CLOSED - Post-Symposium Walk – Jordan Lake Tailrace and Deep River State Natural Area (Moncure, NC)
2025-09-14 09:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Jordan Lake Tailrace, 2060 Jordan Dam Road, Moncure, NC, 27559, United States
CLOSED – We have had an overwhelming response to this year’s symposium and must close registrations due to resource limitations.
This is a post-symposium butterfly walk but anyone is welcome whether they plan on attending the symposium or not.
We will meet at the Jordan Lake Tailrace. The address is 2060 Jordan Dam Road, Moncure, NC 27559 (or GPS coordinates 35.65231, -79.06748). We will walk around the fields and outflow area to look for butterflies. Going will be slow, with level to moderate terrain, some mowed field edges or walking through grassy fields. Be prepared for some exploring. Brian Bockhahn will lead.
Restrooms are available on the property. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras and field guides. Sunscreen, bug spray, a hat, long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended.
After 45 minutes or so, we’ll drive 3 miles, about 6 minutes away, to a relatively new section of Deep River State Natural Area. This area has not been visited much, so we really don’t know what to expect; most sightings will be new for the property. The trailhead is behind the Moncure Community Health Center. The address is 7228 Moncure Pittsboro Road, Moncure, NC 27559 (or GPS coordinates 35.63146, -79.09675). We will hike a series of old roads, first through a recently logged area, around an old home site and pond, then down into the rich floodplain and an old rock quarry along the Deep River. The terrain will not be level, and the trail is not maintained.
Please use the symposium registration form if you are attending the symposium and plan to participate. If you are NOT attending the symposium, you can register for this walk online at the CBS website or RSVP to Brian Bockhahn at the email address below.

NABA Butterfly Count (Congaree NP, Hopkins, SC)
2025-09-20 09:00 - 15:00 | Congaree National Park, 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC, 29061
On Saturday, September 20, 2025, the Midlands Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will participate in a NABA (North American Butterfly Association) seasonal count at the 26,693-acre Congaree National Park near Columbia, South Carolina, to look for late-season butterflies. The park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. The lush trees growing in its floodplain forest are some of the tallest in the eastern United States, forming one of the highest temperate deciduous forest canopies remaining in the world. The Congaree River flows through the park. About 15,000 acres are designated as a wilderness area. Refer to the national park website link below for additional information and maps of the property.
Meet at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center, 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC 29061 (GPS coordinates 33.8298, -80.8234) where we will divide into smaller groups. Some groups will have larger areas to explore than others. Some of the trails will have roots and/or may be overgrown. You do not have to be an expert to participate and may come for a whole or half day.
There are restrooms at the visitor center but no restaurants nearby. Either register on the CBS website (using the “Register” link above) or RSVP to Theresa Yednock at the email address below if you plan to participate. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras and field guides. Sunscreen, bug spray, long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended.

SI Group Hundred Acre Woods (Goatweed Leafwing - Orangeburg, SC)
2025-10-04 10:00 - 15:00 | SI Group, 725 Cannon Bridge Road, Orangeburg, SC, 29115, United States
The Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter will hold a butterfly walk on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at the SI Group Hundred Acre Woods in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Our target species will be the Goatweed Leafwing (we believe there is an existing, ongoing colony), but we will also be looking other fall butterflies. The walk will be on flat ground, but some field areas may be overgrown. There will be a short drive on an unpaved road to get to our staging point, and, after parking, we will walk around the property.
We will meet at the access road to the Hundred Acre Woods. The address is 725 Cannon Bridge Road, Orangeburg, SC 29115 (GPS coordinates 33.4651, -80.8841). Traveling south on Cannon Bridge Road from Highway 301, go past the railroad crossing and come in the third entrance on the left just after the main parking lot area for the SI Group and just before the fenced-in electrical substation enclosure. After turning in, look to your right and follow the short dirt road, on the east side of the electrical substation enclosure, towards the tree line where we will meet and line up our cars. After everyone has arrived, a safety officer from the SI Group will lead the caravan of cars back to the Hundred Acre Woods parking area.
There may be a porta potty on site. Restaurants and gas stations are nearby. Diane Curlee will lead. Either register on the CBS website (using the “Register” link above) or RSVP to Diane at the email address below if you plan to participate. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras and field guides. Sunscreen, bug spray, long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended.

