40 Acre Rock Heritage Preserve — Attraction in Pageland

Unexpectedly amazing! An astonishing natural geological wonder nestled away in the woods of Upstate South Carolina. A lovely hike encompassing streams, waterfalls, and marshes in addition to the spectacular granite remains from a volcanic era. We learned that the lovely red vegetation is Snorkelwort, or Pool Sprite, and can only be found here. Truly remarkable hike.

Note: Trail is not a loop any longer. It appears the beavers have built a dam increasing the one side of the pond which has wiped out a section of the lower trail. Not too difficult to retrace walk back to either parking lot. I’d say this is a moderately difficult hike in some areas due to some steep and technical sections. The stream-side path back to the rock formation is less difficult than following the white blazers.

This trail is a must do for any nature or history enthusiasts. We did run into (literally) a small Copperhead snake who was nesting beneath one of the rock formation’s jagged outcroppings. Socks...

It was very interesting and beautiful with the rock itself covered in moss, lichens and pools of water that were reminiscent of tide pools. (We ignored the random graffiti lol) Winter meant there wasn't a lot of greenery but it was still gorgeous and we enjoyed the waterfall, cave and unique topography.

When you arrive, the walk to the rock is not quite a mile (total guess) down the sandy lane past the gate. Once you arrive at the rock, you can hike down to the waterfall using trails or just making your way down the granite/woodsy side. We didn't take any of the extended hiking trails as this was a quick stop to stretch our legs on a long drive, but we will definitely return with bottled water and a picnic lunch so we can explore further.

40 acre rock is suitable for either a leisurely, quick exploration that is easy to access or a longer, more adventurous excursion. It's free....

What in the hell Lancaster County, why is this park not protected? This is a absolutely stunning piece of land and I have never seen any type of parks department work being done. Theres so much litter and grafitti everywhere that is is difficult to even really enjoy yourself. If you go Andrew Jackson state park it is understandable as that is just a parking lot with some reproduction buildings and nothing else but 40 acre rock is beautiful piece of land that should be protected. The trails are nice other than the southern trail leading to the waterfall which has a giant oak that fell on the path in September of 2018 during Hurricane Florence and hasnt been cleared and there are no signs on the north trail telling you how to get to the waterfall. There should be...