McAlhany Nature Preserve

McAlhany Nature Preserve
Dorchester County, SC
Regional Director: Marcus Sizemore

This month, we’ll be visiting McAlhany Nature Preserve owned by the Charleston Audubon/Charleston Natural History Society. This beautiful 367-acre property on the Edisto River near St. George, SC was donated to the Charleston Natural History Society (CNHS) in 1986, and it was dedicated as a nature preserve in honor of Marvin McAlhany on January 18, 1987.

For a relatively small piece of land, it includes an incredibly diverse array of habitats, beginning with 1.5 miles of frontage on the Edisto River and a nine-acre oxbow lake. Some other notable features include a mixed Mesophytic hardwood bluff (great for spring wildflowers); a beech, magnolia and spruce pine hammock – a possibly unique plant association; upland oak-hickory forest; bottomland hardwoods forest (including many acres along Cattle Creek); freshwater marsh; a low water limestone outcrop; and of course the cabin and picnic area near the lake.

SCAN has visited this preserve in the past and there have been many species documented here over the years. A flora-fauna list from 2014 is provided by CNHS (see the September 2020 newsletter).

Charleston Audubon has graciously given us access to this preserve including the on-site cabin restroom. We will meet near the field station/cabin.

Directions:
5143 Wire Road
Branchville, SC 29432

From Charleston via I-26 65 mi., 1 hr. 15 min.
 Take I-26 west for approx. 30 mi. to Exit 187 (SC Rd 27).
 On Exit ramp, turn left onto SC 27.
 Go south on SC 27 for 1 mi. to US 78.
 Turn right onto US 78 and go 17 mi. to the town of St. George.
 At the traffic light in St. George, turn left onto US 15 and go south on US 15 for 5.9 mi. to Grover.
 AT Grover, turn right onto Wire Road S-18-19.
 Go 6.6 mi. to small bridge over Cattle Creek.
 From Cattle Creek bridge, go another 0.25 mi. to the brown street sign “Conservation Way” on the left. To get to the field station, enter between wooden columns, go through gate, and follow unimproved road through the forest for 0.4 mi. To get to the north area gate, continue up Wire Rd. for 1,000 ft. to entrance on the right.

Option From St. George – Most Direct 9 mi., 18 min.
 Beginning at St. George, SC, intersection of US 78 and US 15:
 Go west on US 78 for 0.6 mi. (on left see red brick wall and cemetery)
 Turn left onto Mett St. S-18-26 and go 2.3 mi.
 Turn right onto Friendship Rd. S-18-26, go under I-95 bridge then turn left onto Cowtail Rd. S-18-26.
 On Cowtail Rd. S-18-26 go 1.0 mi. to Maple Branch Rd.
 Turn right onto Maple Branch Rd. S-18-26 and go 3.9 mi. to intersection with Wire Rd.
 Turn right onto Wire Rd. S-18-19 and go 0.4 mi. to small bridge over Cattle Creek.
 From Cattle Creek bridge, go another 0.25 mi. to the brown street sign “Conservation Way” on the left. To get to the field station, enter between wooden columns, go through gate, and follow unimproved road through the forest for 0.4 mi. To get to the north area gate, continue up Wire Rd. for 1,000 ft. to entrance on the right.

From Bamberg 25 mi., 34 min.
 Take 78 SE to SC Hwy 61.
 Continue SE on 61for approx. 6.5 mi. to Whetstone Crossroads, intersection of 61 and US 21.
 Turn left onto US 21 going north, cross Edisto River and go approx. 2 mi.
 Turn right onto Wire Rd. S-38-204 (becomes S-18-19 at Dorchester Co. line) and go 7.1 miles to McAlhany Preserve.
 The Preserve is one mile past Beulah Church. The property is on both sides of road. The north area gate is on the left. To get to the field station, proceed 1,000 ft. further on Wire Rd, to a brown street sign “Conservation Way”. Turn right into Conservation Way, enter between wooden columns, go through gate, and follow unimproved road through the forest for 0.4 mi.

From Orangeburg 28 mi., 38 min.
 Take US 21 south for approx. 16 mi. to Branchville.
 Continue on US 21 past Branchville for 3.3 mi. and turn left onto Wire Road S-38-204.
 Go 7.1 mi. on Wire Road S-38-204 (becomes S-18-19 at Dorchester Co. line) to McAlhany Preserve.
 The Preserve is one mile past Beulah Church. The property is on both sides of road. The north area gate is on the left. To get to the field station, proceed 1,000 ft. further on Wire Rd, to a brown street sign “Conservation Way”. Turn right into Conservation Way, enter between wooden columns, go through gate, and follow unimproved road through the forest for 0.4 mi.

From Walterboro 25 mi., 35 min.
 Take US 15 north for. 13.8 mi. to Grover.
 Turn left onto Wire Road S-18-19 (just after “Shop N Stop” store on right).
 Go 6.6 mi. and cross small bridge over Cattle Creek.
 From Cattle Creek bridge, go another 0.25 mi. to the brown street sign “Conservation Way” on the left. To get to the field station, enter between wooden columns, go through gate, and follow unimproved road through the forest for 0.4 mi. To get to the north area gate, continue up Wire Rd. for 1,000 ft. to entrance on the right.

From Columbia 70 mi., 1 hr. 20 min.
 I-26 east for approx. 35 mi. to US 601, Exit 145.
 Take US 601 into Orangeburg (approx. 5 mi.). Note- US 601 joins with US 21.
 Go through Orangeburg and continue south on US 21 for approx. 16 mi. to Branchville.
 Continue on US 21 past Branchville for 3.3 mi. and turn left onto Wire Road S-38-204.
 Go 7.1 mi. on Wire Road S-38-204 (becomes S-18-19 at Dorchester Co. line) to McAlhany Preserve.
 The Preserve is one mile past Beulah Church. The property is on both sides of road. The north area gate is on the left. To get to the field station, proceed 1,000 ft. further on Wire Rd, to a brown street sign “Conservation Way”. Turn right into Conservation Way, enter between wooden columns, go through gate, and follow unimproved road through the forest for 0.4 mi.

Turn onto Conservation Way, enter between wooden columns, go through the gate, and follow the unimproved road through the forest for approximately 0.4 mi.

After a day of sauntering in the woods, we will meet up at Shugs Southern Soul Cafe located St George about 15 minutes away.
5792 Memorial Blvd,
Saint George, SC 29477.

A menu can be found at https://shugssouthernsoulcafe.com/