Silver Bluff – Jackson, South Carolina

Silver Bluff is a wildlife sanctuary that runs about 2.5 miles along the Savannah River near Jackson in Aiken County. The sanctuary is owned by the National Audubon Society and has a wide variety of forests, lakes, streams, flora, and wildlife. There are over 200 species of birds, including the endangered wood stork and bald eagles.

Silver Bluff is a Discovery Stop along the SC National Heritage Corridor. Archaeological digs within the sanctuary are investigating the site of a mid-1700s Indian trading post established by George Galphin.

There is an educational center at Silver Bluff sanctuary open to the public that focuses on environmental education, and is great for school groups.

Many thanks to frequent SCIWAY contributor Larry Gleason of Aiken for contributing this picture. He writes: “Many people have heard of Silver Bluff on the SC side of the Savannah River and certainly know all the namesakes like Silver Bluff Road and Silver Buff High School, but not many have actually seen the Silver Bluffs. The foundation of the old trading post is nearby in the woods to the right. The location got its name Silver Bluff because early travelers on the Savannah River routinely saw the bluffs when sunlight reflected off the mica in the sand at an angle which gave the bluffs a silver appearance.”