Very nice park. Well maintained trails. My only complaint is that the gates are locked at 4:30pm seems ridiculous to me that you would close a park about the time most people get off work and would like to go to a park.

Over 30 miles of Hike and Bike trails!!! This is one of the best forest s parks in town! Very clean and plenty of parking space. Highly Recommended!

I hadnt been mountain biking in a few years prior to today. But this was a great place to try out my new bike and get back into it. We (my son and I) had a great time and will definitely be back often!

Nice trails for mountain biking... but expect roots and rocks.No jumps, big drops, or features. Only very mild climbs/ descents flowy with some tight turns mixed in there.Trails well maintained and marked. I went over 2 days, both of them the bathrooms (none at main entrance) were locked which was Annoying.$5 parking charge on the honor system.

Great shady trails for the summertime! Beautiful upkeep. All different range of trails from beginner to hard! Love to take the kids on child friendly hikes in this area! Pet friendly!

My only complaint was the parking permit. I followed the instructions posted at the trailhead to pay online, and then after paying it said I needed to print my proof to put on the dashboard! It was Sunday and the Education Center was closed. Luckily had no issues. Great trails with good shade.

Its a very beautiful and peaceful place with lots of great hiking trails they also have learning boards throughout the trails to help teach people and kids about the forest and everything in it I highly recommend visiting this place

Very nice place to hike, bike, jog, walk or run.. Very well maintained

A jewel in the Midlands. I hate to tell anyone how wonderful this place is, but they deserve the credit. Nature Nature Nature!

Absolutely love biking the trails in Harbison forest. Im a fluffy plus size lady whos still pretty much a beginner. Trails vary in difficulty.

Been riding here for almost 30 years. Great trails, lucky to have fast easy access to fun trails in our area.

Runners and cyclist and hikers not practicing safe distancing or wearing masks. Social responsibility even in the woods people...

This is one of our great public spaces. Note that the trails may be closed when it has been wet.

Love it here! Love all the different trails and less foot traffic. Great exercise and I get my dose of Mother Nature.

I have been going at least once a week for about three years. Excellent place for exercise in the outdoors. I am a solo hiker, but I do carry bear spray and my phone (always get a signal). Most people who go are there for the outdoors and exercise. Only one weird experience - a couple out on the rock island making out. Otherwise typically hikers and polite mountainbikers. (If I know youre coming, I will stand to the side. Otherwise, please give some notice that youre coming so as not to scare me if my head is off in another place. Thanks)AllTrails is a pretty good map app for these trails. It has Harbisons trails and it has a means of tracking your progress through GPS. (I havent tried the suggested app for the trails.)Parking is $5 per day or $25 for a years pass. I get the pass. Well worth the cost.Toilets are limited. Two that I know of: along Firebreak Trail (not at the parking though) and at the parking for Spider woman and Midlands Mountain.There is a nice area for picnics and a field for other activity. A third set of toilets are located there but theyre not always open or some creatures can be found in the toilets.Dogs are ok but need to be on leash. I dont always see them leashed but the owners are pretty good. I would ask them to be more considerate as some people are afraid of dogs. Also, whatever is brought in needs to be taken out. I.e. NO trash cans. I once saw a doggy poo bag on a trail. So strange.Creatures mainly consist of squirrels, birds, occasional lizards, a few snakes, turtles (if you go by the river), frogs, butterflies, gnats, mosquitos (warmer weather), spiders, and rarely deer. Ive also seen hawks but nothing of concern. Spiders can be very active in warmer months, so I tend to carry my hiking pole like a sword to keep from getting webbing in my face.In the summer I wear shorts and little socks because I get too hot otherwise. I use DEET spray and stay strictly on trails. Havent had a problem.Overall I really enjoy this place. It helps me escape life in the South and helps me remember life in the Mountain West.

Beautiful forest! Come here at least twice a week

Great network of trails for MTB-ing, trail running, and hiking. Easily one of the best places in the area for outdoor activities. Annual pass is a no-brainer.

I absolutely love this trail system. Always have some of my most memorable runs here.

Great flowy park .... I will be back

Its a great forest. What more is there to say? Its good that with such a short drive you can be in the woods enjoying nature. The drawback is that you can still hear alot of the sounds of the city life but Ill take that for some easy access hiking. The forest is pretty flat over all. Theres plenty of trails to choose from to get a nice quick hike in or to spend the day on.

So many trails, picnic areas, river access, pet friendly.

Nice trails.Ham Porter: This pop isnt working, Benny! Im baking like a toasted cheeser - its so hot here!

Great place for MTB or hiking.

Well maintained trails and always a good time.

Loved this place. Saw some wildlife, and beautiful scenery. Hiked to Spiderwoman Loop. It was great! Had to walk the road and then another trail to get there which were both pretty easy. Spiderwoman Loop was a more moderate hike which I like. If youre going to hike Spiderwoman Loop, make sure youre prepared for some genuine hiking, its not a clean cut, basic path, but they do have markers letting you know when the path turns and such. Once you get to the river, theres a short path if you go straight that goes to where the large rocks go out into the river that I was able to walk out on. You just have to go back to the marked sign to get back on the main trail. Highly recommend this State Forest for bikers or hikers.

