Sand Hills Mountain Bike Trail
by Will Wattles

To experience a delightful stretch of single-track through a quiet wooded area, visit this trail in rural Chesterfield County. In this part of South Carolina woodlands abound on gently rolling hills of sand that were once ocean dunes. The Sand Hills trail runs through a small portion of the sprawling Sand Hills State Forest.

I went there on a pretty March afternoon when the only thing keeping it from a perfect day was a cool breeze. Sheltered by the trees I hardly felt the breeze. The gentle sound of the wind in the leaves replaced the roar of vehicles I am accustomed to at home. The trail demands concentration as it winds and twists up and down grades and through the trees. Don't be fooled by the seemingly short distance: we're talking mountain bike miles. My odometer read 10 miles when I finished and I had been riding pretty steadily for an hour and forty-five minutes. The trail took me through a variety of types of forest from planted pines to scrubby oaks. Though El Niño had dumped a lot of rain on us this trail had no wet spots. The track seems to beckon you on and it is hard to choose between stopping to enjoy the view and pushing on. Hairpin turns challenge your ability as to tight squeezes between trees. I found it easy to forget about the cares of life and focus all my attention on trees, roots, hills and tight turns. So you can either ride hell bent through the forest or you can stop and enjoy the silence, the clouds, the fresh air and the variety of vegetation. It's a fine way to pass a few hours.

The Sand Hills trail winds in three basic loops. The main trail is a bit over six miles long and perfect for most levels of riding. The two-mile extension and the new stretch on the west side of the paved road require more skill. Almost anyone would feel comfortable on the main loop. It's packed and well maintained. The extension, which is marked by a sign, is considerably rougher. My sense is that an inexperience rider would do fine if he or she was willing to dismount in a few spots. Novice riders would probably not enjoy the newest stretch on the far side of the road which has quite a few tough stretches.

 The trail is easy to find and easy to follow. A nice parking area has picnic tables, a trail head sign and a place to register. The trail is restricted to cyclists and hikers thus assuring a quiet afternoon in nature.

Getting There. The Sand Hills Bicycle Trail is located in the Sand Hills State Forest on U. S. Route 1 some 10.7 miles north of McBee and five miles south of Patrick. The entrance is across the road from the State Forest headquarters which is marked with a large colorful wooden sign. A small sign directs you down a dirt road about 1/2 miles to the parking area marked by a sign reading Trail Head. From Florence take route 52 to Darlington and route 151 to McBee and turn right. For more information call Bicycle World at 665-8115.

I read on the Internet that you have to pay a fee to ride here. I didn't see any signs to that effect and no one asked me. You can check that out by contacting below.
Information: Sand Hills State Forest
PO Box 128
Patrick, SC 29584
(803) 498-6478

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