March Events and Programs in your Charleston County Parks
Where the Wild Things 5K Run/Walk
Saturday, March 7, 8:30 a.m.
Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Walkers, joggers, and runners of all ages, come explore your wild side on the scenic nature trails at Caw Caw Interpretive Center. An award ceremony with food and beverages will be held immediately afterward. New! Wild Kids Dash. Let’s not forget the littles. Before the 5K, we invite children of all ages and abilities to dash across the finish, too. Registration is available for a separate fee of $5 and includes a finisher medal. Registration is required. Parent or guardian must be present. This is an untimed event. What to expect: This race is open to runners and walkers of all levels, including beginners. Accessible parking and restrooms available. All trails are of a natural, unimproved surface. Loop course with water station.
Fee: $38 for the 5K; $5 for the Kids Dash
All ages
16376 (5K)
16377 (Kids Dash)
Palmetto Park Jam
Sunday, March 8, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Palmetto Islands County Park
Come out to Palmetto Islands County Park to enjoy live music from local Grateful Dead cover band, The Reckoning! Gates open at 11 a.m. Live music begins at 12 p.m.
All ages
Fee: $20 per vehicle in advance; $30 per vehicle at the gate; free for Gold Pass holders if not sold out
Toast Under the Oaks
Thursday, March 12, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Johns Island County Park
Come enjoy Toast Under the Oaks while exploring Johns Island County Park. Guests will enjoy wine, beer, and live music from Krystal Halvorson, while experiencing the beauty of this 738-acre park. Food truck fare will be available for purchase on-site. Beverages are included with admission but food is an additional fee.
Ages 21 and up
Fee: $20 per person in advance or $25 on site
Family Camp Jam
Saturday, March 14 – Sunday, March 15
Johns Island County Park
Bring the family out for a good old-fashioned campout! Join us under the starry skies of Johns Island County Park for an evening of good vibes, delicious food, and family fun! Indulge in the sweet delight of roasting marshmallows and stargazing while making unforgettable memories. Check-in is Saturday, March 14 and check-out the morning of Sunday, March 15.
All ages
Fee: $25
Birds of a Feather
Saturday, March 21, 5 – 7 p.m.
Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Come enjoy Birds of a Feather while exploring Caw Caw Interpretive Center. Guests will enjoy wine, beer, and live music while experiencing the beauty of this park. Food truck fare will be available for purchase on-site.
Ages 21 and up
Fee: $20 per person in advance or $25 on site
March 2026 Programs
Belay Basics
Sunday, March 1, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
James Island County Park Climbing Wall
New to belaying? This class will teach you the essential skills to belay safely and confidently on top rope. We’ll cover proper setup, communication, catching falls, and gear handling, all broken down step by step. No experience required, just a willingness to learn. By the end, you’ll be ready to belay a climbing partner outdoors or indoors. Gear is provided; feel free to bring your own.
Ages 14 and up
Fee: $25
Kids on the Go: Little Bikers (2yrs)
Tuesday, March 3 and Tuesday, March 10 (2-week session), 9 – 9:45 a.m.
James Island County Park
Let the kids go! Foundations for bike riding start with balance. Have your little one join in to learn the basics on a balance bike.
Fee: $10
Age: 2-year-olds
Kids on the Go: Little Bikers (3yrs)
Tuesday, March 3 and Tuesday, March 10 (2-week session)
James Island County Park
Ages: At least 3 but less than 4
Let the kids go! Foundations for bike riding start with balance. Have your little one join in to learn the basics on a balance bike.
Age: 3-year-olds
Fee: $10
Kids on the Go: Little Longboarders (4-5yrs)
Tuesday, March 3 and Tuesday, March 10 (2-week session), 11-11:45 a.m.
James Island County Park
Let the kids go! Foundations for board sports start with balance. Have your little one join in to learn the basics on a longboard. All activity equipment provided.
Ages: 4-5
Fee: $10
Bird Photography
Thursday, March 5, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Kiawah Beachwalker Park
Join wildlife photographer Colin Hocking, Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society, and naturalist Kristina Wheeler for a program focusing on the photographic study of birds. Learn techniques on how to quickly adapt your camera settings for quality results, along with tips to help ensure that your perfect shot doesn’t come at the expense of your subject. What to expect: This program is open to birders and photographers of all levels, including beginners. Accessible parking available. Park includes paved surface, a boardwalk that leads to natural, unimproved surface out to a sandy beach. Program route is out and back and is approximately one and a half miles long total. Program route is flat leading to moderate elevation on boardwalk before entering sand. No benches available. Program speed is moderately slow and requires periods of gazing upwards.
