Recreation in South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism helps expand recreational resources in local communities through state and federal grant programs. These grants can be used to acquire land, cut trails, build facilities and provide support for other recreational projects.

Many recreational planners consult the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) before they determine the type of facilities needed in their communities. SCORP is a planning document that identifies outdoor recreation issues of statewide significance and evaluates the supply of and the demand for outdoor recreation resources and facilities in South Carolina. The SCORP provides unified guidance to state and municipal officials as they develop and expand outdoor recreation opportunities for their respective constituents.

In addition to its value as a planning document, the state’s completion of a SCORP also satisfies a requirement of the federally administered Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which then makes South Carolina eligible to receive its annual apportionment from the LWCF State Municipal Assistance Program. Apportionments from the LWCF can be used by the state and its municipalities to acquire new land for outdoor recreation and conservation and to construct new outdoor recreational facilities.

For a copy of the latest SCORP for South Carolina, see link below:

South Carolina’s Statewide Outdoor Recreation Plan

For a list of grant programs, click here.