Welcome! My name is Jessica Nielsen and I am the park manager of Woods Bay State Park!

 

While I grew up camping in South Carolina state parks, it wasn’t until I was older that I realized I wanted to be a park ranger. I started walking and hiking in a park near me to get healthy, and after talking to a park ranger, I knew I wanted to help others experience the benefits of being outside. I returned to the University of South Carolina to complete a degree in Environmental Studies, focusing on environmental justice. I began working as a volunteer after I graduated, and love to help people connect to our wonderful cultural and natural resources.

 

Woods Bay is one of the most special parks I have been to! Carolina Bays are some of the most diverse and fascinating ecosystems that exist in our region, and I love exploring Woods Bay a little at a time. Due to the density of the brush, there’s still a lot of it left to explore!

 

The boardwalk is the best way to start your visit at Woods Bay. It provides a walk through the diverse plant ecosystems that make up a Carolina Bay, from tall pines to the cypress-tupelo swamp, to the shrub bog. Keep your eyes peeled for alligators as you walk! Once you get to the end of the boardwalk, I like to tell folks to look at the satellite map on your phone to see where you are in the Bay- that’s where you can really see how much of it is untouched!