Poinsett State Park (over-nighter)

Poinsett State Park – Sumter County
6660 Poinsett Park RD
Wedgefield, SC 29168
GPS Coordinates: Long: 80° 32’ 0.01”W , Lat: 33° 48’ 1.95”N
Phone: ( 803) 494-8177
Office Hours: 11am-noon & 4pm-5pm
Park Hours: Daily 9am-6pm (extended to 9pm Fri.-Su. during Daylight Savings
Time)
Admissions: Free
Meet at 10:30 am in the main parking lot beside the lake. There are bathrooms at
the park office and in the nearby picnic area. We’ll probably start by exploring the
trail around the lake, which provides access to diverse habitats in the park and
should allow us to return to the cars and picnic areas for lunch. This trail is
relatively easy with some elevation change; it also provides the best views of the
mountain laurel. After lunch, there are a variety of other trails to explore. The
small lake can be explored with your own canoe or kayak or a rental boat. Dinner
will be at Ward’s BBQ in Pinewood. After dinner we can check out a Redcockaded
Woodpecker colony and then return to the park to listen for River Frogs
calling. Note that the park is open until 9 pm on this date. Those who are staying
overnight at the park will have ample opportunity to make plans for Sunday. In
addition to the trails and areas in the state park, there are two passages of the
Palmetto Trail at the park. The Wateree Passage begins in the park and runs north
to the Wateree River. The High Hills of Santee Passage runs from the park south to
Mill Creek County Park.
Web Links:
Poinsett State Park: http://southcarolinaparks.com/poinsett/introduction.aspx
Palmetto Trail: http://www.palmettoconservation.org/maps.asp
River Frog Calls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXBTl1xme70
Red-cockaded Woodpecker Calls: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Redcockaded_
Woodpecker/sounds
Ward’s BBQ: https://local.yahoo.com/info-128701588-ward-s-bbq-of-sumterincorporated-
pinewood [map, not menu]
From the Park Brochure:
A unique combination of history and mixed ecosystems makes Poinsett State
Park a special place in the woods. The rural Sumter County park’s setting in the
High Hills of Santee where the Midlands sandhills meets the coastal plains has
given rise to such unusual sights as mountain laurel festooned with Spanish moss.
The serene setting also offers camping, a fishing pond with coquina bathhouse
built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and clean, rustic cabins high
atop a hill where often the only sound is the breeze through the trees. The mix of
steep hills and bluffs, pine and hardwood forests and Lowcountry swamp also is
home to a wide range of plant and animal life. Hiking is a favorite activity at
Poinsett, where its own extensive trail system connects to the Palmetto Trail in
adjacent Manchester State Forest. The park is approximately 1,000 acres.
Pets are not allowed in the cabins or the cabin areas. Pets are allowed in most other
outdoor areas provided they are kept under physical restraint or on a leash not
longer than six feet.
Driving Directions from the Park Brochure:
From I-95: Take exit 119 (Manning exit) onto Hwy 261 towards Columbia until
you see signs for Poinsett.
From Columbia: Take Hwy 378/76 toward Sumter. After crossing over the Wateree
River proceed to the top of the hill and turn right onto Hwy. 261 toward
Wedgefield. Continue on Hwy 261 until you see signs for Poinsett. Park will be on
the right.
From I-20: Take exit 98 (Camden exit) onto Hwy 521 S. toward Sumter. Go 2 mi.
on Hwy. 521 to Hwy. 261, bear right and follow the road for approximately 35 mi.