During the pandemic, Steven and I obviously couldn't travel internationally so we set some new goals for ourselves that seemed more doable. We set out to tour as many of the state capitals and state capitol buildings as well as national parks as we could. By national parks, we weren't including military or historical parks as that would have been too long a list even for us! As a schoolteacher, Steven had two-plus months off every summer and a few weeks at Christmastime so we took full advantage of that time by hitting the road in the vast US and also my native Canada. During the last forty years, we'd traveled to almost every state and most provinces but had never made a point of stopping in the state capitals or some of the out-of-the-way or less heralded national parks.
If you've been reading the most recent posts, you'll know that this current road trip has taken us from Denver through the Midwest and then south to Florida where we were beach bums on the Panhandle for a couple of weeks. Before returning to stay in a cabin at Grayton Beach State Park, we had set out to tour more of Florida and the Carolinas. Thank goodness Steven and I had not attempted to tour Congaree National Park as we approached the South Carolina state capital of Columbia the day before as the park deserved a full half-day and not just the few hours we had had in the late afternoon. Before researching this trip, I don't think Steven and I had ever heard of South Carolina's only national park, Congaree, which protected the largest remaining tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the continent.
On the ground of either side of the boardwalk trail was a dark-colored mud that was a mixture of clay and old leaves. I was sure thankful we were on the boardwalk as that Dorovan mud was eight feet thick! It played an important role in the health of the floodplain by filtering water, trapping pollution, and converting pollutants into harmless compounds.
The majestic bald cypress trees in the park could live to be over 1,000 years old and were both rot and water-resistant. The Catawba and Congaree tribes used the wood for canoes because it was easy to work with and was considered 'wood eternal' because it could remain in perfect condition after 100 years of use. In the late 1800s, the trees were logged and used so extensively in wood shingles, docks, bridges, and cabinetry that few old-growth bald cypress forests still existed.
The cypress trees in the park had produced 'knees' that had risen up from the roots of the tree. They likely provided the tree with additional support during floods and high winds.
Bald Cypress knobs:
These water tupelo trees could be easily identified by their swollen trunks. The trees only grow where water is plentiful.
Some of the oddest natural sights we'd ever seen were these masses and masses of knobs as we proceeded along the boardwalk!
At an elevation of only a few inches, switch cane dominated the forest floor a little further on. Although it resembled bamboo, an invasive plant in South Carolina, it was more closely related to sugar cane.
This dense growth of switch cane was called a canebrake. They were so popular during early European settlement in South Carolina that the phrase was historically used on maps to describe vast areas of switch cane.
I hadn't known that standing dead trees were called snags and that they were full of other life for species of insects, spiders, etc.
At the base of one snag, we saw the handiwork of a pileated woodpecker who had broken off woodchip-sized pieces to reach the insects inside. What a lot of work for some insects!
It sure wasn't easy getting close to this flower to take a picture as I had to tread very carefully among the knobs!
This was the first time we'd seen an open view into the forest. In the mid-1900s, when the value of the trees had been recognized by members of the local community, the threat of logging motivated groups to advocate for the protection of Congaree. The park became part of the National Park System in 1976.
A combination of the park's rich soil, frequent flooding, a long growing season, and a history free of intense logging had led to the impressive height of Congaree's forest. Because the trees averaged over 130 feet in height, Congaree was one of the tallest deciduous forests in the world!
Further on was a low area on both sides of the boardwalk called a gut or slough (pronounced 'slew'). Guts or sloughs were low channels in the forest that helped to disperse water throughout the floodplain when the Congaree River floods.
This fallen loblolly pine may have lived for two centuries before it had been felled by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. When it had been cut to clear the trail, an inspection of the tree's rings revealed forest fires, droughts, and years of abundant rainfall, not simply the tree's age which is what I had naively thought was all the rings could tell.
Loblollies (what a beautiful name for a tree!) were the tallest tree in the state. According to a sign, this loblolly was over 150 feet tall and was a 'former state champion tree.' It made us wonder how did this specific loblolly tree, as impressive as it was, get to be the state champion?!
Through the trees, we caught a glimpse of Weston Lake, once a bend in the Congaree River.
We left the boardwalk to walk along the Weston Lake Trail.
