Georgetown County will celebrate Earth Day this week by giving residents and visitors another way to enjoy nature. It will open the Green Trail – the very first walking trail to open at Rocky Point Community Forest – with a small community celebration and ribbon cutting at 3 p.m. Members of the public are invited to attend and be among the first to walk the scenic trail.
“We couldn’t think of a more perfect way to celebrate Earth Day on April 22 than by spending it in one of the most beautiful, undeveloped spots in the county, and giving people another way to get out and explore and enjoy this natural treasure,” said Beth Goodale, director of Georgetown County Parks and Recreation.
Located off Choppee Road, Rocky Point is a more than 650-acre public, passive recreation site purchased several years ago through a partnership between The Nature Conservancy, The Open Space Institute and Georgetown County. The county manages the sites recreational amenities, which include a boat landing and kayak launch, a picnic area, and now the Green Trail. It is the state’s first community forest, and will be part of the state’s ambitious plan to create a new state park that encompasses multiple public recreation sites along the Black River.
The trail is just under a mile long and starts near the boat landing and gravel parking area. From there, the path meanders through the woods, past the historic Coachman family cemetery and down by Choppee Creek. It then loops back up Rocky Point Drive to the landing.
“It’s a really gorgeous and peaceful walk,” Goodale said. “There’s a lot of beautiful scenery to enjoy out there.”
The trail was developed through a partnership between the original partners in the property, the Winyah Rivers Alliance, the Rocky Point Steering Committee and the Friends of Rocky Point. Future plans for the property include the addition of biking and equine trails, as well as camping grounds.