Johns Island's Next Parks Are Taking Shape on the North End. None Have Opened Yet.

The newest nature preserve on Johns Island has no opening date, and its public trails are still being planned. Humbert Woods covers 102 wooded acres on the north end of the island. Lowcountry Land Trust bought it from a private landowner on Aug. 28 for $5 million, according to the Post and Courier. The previous owner had a contract with a developer to build around 30 homes.

The trust's Sept. 29 announcement presents Humbert Woods as a link between protected properties "set to become publicly accessible." Those properties are Grayson Oaks, Main Road Park, Simmons Creek and the Angel Oak Preserve. Seen together, these five sites are the start of a public green network for the north half of Johns Island. Each is held up by a different obstacle, and none of them is open today. This fall, the island's main public outdoor space is still the same one it has been for years, at 2662 Mullet Hall Road.

Five properties, one map

The trust says only eight percent of Johns Island is permanently protected. The five properties below make up a large share of the protected land with planned public access. Most of them sit close together around Main Road.

Reports differ on where Humbert Woods sits. Live 5 reported in April that the tract is off Humbert and Branjess roads. The Post and Courier describes it as off Main Road. No public entrance has been announced. If you live nearby, you will probably see trail signs before any official address appears.

The trust has a reason for planning the sites as a group. It says Main Road Park will have trails that connect to Grayson Oaks, and that Charleston County will lead pedestrian improvements along Main Road. The park also has about 1,000 feet of wooded frontage on a road that carries roughly 20,000 vehicles a day. Protecting that frontage keeps this stretch of Main Road wooded.

Why each piece is waiting on something different

The properties aren't stuck for the same reason, so they won't open on the same schedule.

Humbert Woods is waiting on a plan. Sea Island Habitat for Humanity is in the early stages of planning homes on the roughly six acres set aside for affordable housing. It is also working with Lowcountry Land Trust to plan and build public trails into the preserve. The site also carries history. Maps from 1927 show the nearby Humbert Wood Public Elementary School. Mamie Elizabeth Garvin Fields, one of the first African American public school teachers hired in Charleston County, taught there early in her career.

Grayson Oaks is waiting on a working farm. Local regenerative farmers still farm the 94 acres. Walking trails, field trips and farm stands are part of the long-term plan.

Main Road Park is waiting on a build-out. Thirteen acres will mainly serve Barrier Islands Little League, with ballfields, seating and space that can be reserved for gatherings. The other 27 acres will stay forested, including 17 acres of wetlands.

Simmons Creek is waiting on the county. The property has direct access to Simmons Creek, which feeds the Stono River. The trust has transferred ownership to Charleston County Parks. Matt Moldenhauer, a senior planner at the county parks department, told the Post and Courier there was no current timeline for developing it. He described it this way:

"It's a beautiful little marsh, tidal corridor on Johns Island that I don't think a lot of people know about."

The same article explains why the waterfront matters. As housing has spread across the island, public water access has shrunk to a few spots, such as the John P. Limehouse Boat Landing.

Angel Oak Preserve is waiting on money. It has made the most visible progress of the five. The trust's project page says the preserve is fully designed and shovel-ready. The goal is to raise $5 million before the end of 2026 so construction can start, out of a total cost of $16.5 million. The plans include:

• A new parking area at the welcome center, about a five-minute walk from the tree, to keep cars off its root system
• A healing trail planted with native medicinal plants
• An effort with the City of Charleston, Charleston County and Angel Oak Road residents to close the road to commercial traffic

The trust says it intends for the preserve to be free to the public. The project page does not report that construction has started.

The Nov. 3 ballot item tied to this

The common thread in how these sites are paid for is the Charleston County Greenbelt Program. Greenbelt money covered $3.6 million of the $5 million Humbert Woods purchase. It also paid the full $1.67 million for Main Road Park.

The Greenbelt Program is funded in part by the county's transportation sales tax. Voters rejected that tax in 2024, and a new version is on the ballot this fall. According to the county's transportation program site, voters decide on Nov. 3, 2026. The proposal projects $4.25 billion over 25 years and sets aside 16%, or $690 million, for Greenbelt. The rest goes to road projects and public transportation. That site has the full breakdown for anyone who wants to read the proposal before voting.

Meanwhile, Mullet Hall Road carries the fall

Until the north-end properties open, Johns Island County Park at 2662 Mullet Hall Road is the island's main public outdoor space. It covers more than 700 acres. From September through December it is open 8 a.m. to sunset, and the gate closes to incoming traffic 30 minutes before the park closes. Admission is $2 per person, free for Gold Pass members and children 2 and under.

The park offers:

• Equestrian trails and the Mullet Hall Equestrian & Event Center. The county asks hikers to give riders plenty of space.
• Wooded walking trails and mountain biking
• A six-target archery range set at 10 to 50 yards, plus a 20-target 3-D course through the woods
• The 9-hole, par-35 Old Grove Disc Golf Course. There are no rentals, so bring your own discs.
• An off-leash dog park with separate areas for large dogs and dogs 25 pounds and under, plus a dog washing station

The county has also added events this year. The new Mullet Haul n' Hustle trail race made its debut on Oct. 3, with marathon relay, half-marathon, 5K and kids' dash options. The rest of the fall calendar:

1. Harvest Festival, Saturday, Nov. 7, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for ages 13 and up and free for ages 12 and under. The bluegrass lineup is YeeHaw Junction at 11:30 a.m., Southern Flavor Bluegrass Band at 1:15 p.m., and Willie Wells & The Blue Ridge Mountain Grass at 3 p.m. Bring chairs and blankets. Outside food and coolers are not allowed, and leashed pets are welcome.
2. Charleston Classic Disc Golf Tournament, Nov. 13 to 15, presented by Find the Line Disc Golf.
3. Family Archery, Nov. 21.

During the Oct. 3 race, the trails were closed until about noon. If you plan a morning walk on a big event weekend, check the park alert first.

Beyond the park gates this fall

Away from Mullet Hall Road, fall on the island is mostly farm and oyster season.

Legare Farms at 2620 Hanscombe Point Road runs its pumpkin patch on weekends through October. It has hayrides where kids can feed cows, horse rides, a scarecrow activity and farm animals. The farm posts weather updates on its site, and two of its pages list different Friday hours, so check the site before you go.

South Carolina's commercial oyster season opened Oct. 1. The Post and Courier's oyster roast roundup lists a Sweetgrass Garden Oyster Roast in November at 3121 Plow Ground Road. The date has not been announced yet.

The roads to all of these places are also changing. The Main Road Corridor project has Segment A under construction from Bees Ferry Road to the River and Chisholm Road intersection. It includes a shared-use path on the Limehouse Bridge, and the CSX railroad bridge work is scheduled for fall 2026. Substantial completion is expected in late 2028. Segment C, the Bohicket Road section, was stopped by Charleston County and is not being built. For now, the bridge path, Main Road Park's trails and the planned Main Road pedestrian improvements are all still in the works, like the preserves themselves.

At Kaylan Sells Charleston, we follow these Johns Island projects because they change daily life on the island long before they change a listing. If you want help understanding what Humbert Woods, Simmons Creek or the Angel Oak Preserve could mean for your street, Schedule a Consultation and we'll go over it with you.