Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests
 

Recreation

 

Recreation on the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests is as varied as the South Carolina landscape from the mountains to the coast. Click a link to activity of your choice in the left column of this page to explore two forests full of opportunities! We'll post cautions and weather closures in the conditions report below, but please......  

Motorcycle on forest trailCall Before You Haul!

Conditions may change quickly! Please check the Call Before You Haul telephone hotline at  (803) 561-4025 for the most recent trail closures and openings. The hotline will provide you with the most current updates. Trails are frequently closed after prolonged or heavy rainfall when usage would result in resource damage. The website is updated on weekdays only. It is not updated on weekends or federal holidays.

Please note: The date recorded in the hotline trail report reflects the date the trail was opened or closed. The message will remain the same until the open/closed status changes.

Recreation Conditions Report

 Area Name Status Area Conditions
Buncombe Horse Trail    Red Trail is closed due to storm damage. Repairs on the red trail section should begin within the week. The creek crossing at Headleys Creek will be closed longer until a bridge can be purchased to replace the hardened crossing that was washed away. In the meantime a new project is in the NEPA planning stage that will provide water access and a temporary hardened trail across the creek. We anticipate the NEPA process to be completed early July and hope to start work on it by the middle of July. Please check back for updates on sections reopening.
Candy Branch Rifle Range    Candy Branch Rifle Range is closed until further notice due to severe damage.
Cedar Springs OHV Trail    Before your visit, please call the Call Before You Haul Hotline at 803-561-4025 for current trail conditions and weather closures!  
Chattooga Wild and Scenic River    Boating season begins on December 1, 2015 and runs through April 30, 2016 on the Upper Chattooga Wild and Scenic River corridor. Paddling is only allowed on this highly technical section of the river on days after flows reach 350 cfs or greater at the USGS Burrells Ford Gauge and only during daylight hours.  Daylight hours will be 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset that same day.
Collins Creek Seasonal Camp    Opens for fall deer season on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016.
Enoree OHV Trail    Before your visit, please call the Call Before You Haul Hotline at 803-561-4025 for current trail conditions and weather closures!
Fairforest Rifle Range    Weekly Enoree Rifle Range Closures
Forks Area Trail System    Forks trail information is now available on the Call-Before-You-Haul hotline. Dial 803-561-4025 for the latest conditions report!
Indian Creek Rifle Range Open to Visitor Weekly Enoree Rifle Range Cleaning Closures    
Leeds Rifle Range    Weekly Enoree Rifle Range Cleaning Closures
Lick Fork Lake Recreation Area    We currently have no water in the campground. We do not know when water will be restored. The vault toilets in the campground and over by the boat ramp are open and available.
Long Cane Horse Trail     A section of the trail is closed from Candy Branch (FS 518) to the east side of the bridge on Long Cane Creek (Point J). A new project is in the planning phase to improve the ford at Long Cane Creek. Please check back for updates on the section's reopening.
Parsons Mountain OHV Trail    Before your visit, please call the Call Before You Haul Hotline at 803-561-4025 for current trail conditions and weather closures!
Philson Crossroads Rifle Range    Weekly Enoree Rifle Range Cleaning Closures
Poulous Loop Seasonal Camp    Opens for fall deer season Sept. 9, 2016.
Rocky Branch Seasonal Camp    Opens for fall deer season Sept. 9, 2016.
Sedalia Campground    The back part of Sedalia opens for fall deer season Sept. 9, 2016.
Swamp Fox Passage/Palmetto Trail    Due to severe weather the bridge and dike have washed out on the Cane Gully section of trail between Mile Marker 39 and Cane Gully State Road 97. Please follow the arrows and hiker symbol for DETOUR!
Twin Ponds Rifle Range    The Twin Ponds Rifle Range on the Francis Marion Ranger District remains closed for renovation. The range will be cleaned up and improvements will be made through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service and the SC Dept. of Natural Resources. We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation during this time of improvement and construction! We hope to reopen early fall.
Tyger River Canoe Trail    Gordon's Bridge  is no longer open to public use. Please refer to the printable guide and vicinity map for alternative access points.
Wambaw Cycle Trail (North Loop)    Please call the Call-Before-You-Haul hotline at 803-561-4025 to check the current trail open/closed status before you visit. 
Wambaw Cycle Trail (South Loop)    Please call the Call-Before-You-Haul hotline at 803-561-4025 to check the current trail open/closed status before you visit. 

Spotlights

Buck Hall Recreation Area

Buckhall boatlaunch

This premier recreation area is situated on the site of the old Buck Hall plantation just six miles southeast of McClellanville. Its location on the Intracoastal Waterway provides the best access to Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, 65,000 acres of marsh, tidal creeks and beaches and Bulls Bay, the best area for shrimp baiting on the coast.

Click here for a printable guide and vicinity map.