Tim Ritter

Park Manager

Hello!  I am Tim Ritter, the Park Manager of Pine Island State Park, one of the newest state parks in South Carolina.  One question I am regularly asked is why I decided to become a park ranger.  To be honest, I didn’t realize I wanted to be a park ranger until I started an assistant ranger position at Huntington Beach State Park back in 2008.  I had just completed a degree in biology from Furman, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do.  My parents lived in Myrtle Beach, so I moved back in with them and got lucky since a position had just opened at Huntington Beach State Park.  Today, after having worked at nine different parks since 2008, I am so happy I decided to apply back then!

My favorite feature of Pine Island State Park is the stunning view of sunsets over Lake Murray.  My family and I like walking out to the westernmost point of the park to see the sun set beside Goat Island.  It is so incredibly beautiful!  I also really enjoy the grove of large cedar trees just north of the day-use parking lot.  It’s a peaceful, shady spot and is a fantastic place to have a picnic. 

One thing I would recommend for a first-time visitor to Pine Island is to have a picnic with family or friends at one of our many picnic shelters. Pine Island is also a great spot to see wildlife, including bald eagles and great blue herons.