There's a certain beauty that surrounds something being reclaimed by nature. Granted, some things take much longer to break down than others. But if you leave something unattended long enough the same process always begins. Here are some abandoned places in South Carolina that may surprise you.
1. A forgotten house is starting to blend into the surrounding landscape in Waterloo.
8. This playground looks like at one point it was both fun AND safe. It was photographed several years ago at an abandoned motel off I-95 in South Carolina.
13. If you try, you can almost hear the voices of the traveling children who once played in this now-defunct pool at an abandoned motel in South Carolina.
Have you seen any of these or other abandoned places in South Carolina? Let us know in the comments. If you want to explore abandoned towns in South Carolina, take a look at Ellenton.
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If you enjoy photographing abandoned places, check out the camera gear from our friends at REI.
South Carolina may never rank as a top ten place to view fall foliage, but that doesn’t mean our state doesn’t get some beautiful autumn color. In fact, each year as the fall season approaches many wonder: When do leaves change color in South Carolina? And if you’ve ever felt that our state got a raw deal when it comes to pretty, colorful leaves during the fall, you may change your mind after seeing our suggestions for the best times and places to go leaf-looking around here, as shown on the South Carolina fall foliage map 2024:
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As you can see from the map when you change the date, the colors of fall in South Carolina are expected to reach their peak by the end of October and into the early days of November. The best places to view the colors of fall in South Carolina really depends on what type of scenery you prefer.
If you're at a higher elevation such as in the mountains, you're able to see vibrant foliage for miles! One interesting vantage point to see fall colors in South Carolina is from a suspension bridge like this one along the Gum Gap Trail in Caesar's Head State Park, located in Cleveland within the area predicted to peak around the middle of October.Another trail within this state park, Dismal Trail Loop, was named by Travel + Leisure as a best hike in North America for fall.
There's something about beautiful autumn color framing water features, like with this waterfall in Table Rock State Park in Pickens, another location for your mid-October leaf-looking adventures.
The Fred W. Symmes Chapel, known as Pretty Place because of its incredible views, is a wonderful fall foliage viewing spot in South Carolina. A part of YMCA Camp Greenville, located in Cleveland, be sure to check the visitation schedule before visiting to ensure it's open to the public during the time of your visit.
Located in Landrum, Campbells Covered Bridge is the only covered bridge remaining in South Carolina. You'll see the best fall color at this spot around the middle of October. This expansive view comes from Jumping Off Rock Overlook in Sunset, which is predicted to peak around the same time.
Issaqueena Falls, a 100-foot cascade waterfall in Walhalla, makes for one of the most picturesque fall landscapes in South Carolina and it's even more beautiful surrounded by fall foliage! Prefer a serene lake scene? Lake Jocassee's undeveloped shoreline makes another postcard-worthy fall sight that looks like it will be best seen about the third week of October.
Predicting what nature will do is a difficult task and is successful at times, while others not so much. Time will tell how good these predictions are! We do hope the information is helpful as you plan out your fall foliage adventures for this year.
What is your favorite South Carolina spot for viewing fall foliage?
Are you an adventure seeker who enjoys exploring areas and places that have been abandoned? If this is you, take a look at the following abandoned places in South Carolina. As you'll soon learn, each place is distinctly unique and captivating. Hence, some of these destinations give a poetic look into the past while some of these locations provide insight into the future. Are you the type to search "abandoned places near me?" If so, read on to learn about these abandoned places to visit when you're in South Carolina.
The Boynton House is an abandoned farmhouse built in the 1800s by the renowned Boynton family. Reportedly abandoned during the Great Depression, it now sits poetically in ruins within the Donnelley Wildlife Management Area in Colleton County. Take a close look at the detail in the beautiful roof in the first photo of this abandoned South Carolina building.
As one of the historic abandoned places to visit in South Carolina, this lost national park sits in ruins on Shute's Folly, an island in Charleston Harbor. In its heyday, it was instrumental as a defense fortress during the Civil War as well as a prison for Union soldiers and officers.
As one of the abandoned wonders in SC that made this list, this former mental asylum was built in the mid-1800s. Patients were housed in this facility until 1989 and the administrative offices remained through 1996. It's been closed and abandoned since then. However, this grand old building is soon to see new life, as a Greenville developer is turning this abandoned property into a hip new mixed-use development.
Atalaya Castle was the winter home of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. Archer was an industrialist and Anna was an American sculptor. The "castle" had 30 rooms and a studio for Anna to work in. It also had pens for the animals she would use as models, including horses, dogs, and bears. The abandoned South Carolina gem is located in Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet.
The overgrown remains of St. Simons Episcopal Church are located in the tiny town of Peak, SC. A favorite among avid photographers, this church was built around 1900 and closed in the late 1920s. This abandoned South Carolina destination is located on private property too.
Lando School is another abandoned place to visit in South Carolina. The former school opened in 1905 and closed in 1955. It served as a school for the children of Manetta Mill employees. These photos were taken in 2012 and 2010, respectively.
Glendale Mill was destroyed by a fire in March of 2004. The remains of this abandoned wonder in SC were once the heart and soul of the Glendale community. Located in Spartanburg County, the mill remnants are a haunting reminder of the livelihoods once attached to the mill that operated on this site.
This abandoned SC building was officially closed 20 years ago in 1996 as part of the Base Realignment Closure Committee's recommendations. It stands in ruin, haunting the landscape with a reminder of the devastating blow the closure of the Navy Base in North Charleston dealt to the community.
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Tour the inside of this eerie building below thanks to YouTube user R Willy.
From a beautiful farmhouse abandoned by its family during the Great Depression to the former officers' quarters at the old Charleston Navy Base, these eight abandoned wonders provide a haunting, yet beautiful glimpse of the history of our great state.
Have you seen any of these abandoned South Carolina sites in person? Feel free to let us know in the following comments section.
After visiting these 8 abandoned wonders in South Carolina, how about exploring other parts of the Palmetto State by taking this Natural Wonders Road Trip? Make sure to check out our ultimate road trip packing guide so you have everything you may need along the way.
