Hiking Trail

Cheraw Nature & Turkey Oak  

(Cheraw State Park)

TrailMap

Description: Cheraw Nature Trail is an easy 1.9-mile walk, which is the inner loop of the larger 2.6-mile Turkey Oak Trail. Pick the distance you want, for both trails offer you a pleasant walk through a very dense forest of longleaf pine, blackjack oak, turkey oak, hickory trees, and closer to the ground, native irises called Blue Flags in the spring, and rose pogonia orchids in the summer. As you walk you may also be treated to some the common South Carolina wildlife, such as lizards, deer, snakes, and a vast assortment of birds. A short spur trail offers a chance for you to see the rare red cockaded woodpecker. If you chose to continue on the Turkey Oak Trail, you will enter a cypress swamp as you approach Lake Juniper, where you may see waterfowl such as ducks, egrets, geese, and pied billed grebe. You may also be treated to a wide array of raptors such as bald eagles, ospreys, red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, and Mississippi kites.

Length: 2.0-mile loop (Cheraw Nature trail) 4.5-mile loop (Turkey Oak trail)

Directions: From Cheraw, drive south on US 1/US 52 for 4 miles. Stay on US 52 when it bears left and the park entrance is 1 mile on the right. Upon entering the park, signs will clearly show you the way to the park office and lake (left), or to the golf course and hiking trails (right).