The Geographical Regions of South Carolina refers to the four major geographical regions of South Carolina. The largest region in the state is the Piedmont (United States) located between the Mountains and the Carolina Sandhills, while the smallest in region in the state is the Mountains also known as the Blue Ridge Range.
Mountains
6 Regions of South Carolina - Learn about the features of each of South Carolina's six regions.
The Mountains of South Carolina refers to the Blue Ridge Mountains, a province of the larger Appalachian Mountain Chain, that stretches from Maine to Alabama, is the smallest geographical region in the whole state. The highest point in the South Carolina mountains is Sassafras Mountain rising at an elevation of around 3,533 ft (1,078 m). There are also three major parks located in this area, Table Rock State Park, Caesar's Head State Park, and Oconee State Park. The only cities located in this region are Walhalla and Landrum as well as many other small towns. Along with the major parks, there are also a few popular tourist attractions, including the Chattooga River, Sumter National Forest, Lake Jocassee and the Cherokee Parkway.
Piedmont (Foothills)
The Piedmont (Foothills) refers to the roots of an ancient, eroded mountain chain. It is generally hilly, with thin, stony clay soils, and contains few areas suitable for farming. Much of the Piedmont was once farmed, with little success. It is now reforested. At the southeastern edge of the Piedmont is the falle for mill towns. While the piedmont is mostly hilly, a few areas are noticeably "flat" with some areas having mountain peaks reaching above 1,000 feet, such as Paris Mountain in Greenville County and the King's Mountain chain in Cherokee and York counties. The major cities in the Piedmont include Greenville, Rock Hill, and Spartanburg. The Piedmont is also home to Kings Mountain National Military Park, Sumter National Forest, and as well as many other state parks. The other major tourist attractions include Lake Keowee, Lake Hartwell, Lake Wylie, the Catawba River, and the Saluda River, as well as many other lakes and rivers.
Sandhills (Midlands)
The Sandhills (Midlands) is the sandy region of South Carolina where the fall line is located. The Sandhills region is located in the middle of the state below the Piedmont and above the Coastal Plain. The belief is that ancient beach dunes which generally divides the Piedmont from the coastal plain, and is the evidence of a former coastline when the ocean level was higher, or the land lower. The beach deposits were formed principally during the Miocene Epoch, circa 20 million years before the present. Typical beach fossils are found along the front edges of the Sandhills. The coastal plain is terraced from other ocean levels, but none appear to have been so long-lasting, so as to build up dunes of this size. The Sandhills is home to Sand Hills State Forest, part of the Congaree River, and the state capital of Columbia.
Coastal Plain
The Coastal Plain refers the region below the Sandhills and the coastal zone of South Carolina. The Coastal Plain is a relatively flat and fertile area of land. The belief is that the coastal plain was the original location of the Atlantic Ocean. Today the Coastal Plain is home to most of South Carolina's farming and textile industry because of the fertile land. The Coastal plain is home to one of South Carolina's major cities, Charleston.
Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island, Florence and other cities can be found in the Coastal Plains. There are also many barrier islands located in the region.
