Lee State Natural Area

Lee State Park is situated right along the Lynches River and is close to the town of Bishopville which is in Lee County, South Carolina. If you want to head over to the park, find the I-20 and then take Exit 123 (Lee State Park Road) and then travel about one mile north before turning left into the park.

When you get to the park you will find 2,839 acres of mainly bottomland hardwood forest, wetlands and a designated state scenic river (Lynches River). Other significant features that you will find at the park include sandhills, a mill pond, and artesian wells among several other features. The Artesian wells are a natural as well as manmade features in that the aquifers were naturally occurring in the park before the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) drilled down to create the constantly flowing wells.

To complete the natural biota at the park, you will find unique and federally protected wildlife including fox squirrels, marsh rabbits, and the wood stork. Other thriving animal species that you can find at the park include white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, bobcats, gray foxes, yellow-billed cuckoos, green tree frogs, yellow-bellied turtles, summer tanagers, beavers, river otters and over 100 bird species.

Besides the majestic natural splendor of the park, there are plenty of other activities that you can enjoy at the park including canoeing, camping, interpretive programs, horseback riding, fishing, hiking, and birding. Amenities at the park that facilitate these activities include 25 campsites, horsemen's camp, playground, primitive group camp, two picnic shelters, bridle trail, equestrian trail and stable, education center, and a hiking trail.

Like other state parks in South Carolina, you can bring your dog to the park but there are some rules that you will need to observe. First, you need to always keep your dog in a secure enclosure or on a leash that has a maximum length of six feet. 

You can take your dog to most outdoor areas but are specifically forbidden from taking your dog into lodging areas (or close to lodging areas). Also, must ensure that your pooch is well-behaved since any noisy dogs or dogs that exhibit dangerous or threatening behavior to other wildlife in the park will not be tolerated.