By Skylar Laird
SCDailyGazette.com
Faster internet could be coming to some South Carolina state parks.
Officials with the state parks department are evaluating parks with existing internet connections to determine which locations might benefit from higher-speed fiber optic cable, said spokeswoman Jayne Baker.
“This initiative aims to improve internet connectivity, support digital services and provide better experiences for visitors,” Baker said.
Visitors can access free Wi-Fi at 15 of the state’s 48 parks.
First on the docket for upgrades is Lake Greenwood State Park in Greenwood County. The parks department plans to pay internet company Upcountry Fiber nearly $100,000 to install high-speed internet at the park, according to a recent public notice.
Free Wi-Fi is already available at the 914-acre park’s office area and Drummond Center event space, according to its website.
A list of other parks that might get faster Wi-Fi was not available. Neither was a timeline for installation, Baker said.
Department staff are still evaluating which parks may or may not need upgrades, she said.
The need for faster internet has grown with increases in park attendance in recent years, department officials wrote in a request for state funding.
Wi-Fi at state parks helps staff stay connected, including during natural disasters and other emergencies, and also allows visitors to “have quick access to the information they need to make travel plans and decisions,” according to the agency budget request.
The Legislature set aside $200,000 to help improve information technology systems at park department-owned properties in the 2024-2025 budget, but no money was specifically designated for technology upgrades in the current fiscal year budget.
State parks with access to free Wi-Fi
- Caesars Head State Park in Greenville County
- Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site in Charleston County
- Devils Fork State Park in Oconee County
- D reher Island State Park in Newberry County
- Edisto Beach State Park in Colleton County
- Hickory Knobb State Resort Park in McCormick County
- Hunting Island State Park in Beaufort County
- Lake Greenwood State Park in Greenwood County
- Lake Hartwell State Park in Oconee County
- Myrtle Beach State Park in Horry County
- Oconee State Park in Oconee County
- Paris Mountain State Park in Greenville County
- Poinsett State Park in Sumter County
- Santee State Park in Orangeburg County
- Table Rock State Park in Pickens County
Source: Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Skylar Laird covers the South Carolina Legislature and criminal justice issues. Originally from Missouri, she previously worked for The Post and Courier’s Columbia bureau. S.C. Daily Gazette is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
