Manchester State Forest

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Manchester State Forest
Manchester State Forest, SC.jpg
Location Clarendon County, South Carolina and Sumter County, South Carolina, United States
Nearest city Sumter, South Carolina
Coordinates 33°49′59″N80°31′32″W / 33.83306°N 80.52556°W / 33.83306; -80.52556 Coordinates: 33°49′59″N80°31′32″W / 33.83306°N 80.52556°W / 33.83306; -80.52556
Area28,675 acres (116.04 km2)
Established1949
Named forTown of Manchester
Governing bodySouth Carolina Forestry Commission
Website

Manchester State Forest is a State Forest in Clarendon County, South Carolina and Sumter County, South Carolina. Founded in 1949, [1] the forest is named after the former site of Manchester, South Carolina, a once bustling town in the early 19th century. [2]

Contents

Geography

The forest is found in the High Hills of Santee region of central South Carolina and comprises 28,675 acres (11,600 ha) of woodland, meadowland, and bottomland located alongside the Wateree River watershed to the west, the unincorporated community of Wedgefield, South Carolina to the north, the city of Sumter, South Carolina to the east, and Pinewood, South Carolina to the south.

Recreation

Besides timber production, the forest is a popular destination for mixed use recreation, including hunting, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding. [3] 11.4 miles (18.35 km) of the High Hills of Santee section of the Palmetto Trail travels through the forest from Mill Creek Park north into Poinsett State Park. [4]

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Poinsett State Park is located in Sumter County in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The park is best known for its botanical oddities, combining the flora of the Blue Ridge Mountains foothills and Piedmont of Upstate South Carolina, the xeric Sandhills and the Atlantic coastal plain. In Poinsett State Park one can see mountain laurels draped with Spanish moss. The park, which has been called "weird and beautiful", is named after amateur botanist and South Carolina native Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first American ambassador to Mexico and popularizer of the poinsettia. There is a $3 charge for admission to Poinsett State Park and there are small fees for overnight camping and cabin rentals. The park is surrounded by the Manchester State Forest, and both provide access to the Palmetto Trail, linked hiking and mountain bike trails, and Manchester State Forest offers equestrian trails.

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References

  1. "Manchester State Forest". South Carolina Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  2. "Site of Manchester Historical Marker". The Historical Marker Database. June 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  3. "Manchester State Forest". South Carolina State Forestry Commission. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  4. "High Hills of Santee Passage". Palmetto Conservation Foundation. Retrieved September 20, 2022.