The Sumter National Forest is one of two forests in

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

that are managed together by the

United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

, the other being the

Francis Marion National Forest The Francis Marion National Forest is located north of Charleston, South Carolina. It is named for revolutionary war hero Francis Marion, who was known to the British as the Swamp Fox. It lies entirely within the Middle Atlantic coastal forests ...

. The Sumter National Forest consists of which are divided into 3 distinct sections in western and central South Carolina. The Enoree Ranger District is the largest, comprising roughly 170,000 acres in

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

, Fairfield, Laurens,

Newberry Newberry is a surname, a variant of Newbury. Notable people with the surname include: * Booker Newberry III (born 1956), American singer and keyboardist * Brennan Newberry (born, 1990), American professional stock car racing driver * Brian Newb ...

, and

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

counties. Next is the Long Cane Ranger District, comprising about 120,000 acres in

Abbeville Abbeville (, vls, Abbekerke, pcd, Advile) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the chef-lieu of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of ...

, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick, and Saluda counties. The smallest district is the Andrew Pickens Ranger District comprising over 85,000 acres which lies entirely in Oconee county and is part of the Appalachian Mountains. Forest headquarters of both South Carolina forests are located together in the state's capital city of Columbia.

History

In July 1936, President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

proclaimed the Sumter a separate National Forest. The Sumter is named for

Thomas Sumter Thomas Sumter (August 14, 1734June 1, 1832) was a soldier in the Colony of Virginia militia; a brigadier general in the South Carolina militia during the American Revolution, a planter, and a politician. After the United States gained independe ...

, a leader of patriot regular and military forces in the South Carolina piedmont during the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

and war hero. The lands that became the Sumter were predominantly eroding old farm fields and gullies or extensively logged forests. Once the lands became part of the Sumter, the process of controlling soil erosion, regulating the flow of streams and the production of timber began. Over time, the land has been slowly restored and has become productive again.

Andrew Pickens Ranger District

The Andrew Pickens Ranger District is situated in the mountains of northwest South Carolina in Oconee County. Local place names and streams attest the Cherokee Indian heritage of the area, including the Chattooga, Chauga, Cheohee,

Tugaloo Tugaloo (''Dugiluyi'' (ᏚᎩᎷᏱ)) was a Cherokee town located on the Tugaloo River, at the mouth of Toccoa Creek. It was south of Toccoa and Travelers Rest State Historic Site in present-day Stephens County, Georgia. Cultures of ancient ind ...

, Toxaway,

Keowee Keowee ( chr, ᎫᏩᎯᏱ, translit=Guwahiyi) was a Cherokee town in the far northwest corner of present-day South Carolina. It was the principal town of what were called the seven Lower Towns, located along the Keowee River (Colonists referred ...

, Oconee, Tamassee, and Jocassee rivers or creeks. The Ranger District is named for Andrew Pickens, commander of South Carolina rebel militia during the American Revolution. The ranger district offices are located near Mountain Rest. The Andrew Pickens Ranger District is home to the Chattooga River, a popular angling and whitewater destination. The Ellicott Rock Wilderness offers opportunities for solitude and primitive camping. The district also has numerous waterfalls and hiking trails.

Enoree Ranger District

The ranger district offices are located in Whitmire, just between Union and Newberry. Interstate 26 runs along the southwest side of the district. US Hwy. 176 and SC Hwy. 72 crisscross the district. The Enoree is well-known for its recreation opportunities on the Enoree, Tyger and Broad rivers, as well as a challenging Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trail. It also offers outstanding hiking, boating, hunting target shooting and equestrian opportunities.

Long Cane Ranger District

The Long Cane Ranger District of the Sumter National Forest is located in west central South Carolina, along the Georgia border. It is spread around the towns of Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick and Edgefield. The ranger district offices are located in Edgefield. The Long Cane is home to the Forks Area Trail System, an internationally known biking trail network. Both piedmont districts offer outstanding hiking, boating, hunting, target shooting and equestrian opportunities.

Today

The Sumter National Forest includes approximately of the Ellicott Rock Wilderness, the only wilderness to straddle three states (South Carolina,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, and

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

). The Sumter also has, as its western border, the

Chattooga River The Chattooga River (also spelled Chatooga, Chatuga, and Chautaga, variant name Guinekelokee River) is the main tributary of the Tugaloo River. Water course The headwaters of the Chattooga River are located southwest of Cashiers, North Carol ...

, a

Wild and Scenic River The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System was created by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-542), enacted by the U.S. Congress to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free- ...

. The Andrew Pickens District is also home to 15

waterfalls A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several w ...

with drops ranging from to .

Forests

The Enoree and Long Cane Ranger district support

Southeastern mixed forests The Southeastern mixed forests are an ecoregion of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forest biome, in the lower portion of the Eastern United States. Setting This ecoregion covers the Piedmont region of the eastern United States, stretching in a ...

. The Andrew Pickens ranger district has Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests.

Recreation

Sumter national Forest offers a wide variety of activities such as hiking, backpacking, canoeing, horse back riding, mountain biking, motorcycle and ATV riding, target shooting, camping, hunting, and fishing.

Notes

References

Forest Service’s History of the Sumter National Forest

External links