COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina is stacking fresh federal grants, county build-outs, a legislative push for four new state parks and a run of headline events into one of its largest outdoor-recreation growth spurts in decades, with officials noting that Land and Water Conservation Fund awards of $50,000 to $300,000 have already helped finance 1,185 projects since 1965, according to the state tourism agency.
The 2024 LWCF cycle opened an Aug. 7–Sept. 20 pre-application window for cities, counties and state agencies willing to provide a 50-percent match and keep land in recreation use forever, the same program that split $4.2 million among 13 projects last year and has steered more than $60 million statewide so far, the agency said in its announcement.
Campground and RV-park owners who want a piece of that action are being urged to approach counties early with written offers for overflow parking, shuttle service or shared trailheads and to seal the deal with a simple memorandum of understanding that clarifies maintenance and insurance obligations—steps that let public sites add capacity without new tax dollars.
York County is already showing what local partnerships can yield. Allison Creek Park, a 160-acre Lake Wylie property now in final punch-list phase, will open with four boat ramps, a canoe-kayak launch, four miles of trails, a playground and 33 campsites, according to a York County parks update.
Meanwhile, the county’s Catawba Bend Preserve has completed four miles of hiking paths on its first 1,900 acres, with additional phases on deck. Private operators abutting either site can score goodwill and traffic by adding kayak racks, rinse stations or eight-foot gravel connector trails that meet ADA surface guidelines and comply with LWCF “no-conversion” rules while being co-marketed on joint trail maps.
At the state level, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism has asked lawmakers for $18 million to ready Pine Island on Lake Murray, Ramsey Grove in Georgetown County, Misty Lake in Aiken County and several Black River parcels for public use in 2025, a budget request that would follow Dominion Energy’s 2021 land donations.
Pine Island’s opening was delayed by a traffic study, a residence fire and hurricane damage; Misty Lake’s blueprint now includes overnight camping; Ramsey Grove still needs roughly $10 million for roads, water systems and lead-paint removal; and bathrooms, trails and launches are under way along the Black River, the request states.
The same document notes a tentative 2027 debut for Dearborn Island in Chester County, dependent on a Duke Energy pedestrian bridge, and a separate funding plea next year for a 600-acre park that would celebrate Catawba Nation culture in Lancaster County.
For outdoor-hospitality operators, the roadmap is clear: partner early with public land managers, design complementary amenities that stay within federal recreation rules, and co-market the destination as one seamless experience; then brace for event spikes with dynamic pricing, tiered connectivity, cross-trained crews, strategic review requests and EV-ready parking rows.
If private businesses plug in early, the state’s layered investments—from lakefront ramps to public preserves—could translate into fuller campgrounds, longer visitor stays and a broader, more resilient tourism economy.