Harbison State Forest is over 2,000-acres of wooded forest land just 9 miles from downtown Columbia. It features over 16 miles of trails for hiking and bicycling, picnic shelters, and special forestry education programs.

The northeastern edge of the forest is bounded by the Broad River.

Its unique urban location makes Harbison one of the largest public greenspaces inside the city limits of a metropolitan area in the eastern United States.

Harbison State Forest is managed primarily to serve as an educational and recreational greenspace for metropolitan Columbia and the state of South Carolina. Portions of the Forest are used to demonstrate the value of various forestry practices, from prescribed burning to thinning, harvest, site preparation and planting. The forest mix is roughly forty percent loblolly and shortleaf pine, forty percent natural longleaf pine, twenty percent bottomland flood plain hardwoods and hardwood drains.

Harbison State Forest has nature trails for hiking or bicycling that range from easy to moderately difficult. A 900 square foot gazebo made of yellow pine and cedar is surrounded by a meadow and woods dotted with smaller picnic areas. An interesting feature to many visitors is the photovoltaic solar system which generates electrical energy for the gazebo and nearby restroom. The large Eagle Shelter, located deep in the woods off the Eagle Trail, is comparable to a covered amphitheater with benches for meetings or retreats. Picnic shelter reservations and special programs are available and must be scheduled through the headquarters office.

You will need a permit for trail activity on Harbison State Forest for Bicycles. Permits are not required for hikers using the trails.
These permits can be obtained from the Harbison State Forest Headquarters.
Cost per permit:

Individual Permit:
Daily - $5.00
Annual - $25.00

Family Permit (up to 6 members):
Daily - $10.00
Annual - $40.00

Harbison State Forest
5500 Broad River Road
Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 896-8890