How SC veterans can access state and national parks for free year-round

COLUMBIA — Veterans looking to explore the outdoors have the option to do so for free in many cases.

On Wednesday, everyone can enjoy national parks fee-free in honor of Veterans Day.

Military veterans and families of those killed in the line of duty can get free lifetime passes to national parks and other federally operated lands, according to the National Park Service.

“Veterans have given so much to our country,” Jessica Bowron, acting director of the National Park Service, said in a news release. “National parks offer places to find connection, enjoy time with family and friends, and bring their skills to another meaningful chapter of service.”

Nearly all of South Carolina’s nine National Park sites are already free. That includes the state’s only national park, the 27,000-acre Congaree swamp just south of Columbia.

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Only Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie in Charleston Harbor require a $10 payment. That covers the fee for the Revolutionary fort on Sullivans Island, where Patriots repelled the British Navy in 1776.

Visiting Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began, requires taking a ferry, which additionally costs $43 for adults or $39 for active military members. The free lifetime pass for veterans does not cover that cost.

South Carolina has other historic sites related to the military. Specifically, Cowpens National Battlefield, Kings Mountain National Military Park and Ninety Six National Historic Site all tell the stories of Revolutionary War battles.

A lifetime membership can get veterans access to parks in neighboring states that do come with an admission cost. Visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park locations in North Carolina and Tennessee, for instance, costs $5 for a daily pass, $15 for a week, or $40 annually.

State parks also have deals for veterans, though only those with proof of a disability through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Disabled veterans are allowed to enter any state park for free under state law. To skip the entrance fees, veterans must present an identification card from the local Veterans Affairs office saying they are disabled.

Active members of the South Carolina National Guard can get unlimited access to all state parks, which is usually $99, for half that price, according to the state parks department. South Carolina has 51 state parks, with more in the works.

A bill proposed in the Senate this year would have allowed all veterans to visit state parks for free, though it never got a committee hearing. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Jeff Zell, a Sumter Republican and Air Force veteran.

“This is a simple, meaningful way to recognize the men and women who’ve worn the uniform and to ensure consistent access across the state,” Zell wrote on social media.