It's called Aiken State Park, but it isn't all that close to Aiken (or anything else). The roads start turning to dirt in some of the surrounding areas. The park offers a road loop, a trail that's sort of a loop (though part of it seemed to be closed so I ended up walking back on the road), and various picnic, camping, and canoeing facilities. The canoe trail in particular looked like a good time.
There is a small admission charge (which I dodged on a holiday where they opened up for free). This isn't the most impressive of South Carolina's state parks, but the trees offer a relatively moderate temperature underneath, and the flowing water is quite pleasant. read more