Walhalla Fish Hatchery
Robin Carter
Directions
From the junction of SC 28 and SC 107, 8 miles northwest of the town of Walhalla, go north on SC 107 for 10 miles. Here turn left (west) onto Road 325, and go 1.8 miles to the parking area at the picnic area
Birds to look for
Ruffed Grouse, Spotted Sandpiper (m), Blue-headed Vireo (s), Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Wood Thrush (s), Northern Parula (s), Black-throated Blue Warbler (s), Black-throated Green Warbler (s), Yellow-throated Warbler (s), Pine Warbler, Cerulean Warbler (s), Black-and-white Warbler (s), American Redstart (s), Worm-eating Warbler (s), Swainson's Warbler (s), Ovenbird (s), Louisiana Waterthrush (s), Kentucky Warbler (s), Hooded Warbler (s), Scarlet Tanager (s), Dark-eyed Junco, Red Crossbill, Purple Finch (w), Pine Siskin (w), American Goldfinch
Description
South Carolina DNR maintains a trout hatchery in the midst of Sumter National Forest. Birding is good near the hatchery and on nearby trails. Like Burrell's Ford, the Walhalla Fish Hatchery sometimes has high-altitude species that you would not expect to find here at about 3000 feet elevation. For example, Golden-crowned Kinglets sometimes breed in the ornamental spruces at the hatchery.
There are other good birding spots nearby, including Burrell's Ford and Oconee State Park. If you continue north on SC 107 you soon reach the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina, which has great birding and significantly higher elevations than anywhere in South Carolina.