Reynolda Gardens 2025 (Winston-Salem, NC)
2025-10-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Reynolda Gardens, 100 Reynolda Village, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, United States
On Saturday, October 11, 2025, the Triad Chapter of CBS (Carolina Butterfly Society) will hold a butterfly walk at the FORMAL GARDENS area of Reynolda Gardens.
After the CBS walk through the formal gardens, attendees are welcome to stay a little longer and visit other areas of the 134-acre grounds. These other areas include two miles of scenic walking trails, wetlands, paved pathways, thick woodlands, an expansive meadow for visitors to explore and enjoy and a waterfall, located along the Reynolda Village trail. Refer to the website below for a map and additional information.
Meet at the garden entrance greenhouse at 100 Reynolda Village, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27106 (or for those who prefer GPS coordinates, 36.12564, -80.28474). Please RSVP to Barbara Cullen at the email address below if you plan to participate.

RESCHEDULED - Wateree River HP & WMA (Southern Dogface - Eastover, SC)
2025-10-18 10:00 - 16:00 | Wateree River HP & WMA, 15001 Goodwill Road, Eastover, SC, 29044, United States
THIS WALK HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED – Due to the weather forecast for rain, wind, low temperatures and no sun on October 11, this walk has been moved back 1 week to October 18.
The Carolina Butterfly Society Midlands Chapter will hold a butterfly walk on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at the 3,674-acre Wateree River Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area. Our target species is Southern Dogface, but we will also be looking for other late-season butterflies as well. We will drive to various areas, walk some of the trails and quite possibly “bushwhack” through fields following the elusive Southern Dogface. Some areas may be a little overgrown, but the walking is mostly on level ground and easy.
Meet at the first kiosk that is located on the right, about 0.45 miles along Goodwill Road after entering the property. GPS coordinates for the kiosk are 33.9495, -80.6530. The HP / WMA entrance is located at 15001 Goodwill Road, Eastover, SC 29044 (GPS coordinates 33.9435, -80.6555) on the north side of Garners Ferry Road, US Highway 378, just across from Goodwill Baptist Church.
No restrooms are available on the property. Dave and Marty Kastner will lead. Either register on the CBS website (using the “Register” link above) or RSVP to Marty at the email address below if you plan to participate. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras and field guides. Sunscreen, bug spray, long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended.
See the website link below for hiking trails and other information about the Wateree River Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area.

Peachtree Rock (Brown Elfin - Lexington Co., SC)
2026-03-14 10:00 - 15:00 | Peachtree Rock HP (back entrance), 33.8334, -81.2012
Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026
Location: Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve, Lexington Co., SC

Meeting Time: 10:00 am – to 3:00 pm
Meeting Spot: Meet in the parking area next to Bethel United Methodist Church. The church address is 811 Peachtree Rock Road, Lexington, SC, 29073. The GPS coordinates are: 33.8334, -81.2012.

Description: Peachtree Rock is a 460-acre Heritage Preserve in Lexington County, South Carolina. We will look for the colony of Brown Elfin and other early-season butterflies.
Target Species: Brown Elfin
Notes: There are no facilities at this site, but gas stations are nearby. Walk difficulty is easy to moderate. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras and field guides. Sunscreen, bug spray, long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended.
Trip Leader: John Demko
Lodging & Dining Recommendations: N/A
Sign-up: Please contact John Demko at Leveljohn7@gmail.com if you are planning to attend. You can also register by using the “Register” link above.

TENTATIVE - Wateree River HP & WMA (Falcate Orangetip – Eastover, SC)
2026-03-21 10:00 - 15:00 | Wateree River HP & WMA, 15001 Goodwill Road, Eastover, SC, 29044, United States
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Location: Wateree River Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area

Meeting Time: 10:00 am – to 3:00 pm
Meeting Spot: Meet at the first kiosk that is located on the right, about 0.45 miles along Goodwill Road after entering the property. GPS coordinates for the kiosk are 33.9495, -80.6530. The HP / WMA entrance is located at 15001 Goodwill Road, Eastover, SC 29044 (GPS coordinates 33.9435, -80.6555) on the north side of Garners Ferry Road, US Highway 378, just across from Goodwill Baptist Church.

Description: Wateree River HP & WMA is a 3,674-acre tract that was set aside as a mitigation site for the Haile Gold Mine in Kershaw County and is comprised of the old Cook’s Mountain and Goodwill Plantation tracts. We will drive to various areas, walk some of the trails and quite possibly “bushwhack” through fields to look for early-season butterflies. Some areas may be a little overgrown, but the walking is mostly on level ground and easy.
Target Species: Falcate Orangetip, Henry’s Elfin
Notes: There are no facilities at this site but there is a gas station nearby. Walk difficulty is easy. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras and field guides. Sunscreen, bug spray, long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended. See the website link below for hiking trails and other information about the Wateree River Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area.
Trip Leader: To be determined.
Lodging & Dining Recommendations: N/A
Sign-up: Please contact Dave and Marty Kastner at kastners@aol.com if you are planning to attend. You can also register by using the “Register” link above.

