Givhans Ferry State Park (Blog Hike #620)

Trails: River Bluff and Old Loop Trails

Hike Location: Givhans Ferry State Park

Geographic Location: southwest of Ridgeville, SC (33.02863, -80.38816)

Length: 6.9 miles

Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)

Date Hiked: February 2017

Overview: A mostly flat double loop past the Edisto River and through deep pine woods.

Park Information: https://southcarolinaparks.com/givhans-ferry

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=590108
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Take I-95 to SR 61 (exit 68).  Exit and go east on SR 61.  Drive SR 61 east 16.9 miles to CR 18-30, which is reached just after crossing the Edisto River.  A road sign for Givhans Ferry State Park stands here.  Turn left on CR 18-30, and drive 0.1 miles to the park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the nominal entrance fee, and park in the large gravel/dirt parking area marked “General Parking.”  This parking area is located on the left just after passing a mowed-grass field on your right.

The hike: Acquired by donation from the City of Charleston in 1934, the 988 acres on which Givhans Ferry State Park sits has a long history as park land.  The park and general area get their name from Phillip Givhan, who operated a ferry across the Edisto River on this site in the late 1700’s.  Givhan’s ferry was located on the main land route from Charleston to Augusta and Savannah, which was called the Charleston to Augusta/Savannah Pass.  That road still exists today, but we call it SR 61.

            The depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) left their mark on this site via the campground’s Community Building.  The park offers a small 25-site campground, 4 cabins, 2 picnic shelters, and 2 hiking trails: the 1.5 mile River Bluff Trail and the 5.4 mile Old Loop Trail.  The two trails form separate loops, so you could hike only one if you wish.  This hike uses both loops to form a 6.9 mile grand tour of all the hiking Givhans Ferry State Park has to offer.

Start of River Bluff Trail

            This trail description starts with the shorter River Bluff Trail.  Before you leave the parking area, notice the signed sinkholes just east of the parking area, the above ground evidence of a cave system that lies underground.  After observing the sinkholes, cross the park road and walk diagonally across the mowed-grass play field to a pair of split rail fences at the edge of the woods.  Although no signs indicate such, this point marks the start of the River Bluff Trail, which heads into the woods.

            The wide leaf-covered dirt trail heads northeast on a nearly level course.  For this initial segment CR 18-30 lies less than 100 feet to the right, so you will hear an occasional car zooming by.  At 0.4 miles, you cross a wooden footbridge over a small stream.  File this bridge in your memory bank for later in this hike.

Wooden footbridge

            After crossing the bridge, the trail curves left to increase its distance from the road and head into an area that features several narrow but steep ravines.  0.7 miles into the hike, you get your first view of the Edisto River, this time from a bluff nearly 20 feet above the river.  The steep bluff stands in sharp contrast to the flat terrain on which this hike started.

Bluff along Edisto River

            The trail curves left again as it clings to the bluff.  The river stays downhill to the right, but trees prevent any unobstructed river views.  At 0.9 miles, the trail dips and rises steeply as it passes through a steep but shallow ravine.  Enjoy this hill, for it is the only noticeable elevation change on this hike.

            Just shy of 1 mile, the River Bluff Trail ends at an intersection with the paved park road near the primitive campground.  For the shortest route back to the parking area, angle softly right and walk along the park road as it passes the campground entrance, park office, and playground in that order.  Return to the general parking area at 1.4 miles.  Stop at your car to rest and resupply before beginning the longer second loop.

Start of Old Loop Trail

            To reach the second loop, walk out the main park road past the gatehouse. The Old Loop Trail starts at a vehicle gate directly across CR 18-30 from the park entrance.  The Old Loop Trail follows a wide old service road for its entire distance, so the going over the nearly flat terrain is very easy.  If you want some easy miles and could care less about scenery, then this trail is the one for you.

The forest nearest the county road features loblolly pines, but some nice stands of longleaf pines live further in.  Black marks on pine trees provide evidence of controlled burns, which are necessary to maintain the longleaf pine habitat.  For the most part the old service road stays very close to the park’s boundary, and occasionally some farm fields are visible across the park boundary to the right.

Hiking on the old service road

            Some shallow ditches on either side of the road fill with water after a rain, so mosquitoes can be a real nuisance on this trail.  I got my first ever February mosquito bite on this hike.  1 mile into the Old Loop Trail, you pass a nice wooden bench, the only bench on this trail.

3.2 miles into the hike, the old road curves left near the park’s eastern boundary.  Now on a northwest course, a few wet areas appear on the trail, and yellow forsythias were in full bloom on my visit.  After the old road on which you are walking curves left again, another old road appears to the right.

Forsythia bush in bloom

At 6 miles, the Old Loop Trail ends at another vehicle gate beside CR 18-30.  There is no trail that leads back to the parking area from this point, so you either have to retrace your very many steps along the semicircle-shaped Old Loop Trail or complete a loop via a 0.7 mile road walk along CR 18-30.  As a third alternative, shortly after beginning the road walk look to the right for the wooden footbridge you crossed earlier on the River Bluff Trail.  During the leafless season the bridge is visible about 50 feet into the woods, so you can hike off-trail a short distance to get back on the River Bluff Trail.  A left turn will get you going the opposite direction than the one you hiked a few hours ago and take you back to the general parking area.