Joining 30,000 protected acres along one of South Carolina’s most exotic rivers, Black River Cypress Preserve is the finest semitropical park in the northern hemisphere. Well-groomed swampside and pineland trails welcome hikers and bikers, while paddlers can navigate the Black’s tea-colored waters all the way from the headwater swamps to its junction with the Pee Dee River and Winyah Bay.
Paddling the Black River
Longleaf Pine Restoration at Pine Prairie
Johns Lake Pavilion
Paddling the Black River
River Landing at Swampside Tract
Gin Branch Boardwalk at Swampside Tract
Southern Magnolia in bloom
Black River in Fall
Eastern Bluebird spotted at Swampside Tract
Midway down the South Carolina coast awaits the finest semitropical park in the northern hemisphere – Black River Cypress Preserve. Located along one of South Carolina’s most exotic waterways, Black River Cypress Preserve belongs to a newly protected landscape that comprises some 30,000 acres and more than 75 miles of preserved riverfront.
Paddlers can navigate through the pristine tea-colored waters of the ancient cypress swamps and headwaters of the Black River, all the way to its confluence with the storied Pee Dee River and Winyah Bay. Hikers and bikers enjoy access to more than 15 miles of finely constructed trails and boardwalks, where flora, fauna and natural history of the region are beautifully interpreted on strategically placed plaques and identification labels.
During the heat of summer, visitors can relax in screened pavilions on the banks of the river and in beautiful clearings that host naturalized ponds. Upland trails through the longleaf pine prairie reveal abundant wildlife and a rich reservoir of native plants. Further expanding the potential for exploration and recreation, the newly established Black River State Park lies just upriver from the Cypress Preserve – the first new state park in South Carolina in 20 years.
Field Trips on the Black River
Since its inception in 2012, more than 13,000 middle and high school students have experienced the joy and wonder of the Black River Cypress Preserve through our South Carolina Outdoor Education Program. Led by trained naturalists, students embark on a four-hour kayaking adventure on the Black River – an experience that combines local history, environmental education and team building. The aim of this immersion in the natural beauty of the South Carolina Lowcountry is to spark a lifelong passion for conservation among the area’s young people.
Own & Operate
Black River Cypress Preserve
Swampside Tract
16368 County Line Rd,
Andrews, SC 29510
Peninsula Tract
91 Hammock Rd.,
Andrews, SC 29510
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Post & Courier
“Some rivers are unique. They start and end within a single region. They meander through cypress swamps. Their waters turn a deep copper-brown because of the tannins drawn from old-growth wetland forests…The Black River of South Carolina is one such river.”
Sun News
“The Preserve is one of twelve public and private parks along the Black River Water Trail & Park network which stretches 70 miles from Kingstree, S.C. to near Georgetown, S.C. This park is expected to serve as a model for the development of the first new state park in South Carolina in over twenty years.”