Carolina Sandhills NWR (Frosted Elfin - McBee, SC)
2026-03-28 10:30 - 16:00 | Carolina Sandhills NWR, 23734 US-1, McBee, SC, 29101, United States
Date: Saturday, March28, 2026
Location: Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, McBee, SC

Meeting Time: 10:30 am
Meeting Spot: Meet in the parking lot at the visitor center of Carolina Sandhills NWR. The main entrance is on US Highway 1, about 4 miles northeast of McBee, SC. The address is 23734 U.S. Highway 1, McBee, SC 29101. GPS coordinates are 34.5044, -80.2249.

Description: This will be a joint field trip between the Carolina Butterfly Society and SCAN, the South Carolina Association of Naturalists. We will drive roads in the NWR getting out to explore various areas and look for spring butterflies.
Target Species: Frosted Elfin
Notes: Restrooms are available near Lake Bee within the NWR but there are no restrooms at our meeting site. There are gas stations in McBee. Bring a portable lunch. There are picnic tables near Lake Bee but be prepared to eat on the go if necessary. Please bring water, binoculars, cameras and field guides. Sunscreen, bug spray, long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended.
Trip Leaders: Caroline Eastman and John Demko
Lodging & Dining Recommendations: N/A
Sign-up: Please contact Caroline Eastman at carolinemeastman@gmail.com or John Demko at leveljohn7@gmail.com if you are planning to attend. You can also register by using the “Register” link above.

Cheraw State Park & Sandhills State Forest (Patrick, SC)
2026-03-29 10:30 - 16:00 | Cheraw SP on Society Hill Road, 34.6214, -79.9451
Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026
Location: Cheraw State Park & Sandhills State Forest / Horseshoe Mountain, Patrick, SC

Meeting Time: 10:30 am
Meeting Spot: Meet on Society Hill Road (sometimes called Teals Mill Rd) in Cheraw SP. This is off Hwy 1 in Patrick, SC. We will park on the side of the road just past Juniper Creek. The GPS coordinates are near 34.6214, -79.9451.

Description: At Society Hill Road, we will explore the sand myrtle, vaccinium, horse sugar trees, and Atlantic white cedar on both sides of the road. When finished we will drive approximately 25 minutes west to Sandhills State Forest to explore Horseshoe Mountain. The GPS coordinates for parking at Horseshoe Mountain are 34.5896, -80.1170.
Target Species: Hessel’s Hairstreak, Brown Elfin, Henry’s Elfin, Eastern Pine Elfin, Great Purple Hairstreak, Holly Azure
Notes: No restrooms are available at our first stop. There is a pit toilet near Horseshoe Mountain, but it is sometimes locked. Bring a portable lunch to eat either at our first stop or the second one depending on the timing. There are no tables for lunch at either site. Please bring water, binoculars, cameras and field guides. Sunscreen, bug spray, long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended.
Trip Leader: Ron Ahle
Lodging & Dining Recommendations: There are hotels and restaurants in Cheraw, SC and camping sites in Cheraw State Park. A recent search indicated that the cabins in Cheraw State Park were not available on our dates.
Sign-up: Please contact Ron Ahle at thebears@earthlink.net if you are planning to attend. You can also register by using the “Register” link above.

Madison County, NC
2026-04-11 09:30 - 2026-04-12 15:00 | Broadwing Farm, 20 Berry Wills Road, Hot Springs, NC, 28743, United States
Dates: Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12, 2026
Location: Hot Springs, NC, area

Meeting Time: 9:30 am (Buncombe County) / 10:00 am (Madison County) – to 3:00 pm
Meeting Spot: For those staying in Buncombe County, we will meet at the Publix parking lot in Weaverville, NC, and leave at 9:30 am (165 Weaver Blvd., Weaverville, NC, 28787; parking lot GPS coordinates 35.7049, -82.5687). For those staying in Madison County, meet at Broadwing Farm, 20 Berry Wills Road, Hot Springs, NC at 10:00 am. Park in front of the “event venue” building that’s located at 165 Broadwing Farm Lane, Hot Springs, NC (GPS coordinates 35.9008, -82.8291).

