Grove Plantation – Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin NWR

Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin NWR
8675 Willtown Road
Hollywood, SC 29449
Charleston County

Trip Leader: Marcus Sizemore

This month, we’ll be visiting Grove Plantation, situated within the Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). The NWR is just under 12,000 acres while the ACE Basin overall encompasses more than 350,000 acres. Grove Plantation is open to the public with limited parking near the gate. We’ll be meeting at the gate because on the weekends it is closed (likely to deter vandals and other miscreants). From the gate, it’s a fairly easy, approximately 1/2-mile walk to the Grove Plantation house. Built originally in 1828, the house itself has changed ownership several times and was occupied by Confederate troops during the Civil War. Grove is one of the few antebellum mansions in the ACE Basin area to have survived the Civil War. It was finally purchased along with the surrounding properties by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 1992.

Behind the house is where the fun begins. You’ll want to bring your binoculars as we’ll walk down an assortment of dikes that hold varying amounts of water throughout the year to attract waterfowl and other wading birds. This area is open to hunting on Fridays during duck season so while we won’t see any hunters, the ducks may be a little spooked from the day before. Leaving the dikes, there are some freshwater and brackish wetlands (old rice fields) along some of the perimeter roads. Further inland and back towards the entrance are a variety of bottomland hardwood swamps waiting to be explored. This area has seen a lot of rain recently and may be muddy in places. Most of the roads are hard packed but a few of the dikes and lower roads may be a little tough for some folks.

Lastly, there are bathrooms found on-site (yay!) located near the Grove Plantation House (now the USFWS headquarters). You can thank the USFWS for some lovely directions and more information on its history.

Directions: From Hwy. 17, take SC 174 (Signs will read “Edisto Beach” and “Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge”). Stay on SC 174 through Adams Run (174 will make a right turn in Adams Run). At the intersection with the flashing light, turn right on to Willtown Road. Go approximately 2 miles, entrance road will be on the left. Office is located in the Plantation House approximately 2 miles down gravel road.