Baker Creek State Park: Wild Mint Nature Trail (Blog Hike #732)

Trail: Wild Mint Nature Trail

Hike Location: Baker Creek State Park

Geographic Location: west of McCormick, SC (33.88025, -82.36451)

Length: 0.8 miles

Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: March 2019

Overview: A short, secluded campground nature trail through pine forest.

Park Information: https://southcarolinaparks.com/baker-creek

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=737136
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From McCormick, take US 378 west 3.8 miles to Hugenot Parkway and a signed false entrance for Baker Creek State Park.  Turn right on Hugenot Parkway and drive north 1.2 miles to the signed real entrance for Baker Creek State Park on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the nominal entrance fee, and drive the main park road 1.4 miles to the campground loop entrance on the right.  Turn right and drive the one-way paved campground loop to the main campground (Campground #2).  Turn right to enter the main campground on a gravel road.  The signed trailhead for the Wild Mint Nature Trail is between campsite numbers 55 and 56 on the left.  A small pull-off for the campground restroom building on the right provides trailhead parking.

The hike: Along with Hickory Knob, Hamilton Branch, and Elijah Clark, 1305 acre Baker Creek State Park is one of several Georgia and South Carolina state parks on the shore of Strom Thurmond Reservoir near McCormick, SC.  The park was created in 1967 when the State of South Carolina leased lakeside land from the US Army Corps of Engineers.  Unlike its larger and better-amenitied brethren, Baker Creek is only open March through September.  While lake access takes center stage, the park also offers a 50-site developed campground, 2 picnic shelters, and several trails open to hiking and mountain biking.

            Baker Creek State Park offers 11 miles of trails open to hikers, but the only hiker-only trail is the short Wild Mint Nature Trail described here.  I have to be honest and report that this trail was in pretty bad shape when I hiked here: a thick layer of pine needles covered the trail surface, and numerous fallen trees blocked my path.  While I was here, I also did a short hike on one of the park’s multi-use trails, which were in substantially better shape.  Thus, this park’s best hiking may be on trails designed primarily for mountain bikes.

Trailhead for Wild Mint Nature Trail

            The Wild Mint Nature Trail starts at a signed trailhead on the east side of the gravel campground road.  The trail curves left as it drops toward the lake with the campground close on the left.  As I mentioned above, the path is frequently indistinguishable from the surrounding forest, but there are enough white blazes and other trail markers to keep you on the right general course.  Numbered posts indicate the presence of an interpretive brochure, but I could not find such a guide.

            After crossing a creek on an old wooden footbridge, the trail splits to form its loop.  As indicated by a trail sign, I turned right and used the left fork as my return route, thus hiking the loop counterclockwise.  The lake stays in view downhill to the right as the trail maintains an eastern course through dense pine forest.

"Trail" along the lake

            At 0.3 miles, the trail curves left and begins climbing away from the lake.  This turn is well-marked with several white paint blazes and a white metal diamond marker bearing a black arrow.  Soon the trail crosses the paved campground access loop road for the first of two times.  Trail conditions improve slightly once you get inside the campground loop road.

Crossing the campground loop road

            The trail curves more left than right as it undulates on gradual contours.  The quiet pine forest makes the setting feel very remote for a short campground nature trail.  You re-cross the paved campground road just before closing the trail’s loop.  Turn right and hike the short distance back to the main campground to complete the hike.  While you are here, you could try hiking on some of the hiking/biking trails as I did.  Also, although the park map shows a 0.7 mile walking trail near the boat ramp, I was not able to find that trail on my visit.

Hickory Knob State Park: Lakeview Trail (Blog Hike #731)

Trail: Lakeview Trail

Hike Location: Hickory Knob State Park

Geographic Location: west of McCormick, SC (33.88223, -82.41411)

Length: 7.2 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)

Dates Hiked: February 2019, December 2022

Overview: A rolling loop with long segments along the shore of Strom Thurmond Lake.