Description: We’ll spend two days butterflying this part of the Pisgah National Forest. Pete Dixon will lead Day 1 (April 11) and Heather Rayburn will lead Day 2 (April 12).
Target Species: Olympia Marble, Cobweb Skipper, Duskywings, Elfins and Hairstreaks
Notes: Easy-to-moderate walking. Normally a restroom is open at the state picnic area. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras, a hat, sunscreen, bug spray, and field guides. Long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended.
Trip Leaders: Pete Dixon (day1 on April 11) and Heather Rayburn (day 2 on April 12)
Lodging & Dining Recommendations: For places to stay overnight, there are several rental cabins and B&Bs in Madison County, including Broadwing Farm. Mars Hill has a Comfort Inn, and there is a Fairfield Inn in Weaverville (Buncombe County). Mars Hill, Marshall, Hot Springs, and Weaverville each have a variety of restaurants and brewery taprooms, and Asheville is a foodie destination.
Sign-up: Please contact Heather Rayburn at rayburnh@icloud.com if you are planning to attend. You can also register by using the “Register” link above.

Wateree River HP & WMA (Eastover, SC)
2026-04-26 10:00 - 15:00 | Wateree River HP & WMA, 15001 Goodwill Road, Eastover, SC, 29044, United States
Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026
Location: Wateree River Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area

Meeting Time: 10:00 am – to 3:00 pm
Meeting Spot: Meet at the first kiosk that is located on the right, about 0.45 miles along Goodwill Road after entering the property. GPS coordinates for the kiosk are 33.9495, -80.6530. The HP / WMA entrance is located at 15001 Goodwill Road, Eastover, SC 29044 (GPS coordinates 33.9435, -80.6555) on the north side of Garners Ferry Road, US Highway 378, just across from Goodwill Baptist Church.

Description: This walk is part of the Columbia City Nature Challenge, which is part of City Nature Challenge, an international four-day competition where cities across the globe compete to record the biodiversity of their urban and surrounding areas. We will focus on butterflies, but all nature entries on iNaturalist will count. Wateree River HP & WMA is a 3,674-acre tract that was set aside as a mitigation site for the Haile Gold Mine in Kershaw County and is comprised of the old Cook’s Mountain and Goodwill Plantation tracts. We will drive to various areas, walk some of the trails and quite possibly “bushwhack” through fields to look for butterflies. Some areas may be a little overgrown, but the walking is mostly on level ground and easy.
Target Species: All butterflies (but will also report other nature observations on iNaturalist)
Notes: There are no facilities at this site but there is a gas station nearby. Walk difficulty is easy. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras and field guides. Sunscreen, bug spray, long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended. See the website link below for hiking trails and other information about the Wateree River Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area.
Trip Leaders: Dave and Marty Kastner
Lodging & Dining Recommendations: N/A
Sign-up: Please contact Dave and Marty Kastner at kastners@aol.com if you are planning to attend. You can also register by using the “Register” link above.

Sumter NF Long Cane District (Edgefield, SC)
2026-05-08 10:00 - 16:00 | Lick Fork Creek Parking Lot, 33.7298, -82.0407
Date: Friday, May 8, 2026
Location: Long Cane District of Sumter National Forest, Edgefield, SC

Meeting Time: 10:00 am – to 4:00 pm
Meeting Spot: Meet at the Lick Fork Creek parking lot on Lick Fork Creek Road. The GPS coordinates are: 33.7298, -82.0407.

Description: The Long Cane District of the Sumter National Forest in the Lick Fork Lake and Stevens Creek Heritage Preserve areas is a 123,360-acre tract. Prunella vulgaris should be blooming for this walk. We will drive to various locations and explore those areas for early-season butterflies.
Target Species: Tawny-edged Skipper, Twin-spot Skipper
Notes: There is a $3 per day self-pay parking fee for the area but this is only if you leave your car. We do not plan to stay here so do not pay the fee. The fee is waived if you have the Federal “America the Beautiful” Pass as that covers Federal Recreation Areas as well as National Parks. There are bathrooms near the meeting area. There is no cell service in the areas we will be exploring. Walk difficulty is easy. Please bring water, lunch, binoculars, cameras and field guides. Sunscreen, bug spray, long pants and close-toed shoes are highly recommended.
Trip Leader: John Demko
Lodging & Dining Recommendations: N/A
Sign-up: Please contact John Demko at leveljohn7@gmail.com if you are planning to attend. You can also register by using the “Register” link above.
Directions:

From I-20 get off at Exit 1 to Martintown Road (SC-230) and head north until you see the sign to turn right for Lick Fork Creek Recreation Area. If you get to the SC 23 intersection with SC 230 you have gone just a tad too far (less than 0.5 miles).
If you are coming up SC 125 from the south, take it to Martintown Road (SC-230) and head north. You will go over I-20 and then follow the directions above.
From the square in downtown Edgefield, travel south on Hwy-23 for 8.3 miles. Bear left onto Hwy-230 and travel for 0.4 miles. Turn left onto Lick Fork Lake Road (S 19-263) and travel 1.9 miles. The entrance is on the right.