So many wonderful trails! Not too many people most of the time, either!

Good place to spend time with the kids

Nice relaxing place to visit. All restrooms and pavilions are still closed

Absolutely amazing. The firebreak trail was a great hike that is mostly flat, shaded, and not too busy. I only ran into a few mountain bikers. There were very few mosquitoes if any that we noticed, but just in case you might want to bring bug repellent still. You will see a variety of wildlife as you are on the trail. I ran across several eastern fence lizards so keep an eye out for them. Overall, it was a great hike and I would recommend it.

Always enjoyed walking the trails with the buddies back in the day! Went there recently and still as beautiful and fun to walk as back then! Highly recommend!

One of my favorite places on Earth!

I enjoyed being outdoors on the trail. It was refreshing and peaceful. I was confused about the parking and the parking post was out of envelopes So I was worried about getting a citation. In the future I plan to buy an annual pass.

Absolutely love walking the trails. Its good to go and get some fresh air and get out of the city for a little bit.

This park has the best trails around for any activity. I go here to run and bike the trails. Theres only so much that the Midlands have to offer in terms of terrain, so after that is taken into consideration this is a five star place to be. For bikes the biggest challenge in the area can be to find areas with decent trails and no deep sand. Harbison has basically no sandy problem areas and the riding is flowing and fast. As a trail runner I enjoy running different routes and not covering the same trails more than once. Theres tons of miles to run on here and the other day I ran a half marathon here in my training. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and well maintained trails.

Amazing trails to walk and bike on!

Great trails. Usually mountain bike but lots of rain lately so just hiked firebreak today.

Great hiking trails across a variety of natural environments. numerous long leaf pine stands at various life stages.

Is absolutely the nicest state funded park I have ever been to. Great hiking trails. Extremely nice place all around.

Beautiful grounds.

I have been going to HSF since 1996. Since it is a State Forest, its objectives are different from those of a State Park. I have used it for walking, jogging, picnicking, and walking my dog. It allows you to be absorbed into all the natural wild life fauna and flora. The trails are well marked and maintained. Maps are available.

Just completed my hundredth mountain bike ride here, amazing trails, well maintained and peaceful.

Great place if you only want to walk the one trail. they have access roads to other areas that are never open i asked at the ranger station there and was told that you can get to all the trails from anywhere thats like saying you can walk to china. kind of a waste to have all those other trails that nobody can get to wish i would have known this before i bought a yearly permit

Wonderful place to stretch your legs and clear your mind.

Loved it.. Nice and cool. The streams were dried up. Well marked trails.Cant wait to do another

Great mtb trails

Hiking and biking trails through forest. Beautiful views of the forest and river.

Good place for a quick hike

A good choice for evening group rides or just getting in some trail time. Depending on the time of day you could be competing with hikers or runners. I find the summer months too hot for a good ride since the woods offer no wind or breeze from the river to blow freely. The trail can be closed after a rain to prevent erosion, and parking is limited and costly unless you opt to purchase the year pass.

Always a nice get-away from the city. Trails are well-marked

Very nice park. Great trails. There is even a bike wash station

2,100+ acres with many trails for mountain biking, trail running, or just hiking. This state forest is in the city limits of Columbia, SC and is such a beautiful gem. The trails are all unpaved, but are still fun. The easiest trail is the 4 mile loop trail called Firebreak Trail. Parking is $5 per day, cash only at a self service stand. An annual pass is only $25. If you go far enough back in the forest, you will be rewarded with beautiful views of the Broad River.

Harbison State Forest is a great asset for anyone living in the Columbia area. The forest has over 20 miles of biking and hiking trails with something for everyone. A canoe launch within the forest also provides access to the Broad River. A picnic area with a gazebo and toilets can be reserved for large parties. There is a $5 daily fee for parking (fee envelopes are in the parking lot), but an annual parking permit can be purchased as well. Near the main parking lot is a bike wash (or people wash when its really hot). If you enjoy the forest consider joining Friends of Harbison, a volunteer group that helps maintain trails.

Decent place to ride, no elevation, except for spider woman, pretty technical, fast and flowy trails

Love this place. Great trails and nature walks.

Some really good mountain bike single tack trails. Really nice flow.

Every time I come through Columbia, I make it a point to mountain bike at Harbison State Forest. The trails are well maintained and they seem to drain quickly after a rain (though, you may want to check with a LBS instead of taking my word on that). They have a bike wash station with a couple of brushes to help keep the boys of the park in the park instead of going home with you. There is also a pair of dog bowls with water for your furry friend. Trail dogs are welcome do long as you keep them leashed. Unfortunately, there is no bathroom at the trail head. If you have to go, youll need to head down the trail to one of the pit toilets.There is parking, but Ive found that it can get crowded on the weekends.Cost to play is $5/day or $25/year. Will worth it!

Had an absolute blast!! My boyfriend and I ran 7miles!! Beautiful trails! Next time we will mountain bike fs. Great outdoor fun! Right off the interstate, but for the most part u don’t hear the traffic noise. Nice bridges and winding trails. Plus only $5 for all day use. Jem

Awesome place to take your family for an hike or bike ride

Great flowy ride. Beginnermediate with some short technical sections.

