Harbison State Forest
Park
2,136 acres33.9 mi of trail
Firebreak TrailMidlands Mountain TrailStewardship TrailLost Creek+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Akhenaton06 · CC BY-SA 3.0BOutdoors
Outdoors in Columbia
Columbia has 400 miles of mapped trails, 2.9 for every square mile of land
The biggest trail networks: Harbison State Forest (33.9 mi), Southeast Park (2.4 mi), Owens Field Park (1.4 mi). 815 acres are parks and preserves, 5.8 per 1,000 residents. 66% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 62% of U.S. towns · #24 of 169 in South Carolina. What drives it
Conserved land
3%
2,766 acres · of 139.4 sq mi of land
Trails
400 mi
2.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
815 ac
5.8 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
66%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
39 mi
18 mi lanes · 14 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
21
1 beach · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Columbia?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Columbia have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Columbia is ahead of 62% of U.S. towns, #24 of 169 in South Carolina. Trail miles hold the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
B
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Columbia’s overall grade.
Conserved land3% of the land · typical SC town 1% · U.S. 4%B−Trails2.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (400 mi) · SC 0.2 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land5.8 acres of park per 1,000 residents (815 acres) · SC 6 · U.S. 13CParks close to home66% of residents within a half mile of a park · SC 52% · U.S. 72%B−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 62%
LessMore
South Carolina towns of 2,500+ (169)Ahead of 86%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Columbia ranks #315 on Outdoors.
Few South Carolina towns conserve much land (a typical one, 1%; the U.S., 4%), so Columbia’s 3% is ahead of 70% of South Carolina towns, while its trails per square mile lead 99% of them.
Park acres per resident are where Columbia trails most U.S. towns: 5.8 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 147,035 people share 815 acres.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to B+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Harbison State Forest, with 33.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Southeast Park
Park
56 acres2.4 mi of trail
Perimeter TrailMain TrailPerimeter trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Owens Field Park
Managed by City of Columbia
81 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
All 46 parks & preserves
Harbison State Forest2,136 acres · 33.9 mi of trail
DirectionsSoutheast Park56 acres · 2.4 mi of trail
DirectionsOwens Field Park81 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · City of Columbia
DirectionsGranby Park27 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsDrew Park9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverfront Park91 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Directions3 Rivers Greenway66 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBenedict College Community Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Woodland Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMartin Luther King Jr. Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPinehurst Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEarlewood Park37 acres
DirectionsGamecock Park31 acres
DirectionsMaxcy Gregg Park20 acres
DirectionsPage Ellington Park19 acres · City of Columbia
DirectionsSCUFC Southeastern Freight Lines Soccer Center18 acres
DirectionsFinlay Park18 acres
DirectionsState House Park14 acres
DirectionsHyatt Park13 acres
DirectionsMarshall Park12 acres
Hampton Memorial Park11 acres
DirectionsPatriot Park10 acres
DirectionsTS Martin Park9 acres
DirectionsW. Gordon Belser Arboretum7 acres
Rosewood Park7 acres
DirectionsThe Horseshoe6 acres · University of South Carolina
DirectionsHeathwood Park6 acres
DirectionsLester Bates Park5 acres
DirectionsEmily Douglas Park5 acres
DirectionsMemorial Park4 acres
DirectionsMoore Garden4 acres · University of South Carolina
DirectionsGibbes Green3 acres · University of South Carolina
DirectionsPacific Park3 acres
Mays Park3 acres
St. Anna's Park3 acres
DirectionsValencia Park3 acres
DirectionsEast Quadrangle3 acres
DirectionsWomen's Quadrangle3 acres
DirectionsSims Park2 acres
DirectionsEdisto Discovery Park2 acres
DirectionsMelrose Park2 acres
Green Quadrangle1 acres
DirectionsElmwood/Roy Lynch Park1 acres
DirectionsDavis Field ll1 acres · University of South Carolina
DirectionsHollywood Park1 acres
EB Sessions Park1 acres
Who protects it
2,766 conserved acres
3% of Columbia’s land. Who manages Columbia’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State Department of Land2,132 ac
Town or city474 ac
Joint93 ac
County68 ac
State Resource Management Area · 2,132 acLocal Park · 480 acUnknown Easement · 93 acLocal Recreation Area · 59 acLocal Historic or Cultural Area · 3 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 93 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 58 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harbison State Forest State Resource Management Area | State Department of Land | 2,132 | Restricted |
| Canal Front Local Park | Town or city | 75 | Open |
| Owens Field Park Local Park | County | 63 | Open |
| South East Park Local Park | Town or city | 62 | Open |
| Riverfront Park Local Park | Town or city | 60 | Open |
| Earlewood Park Local Park | Town or city | 41 | Open |
| Granby Park Local Park | Town or city | 22 | Open |
| Finlay Park Local Park | Town or city | 17 | Open |
| Maxcy Gregg Park and Pool Local Park | Town or city | 16 | Open |
| James E. Clyburn Golf Center Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 14 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
142 places to go in Columbia
