The Palmetto Trail, a project of the Palmetto Conservation Foundation (PCF), begins in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Wahalla and stretches across the state of South Carolina to the Low Country near Charleston. On September 9, the Mast Store in Columbia is hosting volunteers from the PCF and will donate 10% of the day’s sales to help this group’s continuing efforts to conserve South Carolina’s natural and cultural resources and to promote active outdoor recreation on the Palmetto Trail.

Founded in 1989, the PCF is charged with a wide-ranging course of work that includes preservation and restoration of Revolutionary War battlefields, as well as publishing historical, educational, and recreational reference guides. The Foundation’s best known project is the Palmetto Trail.

When complete, the Palmetto Trail will include about 500 miles of trail from the mountains to the sea. Three hundred fifty miles is already complete and passes through small towns, forests, swamps, and down the middle of the Capital City of Columbia. The Trail is within a two-hour drive of anywhere in the state and is open for backpacking, hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

Just this year, the Trail opened the Roundtop Mountain Passage, which adds a 5.1-mile forested footpath and creates opportunities for circular hikes in the Jocassee Gorges Wilderness in Pickens County.

The Palmetto Trail thrives on the generosity of volunteer work, from weekly Trail workdays to year-long help from the Palmetto Conservation Corps (PCC), a project of Palmetto Conservation Foundation. The PCC provides training in trail building, maintenance, and conservation, while building skills in leadership, disaster response, and environmental education. The first AmeriCorps program of its kind in South Carolina, the Corps works to complete conservation projects throughout our state. 

“Seeing the state of South Carolina on foot is a great way to learn more about its history, culture, and geography,” said Lisa Cooper, president of Mast General Store. “By using the network that makes up The Palmetto Trail users are active, learning, and fully experiencing the beauty of the state. We are looking forward to the completion of the Trail.”

The Mast Store in Columbia will host volunteers from the Palmetto Conservation Foundation on September 9. At the end of the day, a donation of 10% of the day’s sales will be made to the PCF. To find out how you can become more involved, visit the PCF website at www.PalmettoConservation.org.