Barnwell

Eddie Richburg

Park Manager

I am Eddie Richburg, Manager of Barnwell State Park.  I’m often asked how I became a park ranger.  The story is, I was 19 years old and my sister and I were on the way to a funeral. As we passed the entrance to Santee State Park, I told her I should go there and apply for a job. My sister hit the brakes and turned around saying that we had a little time to spare!  Apparently, applying for a part-time position in a three-piece suit was the way to go, because I was hired on the spot and told to report to work the next morning at 6 a.m.!  The next day, at the end of my shift, I was asked how I liked it. I stated that I now plan to retire as a park ranger. That was 33 years ago!

I would have to say my favorite feature of Barnwell State Park is the historic CCC spillway when it’s flowing. This spot is very relaxing and beautiful.  Every first-time visitor to Barnwell should hike the Dogwood Nature Trail. You can see everything the park has to offer from this trail. It wraps around the lower two ponds, passes through the picnic area, community building, cabins, campground and fishing pier. If you feel like a little extra walking, the Fern Hill Trail connects to it and will take you through an upland forested area and into one of the areas devastated by the January 2017 tornado.

**Our Ultimate Outsider stamp can be found in the comment box to the left of the park office door.

Barnwell State Park is a community favorite among the residents of Blackville, South Carolina. One of 16 state parks built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, Barnwell is best known for its great fishing spots. Three small lakes host a large population of crappie, bream, bass and catfish.

Overnighters can take advantage of the Barnwell State Park cabins and campground, both of which sit only a short walk from the park lakes. Recreational opportunities include non-motorized fishing boat rentals, picnicking and two 1.5-mile nature trails that wind around one of the lakes. A community building is available for meetings, reunions, weddings and other group gatherings.