New county park is open for business

Photo by Marsha Guerard. All rights reserved.

The new 745-acre Laurel Hill County Park that opened last month offers more places in East Cooper for county residents to run, walk and bike.

“The park, which is blessedly undeveloped, features more than five miles of trails that are great for hikers, dog-walkers and bikers,” writes Marsha Guerard of Mount Pleasant. “It also has a lovely avenue of oaks.” The former plantation also features large, open meadows and a small lake in the tract adjacent to the Park West subdivision.

Laurel Hill County Park is located between U.S. Highway 17 and S.C. Highway 41 in Mount Pleasant, but is accessible to the public from its trail head, located at the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department’s Park West Recreation Complex at 1251 Park West Boulevard. Users should park their vehicles at the Park West Recreation Complex and walk to the trail head, located behind the complex’s baseball fields. Trail maps will be posted at the trail head, along the trail itself, and also available at CharlestonCountyParks.com.

The passive park property, just in its early stages of being open for public use, will not be regularly staffed or have restrooms on site. Because the park does not have trash cans, park-goers are asked to “pack-it-in, pack-it-out” to minimize litter on the property.

Laurel Hill County Park is held in trust by Wells Fargo for the estate of the previous owner, John D. Muller Jr., according to a news release. The Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission acquired a lease on the property in 2011. The lease is renewable for up to three additional 25-year terms. Guiding principles were developed as part of the lease to reflect Muller’s desire that the property remain in a natural state, limiting the use to passive recreation. The site was formerly just open for special events and private rentals, including most recently, cross country meets from various local teams.

The park is open from sunrise to sunset daily. Picnicking and catch-and-release fishing will be permitted on the property. Leashed dogs are also welcome on the park trails. Horses, ATVs and other motorized vehicles are prohibited in the park.

Admission to the park is $1 per person at the trail head. Entry to Laurel Hill County Park will also be included with the CCPRC Gold Pass or Individual Day Park Pass.

• More general info is online here | Directions | Map

Park trail rules

• Pack it in. Pack it out. There are no trash cans.
• There are no restrooms.
• No motorized vehicles, ATVs, or horses are permitted.
• Pets must be kept on a leash, cleaned up after, and under control at all times.
• Follow trail etiquette when passing other trail users. Cyclists yield to pedestrians.
• Stay on designated trails.
• Camping and campfires are prohibited.
• Mount Pleasant Police Department has jurisdiction on the property.
• Access may be restricted due to land management projects, trail maintenance, or special events.