The Black River

South Carolina's best kept secret

All photos (c) by Mac Stone

Welcome to the Black River,

a 151 mile blackwater treasure that begins and ends within the boundaries of South Carolina. It flows through Sumter, Clarendon, Williamsburg, and Georgetown Counties. The map on the right highlights the main stem of the Black River as well as Mingo Creek, two great paddling destinations.

You can click on the stack of layers icon in the bottom left corner of each map to see the legend.

75 miles of the river have been designated a state scenic river (see purple highlighted section on the map).

We are developing a larger conservation initiative focused on protecting the floodplain forest along the Black River. Having a connected and functional swamp forest has numerous benefits including:

Increasing public access for boating, birding, nature education, recreation, and fishing
Preserving the scenic quality and sense of place
Protecting habitat and increasing wildlife corridors
Ensuring high water quality for nature and people (Georgetown has a future water intake on the Black)
Creating nature-based economic opportunities in rural communities like Kingstree and Andrews
Increasing resilience in the region by protecting floodplains to reduce impacts from rain events and hurricanes
Storing carbon in well-managed, mature floodplain forests

The focus area will include the navigable portions of the Black River from the Williamsburg-Clarendon County line downstream to Rocky Point and Mingo Creek from Mingo Landing (Hwy 41 Bridge) to confluence with the Black River. These areas provide abundant boating, tubing, fishing, birding, and swimming opportunities.

In addition to increasing opportunities and infrastructure for water-based recreation along the Black River, our goal is also to increase the passive recreation opportunities on a network of public access properties to include hiking, biking, and camping.

Conservation

*Swallowtail kites are common along the Black River*

To date, the impressive conservation efforts along the Black River has been largely a private initiative. Over 20,000 acres have been protected along the river in the focus area, with additional lands protected in the watershed.

Several privately held preserves are open to the public. Other private properties are protected with conservation easements held by an array of Land Trust partners including The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, Pee Dee Land Trust, Lowcountry Land Trust, and Lord Berkeley Land Trust.

Current large properties accessible to the public:

Rocky Point Community Forest- owned by Winyah Rivers Foundation and managed by Georgetown County
Black River Swamp Preserve - The Nature Conservancy
Black River Cypress Preserve - Butler Conservation Fund

Like the ACE Basin and Mountain Bridge in the Upstate, this landscape-scale conservation initiative would benefit from a state agency partner. We are increasing our focus on leveraging state, federal, private, and local funds to increase the scale and speed of conservation along the Black River.

South Carolina State Parks is the ideal lead agency partner for this Black River initiative offering the recreation and resource management expertise to protect this natural treasure while connecting South Carolinians and our visitors to this special place.

*Large, mature forested floodplains act like sponges during storm events storing vast amounts of water and slowly releasing flood waters over a longer period of time.*

Recreation

*The Black River is a Paddler's paradise*

The Black River is a premier paddling destination in the Southeast, but it is one of the best kept secrets in South Carolina. Boat landings are available along the Black River (see map), but more are needed. Future acquisitions may target ideal launch sites in river sections, allowing additional day-trip opportunities for paddlers. Additional sites may be possible at existing highway crossings.

*Uplands near the river can provide hiking, birding, and camping, opportunities*

A State Park?

We believe that the Black River could make a great addition to SC State Parks.

Other river-based state parks have been created in other states such as Florida and North Carolina .

There are numerous NGO conservation groups who would be very supportive of SC State Parks having a presence on the Black River. The Black River Scenic Advisory Council, Rocky Point Community Forest Steering Committee and Winyah Bay Task Force are all engaged supporters of conservation and recreation along the Black River. In addition, The Nature Conservancy, Open Space Institute, Ducks Unlimited, Pee Dee Land Trust, and Butler Conservation Fund are all actively involved on the Black River as landowners and easement holders.