Belser Arboretum Columbia


2019 Hiking Columbia Spotlight
Arboretum entrance on Bloomwood Rd.

I thought I would write up an extra post about a special spot in Columbia for you this week. This past Sunday, I was able to visit the University of South Carolina Belser Arboretum. The arboretum is a neat park located in the middle of the Shandon/Sherwood Forest neighborhoods. It is managed by the University of South Carolina and volunteers.

Click to see info.
There are a few trails in this park. There is a main loop as well as a couple spur trails. Along the trails are informational signs and places to sit and watch. During open houses, they provide some maps with information as well as a couple of people there to answer questions and assist visitors and admission is free. Their standard open house hours are Wednesdays from 8 am - 1 pm and every third Sunday from 1 - 4 pm. But these hours may change. The volunteer I talked with said that there are other times that people are there working and will let visitors walk around.



Cypress stand
From my understanding, the arboretum is a place for USC to grow native plant species and educate others about the plants and environments found in the area. It’s amazing the various habitats in this small space (6.5 acres). One of my favorite spots is the cypress swamp area. It’s surprising to find these large trees growing right in the middle of the neighborhood. Also, I was talking to the volunteer and she said that they see lots of different birds and wildlife in the area. Hawks, owls, and other birds are seen around there regularly.









Some of the plant life that I saw blooming this weekend were this wild azalea, which smelled so good.
Wild azalea, native plant

Also, this is a type of red buckeye, which I was told should be blooming soon.

Here is a variety of peach tree that stood out among the other plants.

I am sure that whatever time of year you can visit, there is always something new to see. I hope you can make a trip out here sometime. Bring a picnic and enjoy this little oasis in Columbia!
Location: W. Gordon Belser Arboretum, 4080 Bloomwood Rd, Columbia, SC 29205, USA

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