When first discovering the wide variety of offerings available with the SC State Parks, this one immediately caught my eye. I had no idea what a ‘field trial’ was (and honestly, I still don’t really know). But I realized that this park is where people go to train their hunting dogs. There are also plenty of trails and facilities for horses as well.
The Beaver family set out to H. Cooper Black on a four-parks-in-one-day trip. Once we made our way through towards the Cheraw area (Pee Dee/northeastern part of the state), I knew we were in a rural area when I saw the ‘Pavement Ends’ sign. I was on the dirt road for a bit before encountering pavement again. Then, I had to turn onto another dirt road or two before eventually arriving at the park office, which also doubles as a stable for horses.
Teagan got out and started looking for horses, but found none. We started exploring the area some, seeing some people with their dogs, an empty horse ring, and several horse trailers. Bobwhites were calling in the distance.
We saw a group of people training dogs. I think it was the Carolina Boykin Spaniel Retriever Club. (The Boykin Spaniel is our official state dog.) There were people sitting behind hunting blinds, we would hear a gun shot, and then a couple of times we saw a dog run out, perhaps to fetch something.
We saw a couple of horses out in the distance, but I was hoping to get an up-close encounter with one. As we were leaving, some ladies drove up with their horses and let Teagan come up and pet them. A few other people on horseback rode by as well.
The land out here is beautiful, and the rolling hills are what I think of when I imagine SC countryside. So, while it’s not a place that I’d have much need to visit in the future, I’m sure horse and dog lovers in SC and beyond appreciate what this park has to offer.
Next stop? A short drive to Cheraw State Park. Click here to read about our visit!
H. Cooper Black, Jr. Memorial Field Trial and Recreational Area Official Site
Beavers in the Park 