New SC state park to open with nature trails, kayak launches

Black River State Park

Black River State Park to open in South Carolina. (Credit: Amanda Kinseth/WPDE)

 

There’s a new state park on the horizon in South Carolina.

Black Water State Park is finalizing architecture and engineering design plans to start construction.

John Moon has been a park ranger at various South Carolina state parks for more than 26 years.

“For me, it’s the connection to the community. It’s always been about my ability to create memories for folks,” said Moon.

He’ll soon have the ability to help people create memories at a brand-new, and very unique, park in South Carolina.

The Black River State Park is more of a linear park that follows a 70-mile stretch of the scenic Black River.

The water trail starts near Kingstree in Williamsburg County and travels down to Rocky Point Community Forest in Georgetown County.

It’s intended to connect the community with the historic river.

“There are about 11 tracks along the way that make up Black River State Park. Our bookend to the north, if you will, would be our meadows track that we’re in the process of building out now,” said Moon.

He said that, and the southern bookend in Andrews, will be traditional styled parks, with kayak and canoe launches, and will eventually have cabins and camping.

High Bluffs is a more intimate setting for overnight stays in cabins or RVs.

In addition to potential economic opportunities, the park will also help protect the land from flooding.

Moon said, “So it’s one thing to have a state park in a cool place for people to come and enjoy and relax and whatnot, but it’s a whole other thing is floodplain resiliency.”

The experienced park ranger said, for him, getting out in nature is free medicine.

“Getting outside, getting outdoors in and in itself is an opportunity to have more of an active lifestyle, more to get out and release those stresses that everyday life puts on us,” said Moon. “It’s just an opportunity to refine yourself and release some of those stresses that everyday life. So definitely for me, it’s tonic for the soul.”

The Black River State Park initiative was made possible by several partnerships including the Nature Conservancy and the Open Space Institute.

There’s no timeline yet for when the park or kayak launches will open.

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