Park Information: https://southcarolinaparks.com/hickory-knob

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=733151

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From McCormick, drive US 378 west 5.8 miles to CR 7 and turn right on CR 7.  Take CR 7 north 1.6 miles to the signed state park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, then drive 1.3 miles to the barn-like Long Cane Center the left.  Turn left and park in the Long Cane Center's parking area.

The hike: For my general comments on Hickory Knob State Park, see either of my previous hikes here: the Turkey Ridge Trail or the Beaver Run Trail.  At 7.2 miles, the Lakeview Trail is the longest of the park’s three trails, and it is the only one to form a true loop.  As its name suggests, the Lakeview Trail’s main attraction is its route along the east shore of Strom Thurmond Reservoir, which the trail follows for more than half of its length.  Also, this hike features decent distance with only a small amount of difficulty, so it is a great early-season hike for powering up the hiking muscles after a long winter’s nap.

Trailhead: Lakeview Trail

            The Lakeview Trail starts at an information kiosk located on the east side of the Long Cane Center’s parking area.  The initial segment of trail passes through a nice forest dominated by loblolly pines.  Thus, a thick carpet of pine needles softens your footsteps.  A few metal diamonds nailed to trees mark the trail, but the more numerous blue rectangular paint blazes are more helpful in keeping you on track.  This trail is also open to mountain bikers, but I did not pass another single trail user when I hiked here on a cool Saturday afternoon in early February.

            The back side of the Long Cane Center comes into view on the right before the trail curves left to head for the lake shore.  Some partially obstructed views of more pine forest open up on the left as you round a small knob and begin descending.  At 0.7 miles, your first view of Strom Thurmond Reservoir appears through the trees downhill and to your left.  The trail stays at least 20 feet above the water as it heads out the east side of a finger peninsula that juts south into the lake.

First view across reservoir

            At 1.3 miles, you reach the tip of the finger peninsula and your first view across the width of the lake.  On my visit a fallen log made a perfect bench to sit, rehydrate, and enjoy the view.  This log may have been the victim of a southern pine beetle infestation that devastated this park a few years ago.  I had to negotiate a few fallen trees on my hike, but overall the trails at this park are narrow but well-marked and well-maintained.

            For roughly the next 4.5 miles the trail stays within 500 feet of the lake shore, so partially obstructed lake views will be nonstop.  The lakeside portion of the trail meanders around 5 different inlets with the general direction being west at first and then north.  Metal diamond mile markers used to appear at 1 mile intervals; some of them have fallen down recently.  For the most part the forest is the usual Piedmont mixture of pines and broadleaf trees, but at 2.3 miles a small stand of red cedar trees surrounds the trail.

Trail markers

            Near 4 miles into the hike, the trail curves right to head up the inlet that will take us away from the lake’s main channel.  On my visit this inlet featured numerous anglers on boats trying their luck and skill in the waters.  Also, piers near the park’s cabins can be seen across the inlet, and the park’s golf course can be seen at the head of the inlet.

Hiking along the reservoir

            After the park’s campground comes into view across the lake, the trail curves right and climbs gradually to leave the lake shore.  Just when you think you might have seen the last of the lake, the trail curves left and descends to come within sight of the lake one final time.  Some steep but usually dry drainage channels are crossed before the spur trail to the campground exits left at 6.6 miles; a brown carsonite post marks this intersection.  Continue straight to remain on the main loop.

            The trail begins the home stretch as it climbs gradually to leave the lake behind for good.  Now on an eastbound course, you join what appears to be an old road just before the red barn-like Long Cane Center comes into view through the trees uphill and ahead of you.  A final pass through the Center’s sewage and electrical areas returns you to the parking lot to complete the loop.  If you want to do more hiking while you are here, the Turkey Ridge Trail sits directly across the main park road.  On the other hand, a nice meal at the park’s restaurant might be in order if one (fairly long) hike per day is enough.