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Columbia
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Columbia
Legion Pool
DirectionsMaxcy Gregg Swimming PoolIn Maxcy Gregg Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Columbia
Madison Station Playground
DirectionsRosewood Park PlaygroundIn Rosewood Park
Directions114 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Columbia
Emily Douglas Dog ParkIn Emily Douglas Park
DirectionsNOMA Bark ParkIn Earlewood Park
DirectionsPlus 3 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Columbia
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Columbia
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Columbia
Harbison BluffIn Harbison State Forest
DirectionsPlus 13 scenic views without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Columbia
Owens Field Disk Golf CourseIn Owens Field Park · City
DirectionsPlus 1 disc golf course without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Columbia
Preston Community Garden
DirectionsPlus 1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
22 named trails and 21 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 28.7 miHorses · 2.0 miUnpaved · 41.7 mi
Firebreak Trail4.5 mi
Stewardship Trail4.2 mi
Midlands Mountain Trail4.2 mi
Lost Creek3.4 mi
Spider Woman II Trail3.0 mi
Eagle Trail1.6 mi
Palmetto Trail: Fort Jackson Passage1.5 mi
Discovery Trail1.4 mi
Crooked Pine Trail1.3 mi
Perimeter Trail1.3 mi
12 more trails
Firebreak Connector Trail
1.1 miPalmetto Trail: Boyd Passage
1.0 miBluff Trail
1.0 miNICA Trail
0.8 miSpider Woman II Inner Loop Trail
0.8 miLearning Trail
0.7 miShiner's Rock Trail
0.5 miMidlands Mtn. Trail
0.4 miPerimeter trail
0.4 miMidland Mountain Trail
0.3 miMain Trail
0.3 miLost Creek bike only alternative
0.3 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Bells PondBoyden Arbor PondCIU LakelakeCarolina Patriots of the American Revolution FountainClark PondCobbs PondreservoirCoopers LakelakeDavis PondpondDupre PondreservoirInchon LakereservoirKeenan FountainLake KatherinelakeLower Legion LakereservoirOdom PondlakeOld Heises PondreservoirReflection PoolRuthledges PondUpper Legion LakereservoirVillage LakereservoirWeston LakereservoirWise Pondreservoir
Biking & sports
39 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
18 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
14 mi
off-road bike paths
7.0 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Palmetto Trail: Fort Jackson PassageBike route
12.7 miMidlands Mountain TrailBike route
5.1 miFirebreak TrailBike route
4.5 miStwardship TrailBike route
4.3 miSpider Woman II TrailBike route
3.9 miLost Creek TrailBike route
3.2 miEagle TrailBike route
1.7 miCourts & fields
138Tennis
94Basketball
54Baseball
21Soccer
17Football
14Beach volleyball
12Softball
7Tracks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →148 places on the National Register, 5 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 80 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
South Carolina State Hospital, Mills BuildingNational Historic Landmark · Building · listed 1970
About itHampton-Preston HouseBuilding · listed 1969
About itLace HouseBuilding · listed 1969
About itOld Campus District, University of South CarolinaDistrict · listed 1970
About itSouth Carolina Governor's MansionBuilding · listed 1970
About itWashington Street United Methodist ChurchBuilding · listed 1970
About itFirst Presbyterian ChurchBuilding · listed 1971
About itTrinity Episcopal ChurchBuilding · listed 1971
About it136 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Columbia: April and May
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.1 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 14.2 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 11.3 | 10.3 | 9.9 |
| High (°F) | 56 | 61 | 68 | 76 | 83 | 89 | 92 | 90 | 85 | 76 | 66 | 59 |
| Rain (in) | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.8 |
April is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 92 °F). 4.9 inches fall in August, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 92 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Columbia →
Next door
Columbia and its neighbors
Columbia has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Columbia400 miSeven Oaks7.4 miOlympia5.4 miWest Columbia1.7 miDentsville1.2 miIrmo0.8 miForest Acres0.7 miSt. Andrews0.5 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 3% | 2.9 | 6 | 66% | B |
| St. Andrews | 1% | 0.1 | 2 | 47% | C− |
| Forest Acres | 1% | 0.2 | 2 | 76% | C |
| Dentsville | 1% | 0.2 | 2 | 42% | C− |
| Olympia | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| West Columbia | 1% | 0.2 | 3 | 75% | C |
| Seven Oaks | 7% | 1.0 | 24 | 31% | B+ |
| Irmo | 1% | 0.1 | 5 | 70% | C |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Columbia
Where can I hike in Columbia?
The longest trail networks: Harbison State Forest, 33.9 miles; Southeast Park, 2.4 miles; Owens Field Park, 1.4 miles; Granby Park, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Columbia is conserved land?
3% of its land, against a typical 1% for a South Carolina town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Columbia’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Owens Field Park. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Columbia?
39 miles of bike routes are on the map: 18 of painted or protected lanes, 14 of off-road paths and 7.0 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Palmetto Trail: Fort Jackson Passage, Midlands Mountain Trail and Firebreak Trail.
Is there public land near Columbia?
7,268 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Columbia or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 815 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Columbia have?
Ahead of 62% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #24 of 169 in South Carolina. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Columbia neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →