A 1936 presidential proclamation created the Francis Marion and Sumter national forests, but the rich history of life on parts of these forests reaches back 12,000 years. 

• History of the Andrew Pickens Ranger District
• History of the Enoree and Long Cane Ranger Districts
• History of the Francis Marion Ranger District

 

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• Who Was Thomas Sumter?
• Who Was Francis Marion?
• Who Was Andrew Pickens?

 

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• A Long Tradition

 

Sewee Shell Ring Interpretive Trail

The mystique surrounding the area emcompassed by this one-mile, self-guided interpretive trail dates back 4,000 years. The trail begins along a shady lane of trees which opens into an area heavily influenced by the forces of nature and man. A large protion of the area was scarred by Hurricane Hugo and wildfire. It is a picture of a land in recovery. 

Battery Warren Interpretive Trail

Culminating in a high bluff of the Santee River, the Battery Warren Trail traverses mixed hardwood-pine forests dotted with dogwoods and leads visitors on a trip back in time to the era of the Civil War. ( more)

I'on Swamp Interpretive Trail

A fascinating walk through a wetland world, this historic, self-guided interpretive trail traverses embankments built by humans dating back to the 1700s. The embankments and ditches were built to create a patchwork of fields or impoundments for rice production during the lucrative rice era of the low country.