Gaining access to the Palmetto Trail has proven more difficult than expected for some hikers traveling through Columbia.
Those wanting to walk part of the trail at Fort Jackson must first present a Real ID driver’s license and undergo a background check at the base’s Forest Drive gate.
Then, assuming they are cleared, hikers must go to the Fort Jackson Boulevard gate several miles away to access the mountains-to-the-sea pathway. But gaining access there isn’t always possible. The Fort Jackson Boulevard gate is not open to visitors on weekends or holidays, according to information provided by the Palmetto Trail organization and the fort…