Ages: 12 and up
Fee: $12
Seashore Exploration
Thursday, March 5, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Kiawah Beachwalker Park
Spring is a great time to explore the beach. Join an experienced naturalist to familiarize yourself with many species that may be found there. We’ll search for artifacts and living creatures along the beach such as molluscs, sponges, corals, and more. Share in the discovery by learning intriguing stories about adaptations that allow for life near the ocean. What to expect: Accessible parking, accessible restrooms, and accessible water fountains are available near the snack bar where the program begins and ends. An accessible route to a natural sand beach is present and beach wheelchairs are available for checkout on a first come, first-served basis. This program takes place on a sandy beach and requires periods of slow walking, standing, and gazing upwards or downwards to observe wildlife.
Ages: 9 and up
Fee: $12
Beginners Night at the Climbing Wall
Thursday, March 5, 5 – 7 p.m.
James Island County Park Climbing Wall
New to climbing? This is the perfect place to start. Join us for a relaxed, staff-supported session designed to help you learn the basics, meet other beginners, and enjoy the experience at your own pace. Free gear rental is included, and you’re welcome to stay and climb until close. No experience needed, just show up ready to try something new.
Ages 18 and up
Fee: $15
Tea Farm Creek Canoe Trip
Friday, March 6, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Paddle into Tea Farm Creek alongside a trained naturalist to witness firsthand how human history has impacted the landscapes around us. View one of the only naturalized understories of tea plants in the country as you travel through abandoned rice fields and forests that have been reclaimed by salt marsh. What to expect: Accessible parking is available. Accessible restrooms, accessible water fountains, and accessible picnic tables are all available near the Welcome Center where program begins and ends. While taking part in this activity, participants are required to sit for extended periods of time, bend knees, reach and pull with torso, and climb in and out of boats.
Ages: 12 and up
Fee: $50
Wee Wild Ones: Little Botanists
Friday, March 6, 9 – 10 a.m.
Palmetto Islands County Park
Step into the fascinating world of plants and learn to think like a scientist! Through hands-on exploration, your little one will observe roots, leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers. We will discover how plants grow, change, and thrive. Along the way, we will grow our observation skills, vocabulary, and a lifelong love for the green world around us. Join us for a fun time exploring plants. What to expect: The program will take place both underneath a covered shelter and on mixed surfaces. Restrooms and water fountains will be accessible within a short walk from the shelter where the program will begin and end. We will be walking a short distance on both paved and unpaved surfaces for a portion of the program.
Ages: 1 ½ – 6
Fee: $10
Wee Wild Ones: Little Botanists
Friday, March 6, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Palmetto Islands County Park
Step into the fascinating world of plants and learn to think like a scientist! Through hands-on exploration, your little one will observe roots, leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers. We will discover how plants grow, change, and thrive. Along the way, we will grow our observation skills, vocabulary, and a lifelong love for the green world around us. Join us for a fun time exploring plants. What to expect: The program will take place both underneath a covered shelter and on mixed surfaces. Restrooms and water fountains will be accessible within a short walk from the shelter where the program will begin and end. We will be walking a short distance on both paved and unpaved surfaces for a portion of the program.
Ages: 1 ½ – 6
Fee: $10
Family Archery
Saturday, March 7, 1 – 2:30 p.m.
Archery Range at Johns Island County Park
Get your bull’s-eye! Bring the family, get a brief orientation, and fling some arrows at Johns Island County Park’s target archery range. Equipment will be provided. Each family member wishing to participate must register.
Ages 8 and up
Fee: $20
Intro to Archery
Saturday, March 7, 10 a.m. – noon
Archery Range at Johns Island County Park
Enhance your archery skills on our six-target archery range and 3D course at Johns Island County Park. Bring the kids, enjoy basic instruction, and we’ll explore both ranges. Equipment will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. A registered and paid chaperone is required for participants ages 15 and under.
Ages 10 and up
Fee: $30
Intro to Lead Climbing
Sunday, March 8, 1-4 p.m.
James Island County Park Climbing Wall
Ready to take your climbing to the next level? This class covers the basics of lead climbing in the gym. How to clip safely, manage rope drag, belay a lead climber, and fall safely with confidence. We’ll walk you through key techniques and safety protocols, with plenty of hands-on practice. No prior lead experience needed, but participants should be comfortable top rope belaying and able to climb at a 5.9 level or higher. All gear provided; bring your own if you prefer.
Ages: 14 and up
Fee: $40
Seashore Exploration
Monday, March 9, 9 – 11 a.m.
Folly Beach County Park
Spring is a great time to explore the beach. Join an experienced naturalist to familiarize yourself with many species that may be found there. We’ll search for artifacts and living creatures along the beach such as molluscs, sponges, corals, and more. Share in the discovery by learning intriguing stories about adaptations that allow for life near the ocean. What to expect: Accessible parking, accessible restrooms, and accessible water fountains are available near the Dunes House where the program begins and ends. An accessible route to a natural sand beach is present and beach wheelchairs are available for checkout on a first come, first served basis. This program takes place on a sandy beach and requires periods of slow walking, standing, and gazing upwards or downwards to observe wildlife.
