With daylight saving time over, the gate at Old Towne Creek County Park closes to incoming cars at about 4:49 p.m. this weekend, and by early December the cutoff drops to about 4:43 p.m. Next door, the grounds at Charles Towne Landing stay open until 5 p.m. every day of the year. From the road the two parks look like one stretch of woods along the creek, but this winter they keep different hours. The new county park, which opened June 30, is the one set by the sun. That makes it the best morning stop on Old Towne Road from now through New Year's.
Same creek, different rules
Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission's listing for Old Towne Creek sets fall hours at 8 a.m. to sunset from September through December. The gate closes to incoming traffic 30 minutes before the park does. According to timeanddate's Charleston sunset table, sunset this Saturday, November 14, is at 5:19 p.m. That puts the last chance to drive in at about 4:49 p.m. By early December, sunset moves to 5:13 p.m., so the cutoff moves to about 4:43 p.m. By December 31, sunset is back to 5:23 p.m.
Charles Towne Landing keeps fixed hours all year.
| Old Towne Creek County Park | Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 1400 Old Towne Rd. | 1500 Old Towne Rd. |
| Hours, Nov.–Dec. | 8 a.m. to sunset; gate closes to incoming cars 30 minutes earlier | Grounds 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Animal Forest 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Adventure 10 a.m.–4 p.m., closed Tuesdays |
| Admission | $2 per person; free for Gold Pass members and kids 2 and under | $12 adults, $7.50 S.C. seniors, $7 ages 6–15, free 5 and under |
| Dogs | Leashed, kept under control, never left in cars | Leash no longer than six feet; not allowed in the Animal Forest |
| Annual option | Gold Pass | $99 All Park Passport covers everyone in the pass holder's vehicle for one year |
The county park's late-afternoon hours have one quirk. You can't drive in after about 4:43 p.m. in early December, but if you're already inside you can stay until sunset, which is a few minutes after Charles Towne Landing's grounds close at 5 p.m. If you have a dog and only a little light left after work, arrive early and plan to stay. The county park also lets you bike its trails, including on e-bikes, as long as you ride safely. Bikes aren't allowed on the dock and have to be walked on boardwalks and ramps.
A park built to stay quiet
The county park was set up as a quiet place from the beginning. The land is conserved as a living memorial to Emily Simmons Ravenel. Her daughter, Emily Ravenel Farrow, put a conservation easement on the property that strictly limits development. She meant it to stay a quiet place for learning and reflection. The Post and Courier's editorial on the opening reports that CCPRC used $5.1 million in Charleston County Greenbelt money to buy the land from the Lowcountry Land Trust. It adds that Historic Charleston Foundation holds an easement on the property and its few historic buildings. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2026.
The park rules follow from that history. There's no alcohol, swimming, wading, fishing, crabbing, personal canoes or kayaks, open fires, or overnight camping. The dock offers water views but no water access. The one exception this year was Wine Down Wednesday, a ticketed evening series CCPRC held on August 26, September 9 and September 23 for $20 in advance or $25 at the gate, with wine included.
The quiet setting also shapes what the park teaches. Charles Towne Landing mainly covers the colonial settlement of 1670 to 1680. Old Towne Creek covers the twentieth century, when the land was a rural retreat, a truck farm and later a horse riding center. CCPRC senior planner Matt Moldenhauer explained the choice to the Post and Courier:
"A lot of our interpretation covers West Ashley history. That was a conscious decision to do that and overlaps with Emily (Farrow)'s time on the property, back when it used to be the country and her parents owned it. We focused on that, truck farming, St. Andrews Riding Academy, Maryville and Ashleyville."
So one park covers how Charleston started, and the other covers how the old St. Andrews Parish countryside became West Ashley.
What fits in a short afternoon
With an early gate, it helps to know the layout before you go. All of these come from CCPRC's opening announcement, and most fit into one lap of the main loop:
- The Welcome Center. It's in the original "Rain Hut," which once sheltered students at the Saint Andrews Riding Academy.