Two trees had felled so close by a terrific force of nature.
The same trees!
We had admiration for Boy Scout Troop 198 that had constructed the footbridge over this swamp.
I wonder what had caused this unusual growth on the tree!
Walking along this part of the trail reminded us of being in the Peruvian Amazon a few years ago.
I would have been curious to know if the hole had been caused by some animal or if a tree had once occupied this spot.
Cedar Creek:
Another wood-pecked tree!
The path paralleled the creek for a bit.
Tarzan would have been right at home here!
As we walked through Congaree, I became fascinated by the many shades of mushrooms.
Another Boy Scout-constructed pedestrian bridge:
What a great hike this had been especially as there had been no elevation unless you count the three feet gain in altitude!
Before leaving the national park, we took a short detour to Wise Lake.
It was unusual seeing this pine tree growing here, the first we'd observed in the park.
This was just the fifth of these Christmas red flowers I spotted in the entire park.
This was as close as we got to Wise Lake.
Ahh, I spoke too soon because not soon after we then got a much closer view of the lake.
As we peered in the lake we saw some freshwater turtles but didn't know if they were the common snapping turtle or another type.
South Carolina is known as the Palmetto State and named after the state tree, the cabbage palmetto. These short, fan-like palms beside the boardwalk were dwarf palmettos, relatives of the cabbage palmetto. They were one of the hardiest palms because they could withstand freezing temperatures.
When the 18th Amendment passed in the US in 1919, it prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol. Moonshiners and bootleggers found refuge in places like the Congaree River floodplain to earn a living. This iron box was an old still that had been used to make alcohol by mixing together water and corn squeezings to make a sour mash. The mash was heated and distilled through copper tubing to produce moonshine. The Congaree's tall trees and difficult terrain made it a perfect place for moonshiners to hide stills and produce their illegal liquor.
As with all national parks, the Congaree staff manages the health of the forest through prescribed fires which help restore the natural fire regime and provide habitat for small animals. This fallen loblolly continued to burn after a prescribed fire due to a naturally caused injury at the base of the trunk. The tree had to be cut into sections by park resource managers to ensure the tree was fully extinguished.
Old Hunters' Road was one of many scattered throughout the park historically used by hunters, fishermen, and loggers.
Just a few miles from here where the Congaree and Wateree Rivers meet, a maroon settlement once existed. They were comprised of people who escaped slavery on nearby plantations and formed their own independent communities. The rivers provided a means for travel, finding food, and acquiring supplies. The dense vegetation and the twisting roots provided safety because of the difficulty it posed for slave owners and slave catchers trying to traverse it in pursuit of those who had escaped.
On our three-plus hour-long walk through the state's only national park, we had been lucky to be alone almost the entire time, a very rare occurrence in any national park. The temperature had only reached a high of 76 degrees and with little humidity so the conditions had been ideal for 'a walk in the park'! I was pretty happy when I noticed my pedometer app on my phone had reached 15,000 steps for the second day in a row as I couldn't remember when that had happened.
It was only a few miles drive then to Dreher Island State Park in the completely opposite direction but Steven and I figured we'd better take the opportunity to see anything else outside that day as there was an almost 100% chance of rain the next when we planned to see the sights in Columbia's downtown core.
The state park encompassed three islands and 348 acres and access to a dozen miles of Lake Murray shoreline.
Another tree for Tarzan wannabes!
The island's deep red earth reminded us of the same color dirt in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island.
It was so peaceful listening to the sounds of the water lapping the lake edge.
If you ever find yourself near Columbia, South Carolina, I hope you'll take the opportunity to seek out both Congaree and Dreher Island parks as you'll be richly rewarded for your efforts.
Posted early on May 2nd, 2021, from our home in Denver as springtime weather is making a very welcome appearance as I hope it is for you wherever you may be. I also hope you will set aside some time to do something special today on this traditional day of rest.
Steven Tarzan, Annie Jane, and I will always call you that from now on! Incredible-Our deck that we had built on our house is Cypress wood and you cannot get that anymore for the few slabs that needed replaced. You guys are studs!
ReplyDeletechris
Chris,
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, Steven and I will take the Tarzan and Jane labels at our advanced ages - too funny!