USFS · South Carolina

Wambaw Swamp Wilderness

Here, in another of the four Wildernesses in Francis Marion National Forest, you'll find river-bottom hardwood swamp edged with small stands of pine. Wild orchids, lizard's tail, pickerel weed, sedges, and ferns dominate the understory. Insects, snakes, muck, and lack of dry campsites keep most humans away. Wambaw Swamp offers no trails and little dry ground. The water level is generally too low for canoeing. This may be the least visited spot in South Carolina.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Wilderness4,755 acresUSFSSCDesignated 19803 campgrounds within 10 mi
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Wambaw Swamp Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
2 fires
active
C-163 Fm Rx (prescribed burn) · 4 mi from the center · 222 acres
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateSouth Carolina
Size4,755 acres
Designated1980, by Congress
Center point33.10° N, 79.64° W
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 10)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Wambaw Swamp Wilderness40°50°60°70°80°90°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 48.2°F averageFebruary: 50.4°F averageMarch: 56.5°F averageApril: 64.3°F averageMay: 72.3°F averageJune: 78.4°F averageJuly: 81.8°F averageAugust: 80.5°F averageSeptember: 76.5°F averageOctober: 67.2°F averageNovember: 57.7°F averageDecember: 50.9°F averageTemp °F
The line is the average temperature at Mcclellanville, 10 miles from the center point at 12 feet, station USC00385628 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020.

Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

None of the 3 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · 3.8 mi
Honey Hill Recreation Area
First-comeSC
FS · 4.8 mi
Buck Hall Recreation Area
Reservable20 sites
FS · 9.3 mi
Elmwood Recreation Area
First-comeSC

Fire nearby

Within 50 miles · as of 2026-11-01
  • Prescribed
    C-163 Fm Rx

    4 mi from the center point · 222 acres

  • Wildfire
    Hewitt Lane Fire

    22 mi from the center point · 109 acres · 90% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National Historic Site · 17 mi
Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
National Historical Park · 24 mi
Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
National Register listings within 15 miles · 7 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Guidebooks for South Carolina

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Five-Star Trails: South Carolina Upstate
    Sherry Jackson, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Dog Hikes South Carolina
    Melissa Watson, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Easy Day Hikes Charleston, South Carolina
    Johnny Molloy, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Wambaw Swamp Wilderness?

4,755 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Wambaw Swamp Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Wambaw Swamp Wilderness in?

South Carolina.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Wambaw Swamp Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1980.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Wambaw Swamp Wilderness?

Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Wambaw Swamp Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 33.102° N, 79.635° W. Charles Pinckney National Historic Site is 17 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Is there a fire near Wambaw Swamp Wilderness right now?

2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest C-163 Fm Rx at 4 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.

Source: Fire nearby

Which national parks are near Wambaw Swamp Wilderness?

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site (17 mi) and Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park (24 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Wambaw Swamp Wilderness?

The National Register has 7 listings within 15 miles, including St. James Episcopal Church, Santee and Old Georgetown Road.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.