SC7 Expedition enters S.C. Midlands enroute to the coast and Lowcountry
Photo – SCDNR Director Tom Mullikin (center) with son Thomas Mullikin Jr., SCDNR Capt. Tommy Buckhannon and two SCDNR game wardens at Jones Gap, South Carolina, along the SC7 trail, July 9.
By W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Despite searing South Carolina heat and humidity, scores of participants in the sixth-annual South Carolina Seven (SC7) Expedition from the mountains to the sea wound their way through central S.C. early Monday for a three-day phase of their monthlong exploration and education expedition which will eventually lead them to the shores of the Atlantic.
Speaking with WIS-TV last week, SC7 leader Dr. Tom Mullikin, expounded on the expedition, its successful six years so far, and the necessity of SC7 going forward [see – wistv.com/video/2026/07/10/interview-sc-7]
“SC7 is a wonderful opportunity to get out and see the most beautiful places in earth,” said Mullikin, a world-renowned global expedition leader and ‘National Geographic expert’ who has hiked and climbed mountain ranges – and led arduous expeditions – stretching across every continent on earth. “We have [SC7] bookended by two of the greatest conservation projects in the world – the Jocassee Gorges up in the mountains and the ACE Basin down along the coast – and we hike about 350 miles from July 1 to July 30, about 10 miles a day along the Palmetto Trail, and this year the Liberty Trail celebrating our 250th.
SC7 is “fun, but purposeful,” says Mullikin, who today serves as director of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR).
A partnership between SCDNR, the S.C. National Heritage Corridor, and the Mullikin-founded Global Eco Adventures, SC7 began when Mullikin was serving as chair of the gubernatorially established S.C. Floodwater Commission.
SC7’s chief logistics officer Michelle McCollum, president of the S.C. National Heritage Corridor, said: “This year’s SC7 Expedition has been our most successful yet. We welcomed more participants than ever before, proving that South Carolinians and visitors alike are eager to connect with the places and stories that shaped our nation’s founding. As we commemorate South Carolina’s pivotal role in the American Revolution, we’ve intentionally expanded the educational experience—bringing history to life through expert interpreters, meaningful discussions, and immersive experiences at the very sites where history happened. We’ve also included more conservation education into the month, truly expanding the depth of what we are trying to accomplish.”
The SC7 Expedition highlights South Carolina’s seven natural wonders (therefore SC7) including Sassafras Mountain, the Jocassee Gorges, the Chattooga River, the Congaree National Park, the Edisto River, the ACE (Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto) Basin, and Bulls Island as well as other geographic locations showcasing – and creating awareness of – the state’s “extraordinary environmental beauty and ecological importance,” says Mullikin.
SC7 originated in 2019, shortly after Mullikin’s 2018 appointment as founding chair of Governor Henry McMaster’s S.C. Floodwater Commission (SCFC). At the Governor’s request, Mullikin was tasked with helping educate South Carolinians about the Commission’s findings and the broader importance of understanding and creating greater awareness of the state’s natural environs.
On Monday, the SC7 Expedition makes its way through West Columbia and Columbia. Tuesday, the Congaree Park National Forest. Wednesday, historic Camden. Thursday, Sumter followed by destinations east, south, and beyond through the end of the month.
For more information about SC7, please visit – https://southcarolina7/.