Ages: 9 and up
Fee: $12
Seashore Exploration
Thursday, March 12, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Isle of Palms County Park
Spring is a great time to explore the beach. Join an experienced naturalist to familiarize yourself with many species that may be found there. We’ll search for artifacts and living creatures along the beach such as molluscs, sponges, corals, and more. Share in the discovery by learning intriguing stories about adaptations that allow for life near the ocean. What to expect: Accessible parking, accessible restrooms, and accessible water fountains are available near the park center where the program begins and ends. An accessible route to a natural sand beach is present and beach wheelchairs are available for checkout on a first come, first-served basis. This program takes place on a sandy beach and requires periods of slow walking, standing, and gazing upwards or downwards to observe wildlife.
Ages: 9 and up
Fee: $12
Lighthouse Inlet Bird Walk
Friday, March 13, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve
This walk focuses on the incredibly diverse northeast end of Folly Island. Once the home of a Coast Guard station, this Heritage Preserve protects maritime forest, beach, dune, and marsh habitats for wildlife. This site boasts one of the largest bird lists in South Carolina. At this time of year, we hope to see spring arrivals such as Painted Buntings and Wilson’s Plovers, plus much more. What to expect: This program is open to birders of all levels, including beginners. No accessible parking available. No restrooms or water fountains available. The park includes a paved surface that leads to natural, unimproved surfaces out to a sandy beach. The program route is out and back and is approximately one mile long in total. The program route is flat leading to moderate elevation when crossing sand dunes. No benches available. Program speed is moderately slow and requires periods of gazing upwards.
Ages 12 and up
Fee: $12
Kids on the Go: Little Bikers (2yrs)
Tuesday, March 17 and Tuesday, March 24 (2-week session), 9 – 9:45 a.m.
Wannamaker County Park
Let the kids go! Foundations for bike riding start with balance. Have your little one join in to learn the basics on a balance bike.
Fee: $10
Age: 2-year-olds
Kids on the Go: Little Bikers (3yrs)
Tuesday, March 17 and Tuesday, March 24 (2-week session), 10 – 10:45 a.m.
Wannamaker County Park
Let the kids go! Foundations for bike riding start with balance. Have your little one join in to learn the basics on a balance bike.
Age: 3-year-olds
Fee: $10
Kids on the Go: Little Longboarders (4-5yrs)
Tuesday, March 17 and Tuesday, March 24 (2-week session), 11-11:45 a.m.
Wannamaker County Park
Let the kids go! Foundations for board sports start with balance. Have your little one join in to learn the basics on a longboard. All activity equipment provided.
Ages: 4-5
Fee: $10
Seashore Exploration
Thursday, March 19, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Kiawah Beachwalker Park
Spring is a great time to explore the beach. Join an experienced naturalist to familiarize yourself with many species that may be found there. We’ll search for artifacts and living creatures along the beach such as molluscs, sponges, corals, and more. Share in the discovery by learning intriguing stories about adaptations that allow for life near the ocean. What to expect: Accessible parking, accessible restrooms, and accessible water fountains are available near the snack bar where the program begins and ends. An accessible route to a natural sand beach is present and beach wheelchairs are available for checkout on a first come, first served basis. This program takes place on a sandy beach and requires periods of slow walking, standing, and gazing upwards or downwards to observe wildlife.
Ages: 9 and up
Fee: $12
Homeschool in the Parks: The Return Flight
Friday, March 20, 10-11:30 a.m.
Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Each spring, thousands of birds take to the skies on incredible journeys! We will explore the science and wonder behind these epic migrations. Through field observations and interactive activities, kids will learn to identify migratory species, understand the challenges birds face on their routes, and more! Whether spotting warblers in the trees or tracking flight paths on a map, this program invites young learners to tune into the rhythms of spring and deepen their connection to the wild, feathered world above! What to expect: The program will begin and end in a climate-controlled classroom. The program will involve walking on unpaved surfaces and periods of standing to observe wildlife. Accessible restrooms, accessible water fountains, and accessible picnic tables are all available at the Welcome Center next to the classroom where the program begins and ends.
Ages: 7-12
Fee: $7
Adaptive Climbing Day – Adult
Sunday, March 22, 1 – 3 p.m.
