Ranger Kristi Floyd

From splitting firewood to making reservations, you can always find Ranger Kristi pitching in to help keep Barnwell State Park running smoothly and smiles on visitors' faces. Born in Lexington, South Carolina, Ranger Kristi became a park ranger after temporarily working at Lake Greenwood State Park as a member of the maintenance staff.  About two years later, she began her career as a Park Ranger at Battle of Rivers Bridge State Historic Site.

“A routine day on the job for me includes overseeing the campground operations, cleaning and inspecting cabins, fixing any issues, buying supplies needed for the park, washing and folding linens, operating the park office and of course, having fun” Ranger Kristi said.  South Carolina State Parks rangers are provided with a unique opportunity to combine their love for the outdoors with a career. “Not only do you get to work outside, but you also get to learn and interact with the natural world. There are so many things I probably wouldn’t have experienced if I wasn’t a park ranger. You will learn a ton of skills and work with people who are enjoying the place you are taking care of,” she said.

In addition to Barnwell, Battle of Rivers Bridge, and Lake Greenwood state parks, Ranger Kristi has also worked at Paris Mountain State Park. However, out of all those parks, she says her favorite to park to visit is Dreher Island State Park. “Dreher Island my all-time favorite state park. I’ve been going there since I was two, and have a ton of memories there, so it holds a special place in my heart,” she said.

Having the ability to work in such beautiful places would seem to be the highlight and most satisfying part of being a park ranger, but not for Ranger Kristi. “The most satisfying part of my job is working with people. As stewards of service, we are able to offer a different type of customer service that I have not experienced in any other job. Whether it's telling a customer where the trail is or lending a hand to a customer in need, we get to help people make memories,” she said.

Thank You Ranger Kristi for being such an amazing steward and helping the park service in any way possible. To get an inside look at Ranger Kristi tackling some of her responsibilities like feeding Petey the corn snake or conducting cabin checks, watch Episode 7 of “A Day in the Life of a Park Ranger.”

Since this story was written, Ranger Kristi has been promoted to Senior Ranger at Hunting Island State Park!  Congratulations Ranger Kristi!