- The one-mile loop trail. The packed-stone path runs along Old Towne Creek, with boardwalk spurs and a dock.
- The Arboretum. It includes woody plants, a live oak allée and blooming ornamentals, plus a live oak planted as a community tree on opening day.
- The nature-inspired playground. It has rubberized surfacing and accessible play pieces. Paddock Pavilion is right beside it, with restrooms and outdoor seating.
- Fox Field Shelter. It was built by Clemson School of Architecture's CommunityBUILD program.
- The Giving Tree. This outdoor art installation raises money for the Charleston County Parks Foundation.
A lot of the plantings go back to the family. Charleston Magazine's profile notes that Farrow was born on the farm in 1915 and later ran the riding academy there. She and her husband, John Ashby Farrow, renamed the place "Ashem Farm" after they married in 1947. Many of the ornamentals came from plants she and her mother put in. In December, when the deciduous trees are bare, the live oaks and evergreen plantings do most of the work along the loop.
Mornings belong to the county park
Old Towne Creek opens at 8 a.m., an hour before Charles Towne Landing's grounds open at 9 a.m. CCPRC's December program at the park starts even earlier. Early Birding runs Saturday, December 5, from 7 to 9 a.m. and costs $12. A birding professional leads the group, and the program is open to all levels, including beginners. The route is a flat loop with benches, the pace is moderately slow, and there's a lot of standing and looking up. Accessible parking, restrooms, water fountains and picnic tables are on site.
That Saturday also works for visiting both parks. The birding walk ends at 9 a.m., just as Charles Towne Landing's grounds open, and that afternoon the state site hosts "Great Guns on the Ashley," an artillery demonstration at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. that's free with admission.
Charles Towne Landing has a few other programs coming up for younger visitors:
- Eco-Explorers, Tuesday, November 17, 11 to 11:30 a.m. It costs $3 per program or $10 for a five-program punch card.
- There's Still a "Lot" to Learn, November 14 and November 28, 11 a.m. to noon. It's free with paid admission.
- Archaeology Explorers: Hands-On Discovery Morning, Saturday, December 19, 11 a.m. to noon. It costs $5 per participant, plus regular park admission for participants and chaperones.
Families going for the animals should go on a weekend. The state park's posted advisory says about half of the Animal Forest, starting at the puma and bear exhibits, is closed Monday through Friday during construction and runs as usual on weekends. On weekdays the red wolf, otter, skunk and gopher tortoise exhibits stay open.
The path along Old Towne Road is getting longer
The two parks are separate, but the roadside is starting to connect the area. Charleston Moves reports that a multi-use path segment was finished in 2026. It runs from just north of Old Towne Creek County Park to the driveway of the Lowcountry Land Trust office. That office is the Lowcountry Center for Conservation at 1362 Old Towne Road, which the Land Trust opened in August 2025 on a few acres it kept from Farrow's original gift.
The next segment would run from the Land Trust to St. Augustine Drive, past the fire station. It was recommended for Charleston County Transportation Committee funding on September 8, 2026, and still needs County Council approval. On August 27, County Council approved the construction engineering and inspection contract for the larger Old Towne District Improvements project. That project includes new sidewalks, multi-use paths and crosswalks around the Old Towne, Charlestowne and Donahue intersection and along Sam Rittenberg Boulevard. The Post and Courier's editorial argues that the path should eventually reach north and south to nearby homes. If it does, more people will be able to walk or bike to the county park's gate.
CCPRC notes that park fees, schedules and hours can change without notice, so check the park listing before a late-afternoon trip.
I live and work in this area, and I'm always glad to talk about the parts of West Ashley that are changing, from new parks like Old Towne Creek to the path work along Old Towne Road. If you'd like to talk about what's happening close to home, Michele Moriarty is happy to help. Let's Connect.
