Carolina Butterfly Society

TENTATIVE - Wateree River HP & WMA (Falcate Orangetip – Eastover, SC)
2026-03-21 10:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | 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.
