer is hot and humid on the coastal plain but pleasant in the Blue Ridge at 3,000 ft.
Top Activities
Gateway Cities
Walhalla
Blue Ridge foothills town near Sumter National Forest's Andrew Pickens district, with access to the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River corridor and Whitewater Falls.
Manning
Coastal plain gateway to Sumter and Francis Marion National Forests' inner coastal plain units, with access to turkey hunting and Carolina Bay ecology.
Did You Know?
Sumter National Forest was established after the 1989 Hurricane Hugo devastated Francis Marion, and joint management helped both forests recover.
The Whitewater Falls on the North Carolina-South Carolina border drops 411 feet, the highest waterfall in the eastern US.
South Carolina's Congaree National Park, adjacent to the national forests, protects the largest intact old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in North America.
The Table Rock State Park area at the base of the Blue Ridge Escarpment has been a popular resort since the 1800s, when wealthy lowcountry families retreated to escape summer heat.
Sassafras Mountain, South Carolina's high point, was inaccessible for years due to private ownership before being purchased by the state in 2019.