Barnwell State Park and God's Acre Healing Springs
2019 Hiking Week 25
After spending the 4th of July holiday at the beach, we decided to hop over to Barnwell State Park on our way back from Savannah. At the town of Fairfax, we headed over though Allendale and Barnwell to the park. Barnwell State Park reminded us of some of the other small town parks like Aiken and Lake Warren State Parks. They usually have a pond or lake for fishing and swimming, picnic and other gathering spaces, and campgrounds. There was a group having a picnic and grilling when we visited. Also, the park was having an educational snake demonstration while we were there. They also have some nice cabins in the park. Admission to the park is free.
While driving to the park, we passed through the town of Barnwell. It looked like a neat town with grand old buildings and homes. I hope to return to explore some more.
After we left Barnwell State Park, we drove through Blackville. As we were driving we remembered hearing about "God's Acre Healing Springs". We've heard about this place over the years and it was also featured in a book I have, Classic Carolina Road Trips. We stopped at a gas station to ask where it is and found out we were already on the right road. There are a few signs along the road as well that will point you in the right direction. On Highway 3 there is a God's Healing Springs Corner Store at the road where you turn (Healing Springs Road). Then you go down the road to the Healing Springs Baptist Church, where you turn onto Springs Court. I was surprised at how many people were there at the springs. Some were filling up 5 gallon jugs of the water. There are multiple pipes coming out of the ground that the spring water comes from. Some people were filling up jugs while others just stopped to check the place out. The history of the place is that soldiers during the revolutionary war were healed by the springs after some Native Americans from the Edisto tribe shared the location with them. The tribe sold the land to the settlers and a church was built near by in 1772. The area seems like it has changed little since then. The land was eventually deeded to God which led to it's current name. The water has been tested and shown to be pure and contains beneficial minerals. We filled up one of our water bottles to taste it. It was good and had a different texture to the water than the other water we compared it with.
This was a fun side trip for us. Between the drive from Columbia to Blackville, you pass through Swansea and Gaston, which have some restaurants and shops to explore. Barnwell State Park is about an hour from Columbia.
My husband has gotten the bug for visiting all the state parks this year, so I will probably be sharing a few more with you this summer, especially while the weather is hot. Once the weather cools and the bugs start dying off, I hope to get back out on the trails!
After spending the 4th of July holiday at the beach, we decided to hop over to Barnwell State Park on our way back from Savannah. At the town of Fairfax, we headed over though Allendale and Barnwell to the park. Barnwell State Park reminded us of some of the other small town parks like Aiken and Lake Warren State Parks. They usually have a pond or lake for fishing and swimming, picnic and other gathering spaces, and campgrounds. There was a group having a picnic and grilling when we visited. Also, the park was having an educational snake demonstration while we were there. They also have some nice cabins in the park. Admission to the park is free.
While driving to the park, we passed through the town of Barnwell. It looked like a neat town with grand old buildings and homes. I hope to return to explore some more.
After we left Barnwell State Park, we drove through Blackville. As we were driving we remembered hearing about "God's Acre Healing Springs". We've heard about this place over the years and it was also featured in a book I have, Classic Carolina Road Trips. We stopped at a gas station to ask where it is and found out we were already on the right road. There are a few signs along the road as well that will point you in the right direction. On Highway 3 there is a God's Healing Springs Corner Store at the road where you turn (Healing Springs Road). Then you go down the road to the Healing Springs Baptist Church, where you turn onto Springs Court. I was surprised at how many people were there at the springs. Some were filling up 5 gallon jugs of the water. There are multiple pipes coming out of the ground that the spring water comes from. Some people were filling up jugs while others just stopped to check the place out. The history of the place is that soldiers during the revolutionary war were healed by the springs after some Native Americans from the Edisto tribe shared the location with them. The tribe sold the land to the settlers and a church was built near by in 1772. The area seems like it has changed little since then. The land was eventually deeded to God which led to it's current name. The water has been tested and shown to be pure and contains beneficial minerals. We filled up one of our water bottles to taste it. It was good and had a different texture to the water than the other water we compared it with.
This was a fun side trip for us. Between the drive from Columbia to Blackville, you pass through Swansea and Gaston, which have some restaurants and shops to explore. Barnwell State Park is about an hour from Columbia.
My husband has gotten the bug for visiting all the state parks this year, so I will probably be sharing a few more with you this summer, especially while the weather is hot. Once the weather cools and the bugs start dying off, I hope to get back out on the trails!
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