The park covers 1,419 acres (5.74 km2) and is situated approximately 12 miles (19 km) from downtown Columbia, South Carolina.

The Sesquicentennial Commission used surplus funds to purchase 1,445 acres of land in 1937.

This land was transferred to the Commission of Forestry, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Company #4469 was assigned to develop the park.

The park also includes 12 miles (19 km) of trails for hiking and mountain biking.

Key trails within the park include the Sandhills hiking trail, a two-mile (3.2 km) ADA-accessible loop around the lake, and the Sesqui Mountain Bike Trail, which covers 6.5 miles (10.5 km) of terrain with varying elevation and sandy conditions.