COLE STILWELL

Giant Peachtree Rock is no longer the natural wonder of its youth.

This proud hunk of sandstone once stood tall near the Edmund community off S.C. 6. But do not fret, the park has a lot more to offer than a fallen rock.

The Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve is home to some of Lexington County’s coolest natural wonders. Let tell you about it!

After putting it off for years, my grandpa and I finally “got around” to going on a sunny Sunday in early March. With our cameras and hiking sticks in hand, we set out to explore the 460 acres. An easy 0.3 mile hike later, we arrived at the once-grand Peachtree Rock.

The rock was once a massive, upside down pyramid shaped sandstone boulder, held up by a thin finger of rock. It proudly stood for hundreds of years before finally falling in December 2013.

This unusual silhouette was created when the waters of the Atlantic Ocean receded long ago. The lower layer of rock eroded faster, creating a wide top and narrow base.

Once we were done admiring the rock, we visited the relatively small, 10-foot waterfall, directly behind the rock. This is the tallest natural waterfall in Lexington County. The waterfall, of course, has to come with hills.

Seven and a half miles of easy to moderate trails traverse the dry hills and long-leaf pine-covered ridges of the preserve, of which we hiked only 3 miles. Along one of those trails lies the rusting remains of a moonshine still.

In the back of the park lies Little Peachtree Rock, a more slender and smaller rock than its brother and it’s still standing.

Being adventurous, I decided to climb the hill behind Little Peachtree. That barely 15 foot climb led to a great view of the surrounding sandhills, it is now one of my favorite views in the county.

The Preserve is a great place to take your family and spend an afternoon. Just do yourself a favor and take bug repellent. It’s that time of year.

Peachtree Rock is a Heritage Preserve co-managed by the Nature Conservancy and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Their goal is to nurture its on-site native long-leaf pine forests. For more information, contact The Nature Conservancy at (803) 254-9049.

DIRECTIONS (From Lexington):

- Go south on S. Lake Drive (SC-6) for 9.1 miles.

- Make right onto Edmund Hwy, follow for 1.5 miles (SC-6 and SC-301).

- Make left onto SC-6, follow for one mile.

- Park in small gravel parking lot on left of SC-6.