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!

2019 Recreation Fee Increases

Sustainable Recreation

We'll post cautions and weather closures in the conditions report below, but please...

Motorcycle on forest trail OHV Riders - Call Before You Haul!

Conditions may change quickly! Please check the Call Before You Haul telephone hotline at (803) 561-4025 for the most recent OHV trail closures and openings. Forks Area Trail System for off-road bicycles is also included. 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. Updates are made 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.

Enoree Weekly Rifle Range Cleaning Closures: Indian Creek and Leeds rifle ranges are closed Monday and Thursday 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Philson Crossroads and Fairforest rifle ranges are closed Tuesday and Friday 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Please call the Enoree Ranger District at (803) 276-4810 if you are interested in volunteering to clean up your rifle ranges.

Enoree Seasonal Hunting Camps: Extended-stay sites at Collins Creek, Rocky Branch, and the seasonal loop of Sedalia Campground are open September-December for deer season and April for turkey season. Users must use the Scan and Pay system available on the recreation.gov mobile app to pay for seasonal hunting campsites.

Piedmont OHV Trails Season: Enoree OHV Trail is open from April 15 until the first Monday in January. Cedar Springs and Parsons Mountain OHV Trails are now open year-round. Wambaw Cycle Trail is open year-round.

Upper Chattooga Season: Boating season on the Upper Chattooga is from December-April 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.

Zoom in on the map below to see recreation areas on the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests

Recreation Map

Map showing recreational areas. Map Information

Recreation Conditions Report

Area Name	Status	Area Conditions
Beaver Dam Rifle Range	Open
Boggy Head Rifle Range	Open	Please observe all safety rules, use only paper targets and pack out all trash. Please call 843-336-2200 for more information.
Brick House Campground	Open
Broad River	Open	Call the Enoree Ranger District Office for the latest conditions at (803) 276-4810.
Buck Hall Recreation Area	Open	The public boat ramp at Buck Hall Recreation Area has reopened, effective March 21, 2023. Repairs to the asphalt in front of the ramp are complete. Please keep the area clean and dispose of all trash and waste responsibly. Check back on this website and our Facebook page frequently for the latest conditions.
Buncombe Horse Trail	Open	The vault toilet at the Buncombe trailhead is closed; bathrooms are available at Brick House Campground.
Candy Branch Rifle Range	Open
Cassidy Bridge Hunt Camp	Open
Cedar Creek Rifle Range	Open	Open
Cedar Springs OHV Trail	None	Cedar Springs OHV Trail and Parsons Mountain OHV Trail are now open year-round (weather permitting). Trail conditions change frequently. Before your visit, please call the Call Before You Haul Hotline at 803-561-4025 for the latest trail conditions and weather closures!
Cherry Hill Recreation Area	Open	Check with recreation.gov for potential cancellations. No first come, first served sites available.
Collins Creek Seasonal Camp	Open
Elmwood Recreation Area	Open
Enoree OHV Trail	None	*Trail conditions change frequently. Before your visit, please call the Call Before You Haul Hotline* at 803-561-4025** for the latest trail conditions and weather closures! The Enoree OHV Trail has a wet weather closure policy in place—trails will be closed quickly to prevent resource damage from riding on wet trails.
Enoree Passage of the Palmetto Trail	Open	Due to recent storms, a number of bridges along the Enoree Passage of the Palmetto Trail have significant damage due to fallen trees. Use extreme caution when approaching bridges and do not attempt to cross a bridge that is visibly damaged. Sisprings Boardwalk will be closed July 18 for two weeks while it undergoes repairs. The boardwalk is located along mile marker 28 of the trail.
Fairforest Rifle Range	Open
Fell Camp	Open
Forks Area Trail System	None	Trail conditions change frequently. FATS has a wet weather closure policy in place—trails will be closed quickly to prevent resource damage from riding on wet trails. *Before your visit, please call the Call Before You Haul Hotline* at 803-561-4025** for the latest trail conditions and weather closures!
Halfway Creek Trail	Open	The Halfway Creek Trailhead is now open effective April 5, 2023, with a newly renovated parking area.
Honey Hill Recreation Area	Open
Huger Recreation Area	Open	The Huger Recreation Area restroom is closed at this time.
I'on Swamp Interpretive Trail	Open
Indian Creek Rifle Range	Open
Jericho Horse Trail	None
Leeds Rifle Range	Open
Lick Fork Lake Recreation Area	Open	Lick Fork Lake Recreation Area is now open year-round. New vault toilet is available in the campground. Water is currently unavailable at Lick Fork Lake Recreation Area. We will update when water is available there again. If you have any questions please contact the Long Cane Ranger District at 803-637-5396.
Morrow Bridge and Midway Seasonal Camps	Open
Parsons Mountain OHV Trail	None	Cedar Springs OHV Trail and Parsons Mountain OHV Trail are now open year-round (weather permitting). Trail conditions change frequently. Before your visit, please call the Call Before You Haul Hotline at 803-561-4025 for the latest trail conditions and weather closures!
Parsons Mountain Recreation Area	Open	Parson's Mountain Recreation Area is now open year-round. A new restroom facility have been completed in the day-use area for public use. Water is currently unavailable at Parsons Mountain Recreation Area. We will update when water is available there again. If you have any questions please contact the Long Cane Ranger District at 803-637-5396.
Philson Crossroads Rifle Range	Open
Poulous Loop Group Camp	Open
Rocky Branch Seasonal Camp	Open
Santee River Floodplain Wildlife Viewing Area	None
Sedalia Campground	Open	Sedalia Campground will be temporarily closed beginning January 3, 2023, until April 1, 2023, due to public safety concerns.
Sewee Shell Ring Boardwalk	Open	Sewee Shell Ring Trail has reopened.
Twin Ponds	Open
Twin Ponds Rifle Range	Temporarily Closed	Temporarily closed for public safety.
Tyger River Canoe Trail	None	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)	None	Visitors are responsible for their own safety. Trail conditions change frequently! Before your visit, please call the Call Before You Haul Hotline at 803-561-4025 for the latest trail conditions and weather closures.
Wambaw Cycle Trail (South Loop)	None	Visitors are responsible for their own safety. Trail conditions change frequently! Before your visit, please call the Call Before You Haul Hotline at 803-561-4025 for the latest trail conditions and weather closures.
Whetstone Horse Camp	Open	Check with Recreation.gov for potential cancellations. No first come first serve sites available.
Woods Ferry Recreation Area	Open

Spotlights

Buck Hall Recreation Area

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.