Enjoy Lake Views, Loads Of Trails, A Playground, And History At Manchester State Forest In South Carolina
By Robin Jarvis|Published June 29, 2021
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Robin Jarvis
Author
Robin Jarvis began writing for OnlyInYourState.com in 2015 and quickly advanced to a Senior Editor role. She's currently the Brand Manager and has a Bachelor's degree from West Virginia University in Journalism with a minor in Marketing. Her career history includes long running appearances on radio and television. She also has served as publisher of Shades of Green Magazine and Design Lead on several print publications. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. She's lived in the Carolinas for more than three decades and currently resides in Charleston, SC. When she's not working, she loves playing guitar, painting, traveling, and spending time with family.
Contact: rjarvis@onlyinyourstate.com
Can you name all five of South Carolina’s state forests? Not everyone can do it. In fact, unless you remember your early years in school, you may not even recognize some of the names. Let’s refresh: Harbison, Poe Creek, Wee Tee, Sand Hills, and last, but not least, Manchester. And while they’re all worthy of exploration, it’s the last one that we’ll talk about here.
At 26,675 acres, Manchester State Forest in South Carolina is a an underrated, little-known expanse of flora and fauna found right in the middle of the area between Columbia and Manning.
Yet, there is much to see and do within the Manchester State Forest. From lakes to camping, hiking, and more... it's a wonderland just waiting for discovery.
Additionally, parts of the forest are drenched in history. From 1935 to 1939, the land was used to resettle South Carolina families from unproductive farms to new locales with better land for farming. It was part of the Federal Resettlement Administration under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Today, there are several points of interest within the forest. Namely, Poinsett State Park, which sits perched on the outer rim of Manchester State Forest.
At Poinsett State Park, visitors can spend the day or even longer enjoying swimming, boating (kayak and canoe rentals), hiking, picnicking, fishing, and more.
And a campground with 50 sites accommodates any style of camping from tents all the way up to RVs. If you prefer glamping, just reserve one of the one or two-bedroom fully-equipped cabins.
Of course, there are other points of entry into the forest that are worthy of exploration, like the 10.6-mile segment of the statewide Palmetto Trail that traverses Manchester State Forest.
The Palmetto Trail is a 500-mile trek that crosses the entire state of South Carolina. It's divided into segments, making it easy to break it up into day or overnight hikes.
Learn more about the Palmetto Trail High Hills of Santee Passage from our friends at AllTrails.com. Explore your recreation options at Poinsett State Park, or make a camping or cabin reservation, on the official website for South Carolina State Parks. Discover more facts about Manchester State Forest on the South Carolina Forestry Commission’s website. The Palmetto Trail is free to use. Day use visitors to Poinsett State Park pay a nominal entry fee into the park.
