Croft

Tim Ritter

Park Manager

Hello! I am Tim Ritter, the Park Manager of Croft State Park. I have often been asked why I wanted to be a park ranger. To be honest, I didn’t realize I wanted to be a park ranger until I had already gotten the Assistant Ranger position at Huntington Beach State Park back in 2008.  However, a career test I took in high school did have park ranger listed as the top choice for me, so I guess those tests are pretty accurate!

My favorite features of Croft State Park are where creeks and streams meet trails. Our trail system is huge, so you can often find yourself alone in these peaceful areas, listening to the sounds of water splashing across the rocks and birds chirping in the air. It’s truly breathtaking!

One thing that I would recommend for a first-time visitor at Croft is to relax on one of the bench swings along Lake Craig, or visit one of our peaceful creeks. The easiest creek to visit is Fairforest Creek, which is just a short walk from our park office along the Palmetto Trail. You can also visit the remnants of Walker’s Mill bridge along Kelsey Creek.

**Our Ultimate Outsider stamp is located at the park kiosk just outside the park office. The park office is about three miles down from the main gate.

Once an army training base, Croft State Park covers more than 7,000 acres of rolling, wooded terrain just a few miles from downtown Spartanburg. The park offers over 20 miles of biking and hiking trails, a playground, picnicking and camping, as well as fishing and boating in one of two lakes.

Horseback riding in South Carolina state parks is widely popular, and Croft is known around the region for its equestrian facilities. The park regularly hosts shows in its arena and boasts more than 20 miles of equestrian trails.