James Island County Park Climbing Wall
We’re partnering with Catalyst Sports to host a monthly adaptive climbing meetup, a welcoming and supportive space for climbers with disabilities. Whether you’re brand new to climbing or a seasoned pro, this community is all about overcoming obstacles together, fostering growth, and celebrating every step of the journey. Adaptive climbers will find an encouraging environment that highlights individual strengths and embraces the excitement of climbing. Empower yourself, reach new heights, and connect with a community where every achievement matters. Interested in Volunteering? We’d love your help! Volunteers must register with both CCPRC and Catalyst Sports and complete a required training. Please sign up with Catalyst using the link below and reach out to us for more information. Register through Catalyst Sports Registration is required for both climbers and volunteers through Catalyst, in addition to registering with CCPRC. For questions or more info, contact our Climbing Wall Manager robert.lavarnway@ccprc.com
Ages 16 and up
Fee: $10
Adaptive Climbing Day – Youth
Sunday, March 22, 1 – 3 p.m.
James Island County Park Climbing Wall
We’re partnering with Catalyst Sports to host a monthly adaptive climbing meetup, a welcoming and supportive space for climbers with disabilities. Whether you’re brand new to climbing or a seasoned pro, this community is all about overcoming obstacles together, fostering growth, and celebrating every step of the journey. Adaptive climbers will find an encouraging environment that highlights individual strengths and embraces the excitement of climbing. Empower yourself, reach new heights, and connect with a community where every achievement matters. Interested in Volunteering? We’d love your help! Volunteers must register with both CCPRC and Catalyst Sports and complete a required training. Please sign up with Catalyst using the link below and reach out to us for more information. Register through Catalyst Sports. Registration is required for both climbers and volunteers through Catalyst, in addition to registering with CCPRC. For questions or more info, contact our Climbing Wall Manager robert.lavarnway@ccprc.com
Ages 6-15
Fee: $10
Junior Naturalist: Feathered Friends
Saturday, March 28, 10 a.m. – noon
Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Bring your curiosity and engage all of your senses while exploring natural habitats at your county parks! Led by Charleston County Park’s Education staff, the multi-seasonal Junior Naturalist program series offers a wide variety of fun and educational nature-based activities focused around a central theme. Children who attend 8 classes earn the title of a Certified Junior Naturalist. Through hands-on activities and an interactive nature ramble, participants will learn about bird adaptations, behaviors, and how to identify common species. What to expect: Accessible parking, accessible restrooms, and accessible water fountains are available at this park. This program will begin and end in a climate-controlled laboratory and will include a walk to observe birds. The trails are unpaved surfaces, and the program speed is moderate. Periods of standing and gazing upwards to observe wildlife are part of this program.
Ages: 8-12
Fee: $10
Gator Tales
Thursday, March 26, 10 a.m. – noon
Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Join us as we search for alligators and separate fact from fiction to learn why these large reptiles carry the special title of “keystone species.” Alligators captivate us with their ancient features, remarkable survival skills, and dangerous potential. Join us to learn about many of their fascinating behaviors and features while learning how you can keep yourself and alligators safe! What to expect: Accessible parking, accessible restrooms, and accessible water fountains are available at this park. The trails are composed of a natural surface and flat and the program speed is moderate to slow. Benches are located along the program route.
Ages: 12 and up
Fee: $12
Signals in the Dark: A Firefly Story
Friday, March 27, 7-9 p.m.
Caw Caw Interpretive Center
Why do fireflies flash? What role do they play in our ecosystems? Get answers to these questions and more as we search for their twinkling display lighting up the night. Join a naturalist for an evening program focusing on the magical world of fireflies! As dusk settles in, we’ll embark on a walk to (hopefully) discover these glowing insects in their natural habitat. Along the way, you’ll learn about their life cycle, fascinating behavior, and the science behind their bioluminescence. What to expect: Accessible parking, accessible restrooms, accessible water fountains, and accessible picnic tables are available at this location. The program route is a flat, loop and benches are available along the trail route. The program speed is moderately slow and will require periods of standing and gazing upwards.
Ages: 12 and up
Fee: $12
Lowcountry Senior Series: Disc Golf
Tuesday, March 31, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Wannamaker County Park disc golf course
This program empowers adults 50+ to continue to explore, discover, and grow. Come out and learn the art of flying discs! We’ll start with the basics, including: types of discs, throwing techniques and etiquette on the course. We’ll have the opportunity to play a few holes at our course.
Ages: 50 and up
Fee: $20
Dock Discovery
Tuesday, March 31, 10 a.m. – noon
James Island County Park
Join one of our naturalists at the fishing dock at James Island County Park. We’ll explore the marsh edges, the organisms that live underwater on the dock itself, and even microscopic plankton that drift their way down the creek. A net especially designed to trap tiny planktonic organisms will be used and microscopes will be set up at an indoor location to allow us to view this seldom seen world. What to expect: Accessible parking, accessible restrooms, and accessible water fountains are available at this park. A portion of this program will take place in the salt marsh on a dock. Periods of walking and observing nature are part of this program. The program’s walking pace will be slow to moderate, and the trails are paved surfaces. Tables for sitting will be available where the second half of program takes place.
Ages: 12 and up
Fee: $12
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