Great trails for all skill levels.

Great place to ride. Friends galore

Nice place. Popular with cyclists.

My favorite place in the area! I come here every weekend to run the trails, have met and made friends with so many people here. A gem for those who love the outdoors but live in the Columbia area.

Bring $5 cash for parking if you dont have the annual pass. Miles of trails for hiking, dogs and mountain bikes

Great place for cycling.

I have just started trail running and HSF is awesome. Long beautiful trails with reasonable elevation. The trails are very well groomed The people you run into are very nice and helpful. This is my new weekend long run place. I am hooked.

Harbison is the place to get away from the city for a little while. Though its nestled between Columbia and Irmo, you wouldnt know youre in a city here. Great for hiking, running, and biking; numerous races are held here throughout the year. I highly recommend the Hairy Bison 15k/30k in November.

Trails were well groomed love riding harbison, very convenient

Great place to go off the grid.

We hike and ride our bikes here often. Trails are in great shape. THANK YOU!

Annual pass makes it worth it. Plenty of trails, good parking, and great scenery!

Absolutely love the walking trails here. Beautiful way to spend a Saturday morning.

A nice place to walk but we had our car broken into. Ive heard that this has happened before, so be weary of this.

Very accommodating to walkers, hikers, joggers, bikers and dog walkers. Plenty of trails that are well marked. There are adventure trails also - real off road type. No associated costs except for donations in Winter.

Great mtb trails, friendly users

Always great to get out in nature!!

Fun mtn bike trails. Fast and flowing.

Dont go to this place unless you like to hike or just walk in the forest. No drinking or weapons. My impression is of nice people enjoying the pleasures of nature. It is a forest not a park but being a forest makes it a beautiful park. You are never alone out there and the people are almost all regulars. Bikers seem to be getting better about trail courtesy. Staff is great. They enjoy it too and do everything they can to help. Be outside of the gates by posted hours, but from the front parking lot, you can do a lot of exploring until sunset. October is peak but it is great in all seasons. Take chigger repellant! Be alert for copperheads. Take your good dog with you LEASHED at all times. Great for picnics.

Beautiful, nice . Wear shoes. Bumpy trails. Great green board map of the place.

I visited a few times. My review has been negative. They have different trails, but they are difficult to follow. Twice I was completely lost. Would not visit again.

The Forest itself is a beautiful natural place--not prettified, and very soothing to the part of you that craves nature.The one missing star is for the frequent shortage of parking, especially on weekends and when all the gates to additional parking are closed. This can happen--gates being closed--at times when you dont expect it, with no indication of when they will be open again. I go there anyway because I like the Forest itself so much.The other people visiting the Forest have been very pleasant. Ive encountered a few dogs off the leash, but they have always been well-behaved ones, and they dont bother me. If you dislike dogs or have anxieties about them it might be different for you.Walkers and mountain bikers have to watch out for each other except on the childrens trails where bikes arent allowed. Ive had or seen no unpleasant encounters. Everyone Ive seen has been very courteous.

Its nature - just beautiful and refreshing.

Great for mountain biking and hiking

Great place to get away from the city for a hike or a bike ride.

Good place to hike and bike. Went after a lot of rain and the recording said trails were open and I got there and trails were closed. They have several all weather gravel roads that dont close.

We just walked Firebreak trail and it was awesome!

Trail runners paradise, bring your moutain bike. Miles of trails, take the long loop, maybe the short one tomorrow. Watch the seasons change as you run off the stress and extra pounds. Very close to town, come here often to hear the sounds of nature. Prescription burns, burn calories and feel good about your accoplishments another personal best! Namaste

Beautiful trail very clean and scenic.

This is a great forest and park for hiking, trail running, mountain biking, and walking your dog. The trails are well maintained and the area is beautiful. I was concerned because the reviews said the trails were not marked well. Ive had no problem with markings on the main trails as they are obvious and on google maps if you peak at your location enabled phone. I cannot speak to the connector trails. I would like to see bathrooms at the outside parking area.

Beautiful easy trail, canopy keeps you cool

Great trails, friendly park staff. The park staff and the Friends of Harbison State Forest do a great job maintaining trails. The call in feature to see if trails are open is amazing for those who want to know before they drive in.

Not worth $5.00. Should be free..Save your $5.00 for Saluda shoals, Its alot better

Beautiful place to walk

Great trails and people who run them

Great park! This park will push you to your limits! Awesome trails!

Nice and well shaded hiking and mountain biking trails. We managed to pickup a few ticks on our 5 mile walk so DEET bug spray would be a good idea.

Love the biking trail, spotted a couple of deers there both the time I was there. Better be prepared with maps and everything though.

Its an amazing place to go mountain biking or hiking. The trails have a variety of difficulties, from fast and flowy trails to steep climbing and rough drops with very technical parts. I am a local mountain bike rider and I love it!!, I would recommend to go.

Great place to enjoy nature. Bike, walk, run, hike

Nice