Description
Nine Times Preserve lies at the intersection of South Carolina’s Southern Blue Ridge Mountains and its piedmont region, where mountainous terrain begins to slope into gentler hills. Black bear, peregrine falcons and freshwater trout are just a few of the species you may find on this incredibly biologically significant property.
FUN FACTS
- More than 134 species of native wildflowers bloom in Nine Times Preserve.
- The preserve encompasses five mountains and seven distinct forest types.
PRESERVE HISTORY
The towns of the native Cherokee people along the Big Eastatoee River were connected by a trail that ran through this area. Travelers between these towns, from early settlers up through the mid-twentieth century, had to cross a two-mile-long tributary of the Little Eastatoee River nine different times in order to stay on the path. This tributary now is known as Nine Times Creek. It parallels the northern border of this 560-acre nature preserve.
In 2007, local land trust Upstate Forever purchased the Nine Times property from real estate company Crescent Resources. The Nature Conservancy took ownership from Upstate Forever in 2009, thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the South Carolina Conservation Bank and the generous support of private and foundations.
In 2012, approximately 1.7 miles of trail were installed to give visitors an opportunity to explore the preserve’s forests, ravines and streams. Funding from the Recreational Trails Program, through the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, made that trail installation possible.
FISHING AND HUNTING
The Conservancy owns and manages the preserve to promote healthy native plant communities and wildlife populations. Nine Times Preserve also is designated as a state Wildlife Management Area under an agreement with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, which oversees fishing and hunting on the property. Learn more about freshwater fishing regulations.