We have 47 state parks in South Carolina that cover more than 80,000 acres.
The State Park Service was formed in 1933 at the same time the Civilian Conservation Corps program was started.
There are four types of parks in the State Park Service. There are 37 state parks, 8 state historic Sites, 1 state resort park, and 1 state recreational area.
Cheraw State Park was the first park to be proposed in 1934. Hunting Island State Park is the most popular state park and has more than 1 million visitors each year.
Daily admission into the parks is $6 adults, $3.75 for SC seniors 65 years and older, $3.50 for children ages 6-15, and children 5 and under are free.
There are two types of annual passes into the park. There is the All Park Passport and the Select Park Passport.
The All Park Passport costs $99 and gives everyone in the vehicle unlimited entry to all South Carolina state parks for a year. It also gives you free admission to historic home tours at Redcliffe, Rose Hill, and Hampton Plantations. It also includes free admission to the historic lighthouse at Hunting Island State Park and Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach State Park.
The Select Park Passport costs $75 and gives everyone in your vehicle unlimited entry to 35 South Carolina State parks for one year. Parks not included in the pass are the more popular parks such as Hunting Island State Park, Huntington Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach State Park, Edisto Beach State Park, Charles Town Landing State Historic Site, Devils Fork State Park, Table Rock State Park, Sesquicentennial State Park, Paris Mountain State Park, Givhans Ferry State Park, Jones Gap State Park, and Landsford Canal State Park.
If you live in South Carolina, I hope you are visiting our wonderful state parks!
1 comment:
Thanks, Pat. This is interesting.
I am also a fan of state parks here in Minnesota where we have over 70. (Minnesota has a larger land mass than SC.)
In 68 of the parks here, there is a designated trail that forms a "Hiking Club" challenge . Something SC might consider to promote its parks. (I can think of a great advocate.) My friend and I have now hiked just over half of them.
We also have the ability to buy a special license plate that gives admission to all state parks (for an added $50 a year.) Great for those of us who do not like those stickers on our windshields.
Happy hiking,
Doug
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