Welcome to Hitchcock Woods
Hitchcock Woods in Aiken, South Carolina, is among the largest urban forests in the nation, with about 2,100 acres of forestland resources. Once owned and enjoyed by Louise and Thomas Hitchcock, this longleaf pine forest has retained its natural character and cultural heritage.
Today, equestrians, hikers, dog walkers, and joggers enjoy the 70 miles of sandy trails that provide access to the stunning variety of ecosystems in the Hitchcock Woods.
What's New?
Fall 2011 Views from the Woods
In This Issue:
- Festival of the Woods Lives Up to Its Name
- Aiken Wins Big at Trees SC Awards Ceremony
- Business Partners & Friends of the Woods
- Blessing of the Hounds
- Foundation Plants Seeds at SEED
- Hitchcock Woods Wares and Calendars Make Great Gifts
- Range and Decline of the Longleaf Pine
- Qualities of the Longleaf Pine
- Life in the Woods, by Annalise Eberhard (Essay Contest Winner: Cèlestine Eustis Prize)
The 2011 Annual Report Is Now Available Online
Preserving a Legacy
The Hitchcock Woods Foundation
honors the legacy and traditions of the
famed equestrians and philanthropists
Louise and Thomas Hitchcock.
Mission and Vision
Mission
The mission of the Hitchcock Woods Foundation is to:
- protect and preserve the Hitchcock Woods in a natural and ecologically healthy state,
- maintain and manage historic and traditional equestrian and pedestrian uses, and
- foster education and research on the history and resources of the Woods.
Vision
The vision of the Hitchcock Woods Foundation is to maintain and restore the ecological integrity of the Hitchcock Woods and to serve as a model for sustainable urban forestry, balancing stewardship of forestland natural resources with compatible human uses.
Hours / Admission / Friends
Hitchcock Woods is open to the public, on horseback or on foot, from dawn to dusk 365 days a year. Admission is free of charge, thanks to donor support.
Those who wish to help preserve this natural treasure can start by ensuring they have an active membership in the Friends of the Woods program to stay informed.
Please help by acting in the present to make something from the past available for the future.
Directions and Parking
Hitchcock Woods has seven formal entrances. Three entrances are on Dibble Road: near the railroad crossing, across from Rhone Street, and at the Stable on the Woods. The other four entrances are located at the ends of South Boundary Avenue SW, Coker Spring Road, Berrie Road, and Clark Road.
The respective emergency 911 addresses for the entrances (not for mailing purposes) are as follows.
- 1700 Dibble Road
- 1770 Dibble Road
- 2180 Dibble Road
- 430 South Boundary Avenue SW
- 670 Coker Spring Road (local equestrian and pedestrian access only, no parking)
- 540 Berrie Road
- 1120 Clark Road