Cheraw State Park Trails: Boardwalk, Turkey Oak, and Nature

You’ll find Cheraw State Park in South Carolina’s northeast corner. It was the first park in South Carolina’s system to have land set aside to develop a state park. Visitors can fish, boat, swim, kayak/canoe, picnic, camp, bike, hike, or enjoy the 18-hole golf course. Admission to the park is free.

If you are using GPS, the directions into the park may be wrong. It took me to an entrance on Highway 1 that was closed and gated. Use the main entrance off Highway 52.

Boardwalk Trail

The boardwalk is an easy 0.5-mile trail. Most of the route is universally accessible although there are some bumps and roots on either side of the actual boardwalk. It takes you around the edge of Lake Juniper and ends near the campground entrance.

Begin at the park office parking lot. Follow signs for “Boatside Shelter and Boardwalk” near the tree line.

The first thing you will encounter is a shelter with tables with a small boardwalk in front of it. Lily pads and water lilies dotted the lake near the boardwalk. A few steps away are a picnic table and bench swing to rest and enjoys views of the lake.

Past the picnic table, cross a short bridge and you’ll see the start of the boardwalk. This wooden boardwalk curves to the left and then to the right as it follows the water’s edge. At some points along the boardwalk, the railing is wider to allow visitors to sit.

The boardwalk transitions to a dirt trail at the shoreline. Here the terrain is more uneven with tree roots but still relatively flat. There is one bench along this portion as well.

Looking across the lake from this angle you get a better view of the boardwalk and the lake’s size.

Near the end of the trail is a bridge over Lake Juniper Dam. Carefully, you can make your way down rough spur trails on either side of the bridge to the water. The dam creates a short spillway “waterfall” that continues downstream.

Here I spotted a southern cricket frog among the rocks and sand.

Other notable finds include slaty skimmer dragonflies, tiger swallowtail butterflies, and Horace’s duskywing butterflies.

I recommend coming early to avoid crowds and hot temperatures since the trail is open to full sun.

Turkey Oak Trail and Nature Trail

For other hiking trails in the park, drive the main road back past the entrance road and go beyond the golf course. After the golf course, the road is paved but in poor condition with lots of potholes, so be careful as you drive.

The parking area for Turkey Oak is a small gravel pull-off to your left. Approximately 6 cars can fit here. The trailhead offers an information board and a trail blaze sign. These are dirt, sand, and pine needle-covered paths. They wander through the longleaf pine, blackjack oak, turkey oak and hickory tree forest.

Some maps and websites list both trails as the Turkey Oak Trail (a figure 8-loop) and some separate them into two trails – the longer Turkey Oak Trail and the shorter Nature Trail. To make it easier to follow directions, I will write them as two trails below.

The Trails

Nature Trail is a 2-mile inner loop (bottom loop) marked with red painted triangle blazes. This loop is easier difficulty with limited elevation change but still has uneven and washed-out terrain in some places.

Turkey Oak Trail is a 4.5-mile loop with white reflective rectangle blazes. I would call it moderate difficulty due to slight elevation gain, more uneven terrain, and worse blazing (at least when I visited).

In addition to the blazes, there are signposts at strategic turns to help visitors find their way.

Along both trails are trees with small signs on them with the species and facts.

Federally endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers nest in mature long-leaf pines. A portion of the forest is an endangered species restricted area for them. Before the 1-mile marker, there is a sign for the red-cockaded woodpecker nesting area. The cavity trees are a cluster of white-banded trees in the distance to your right.

Just after this sign is the split for the Nature Trail connector. If you want to hike the shorter loop, take the left fork here.

Upper Loop of Turkey Oak Trail

I chose to continue on the longer Turkey Oak Trail. This upper loop/outer loop section was much less defined. One section looked like there had been some recent fire or tree removal. The white reflector blazes were missing, and I had to find spray-painted arrows which were often not directly in sight.

A flash of red gave me a glimpse of a summer tanager before it flew away. There were also sparrows and pine warblers.

Then the trail circled into dense forest again and the regular blazes were back. Some sections were very narrow with overgrowth crowding the path. One of the small bridges was covered by a fallen tree, so I made my way through the creek bed which was thankfully dry.

Near the 2.5-mile marker is a sign for the Lake Juniper scenic overlook. It is a short trail to the right for views of the cypress swamp at the lake’s edge. This is a nice break, and you may find waterfowl here. I spied an eastern pondhawk dragonfly.

After the overlook, the trail opened up again to a wider dirt path through the forest. It looks like it might have been a forest road, or it is at least wide enough for vehicles.

I could hear woodpeckers all around but was only able to see and identify red-headed woodpeckers. There were also dozens of painted skimmer dragonflies.

You will cross a forest road with a trail signpost directing you to continue straight. Shortly after this, you’ll hit the Nature loop connector trail. Less than a mile to go!

In my opinion, the upper loop was not worth the trouble unless you need the extra mileage. It may have been better if the one section wasn’t so torn up.