Congaree National Park, South Carolina

 We stayed at a Best Western Plus Motel just outside Savannah, Georgia.  They serve a very good hot breakfast.  We had sausage and scrambled eggs, fruit and coffee/juice.  They also had pancakes but we didn't try them.  We got on I-24 in South Carolina headed for Congaree National Park.

We turned off I-26 and followed a rural highway through fields of cotton.  This field had already been harvested and plowed.  This part of South Carolina has the red soil that looks so pretty.

Congaree National Park is really off the beaten path. You will not just happen upon it.  You have to consciously look for it.  It was originally named Congaree Swamp National Park but the word swamp was taken out and it was renamed Congaree National Park.  That is a better name because it is not a swamp but the largest remaining tract of old-growth hardwood forest in North America.

The park has an unusual speed limit.

Today the mosquito meter showed a mild concern for mosquitoes. We did not encounter any.

We saw lots of spider webs with huge spiders working to improve their web and catch a meal.

We took a 2 1/2 mile boardwalk trail through part of the forest.  Fortunately, there were several benches on which to stop and rest.  Three week ago, I couldn't even walk to the corner in our neighborhood without being out of breath; but, today I managed to walk the entire trail (I did take advantage of several of the benches!).

This is one of several large American Beech trees.

This tract of land originally had a large grouping of bald cypress.  Heavy cuttings before the land became a national park, left fewer trees.  Cypress tress have "knees" that grow up around the adult tree.

Two unusual "knees" near the boardwalk.

This is a "gut" and "slough" along the boardwalk.  These are low channels that disperse water throughout the floodplain when the Congaree River floods.

 

These are palmetto palms which are the state tree of South Carolina.

During prohibition moonshiners used this area for their stills.  This iron box is a leftover from a still.

Above and below ae two of the four deer that we saw on the trail

We spent nearly three hours in the park.  the boardwalk trail was very relaxing but I was tired when we finished.  I was proud of myself for finishing the trail

We left the park and drove to the western side of Columbia to a Towneplace Suites Motel for the night. It is very nice.  Our suite contains a mini-kitchen with a full-sized refrigerator, two-burner stove, microwave, and sink.  It has an office area, couch and king-bed.    We ate supper at an Olive  Garden and are relaxing the rest of the evening.  It has been a nice day.  The weather has been so nice for us that sometimes we forget that Florida is suffering through a huge, category four hurricane.  Talked to John this morning, and they were hunkered down watching it rain and blow.  The worse of it for them should be coming in tonight.  Hopefully, they will not have any damage to their house and will be safe.

I am glad we left Florida when we did.  We have been able to salvage the trip by picking up some of the places we had planned to see earlier in our trip planning before knee surgery shortened the trip.  There is a bonus on this trip because we will be able to visit one night with my best friend from high school.  We have been friends since 1961 but I don't think we have seen each other for over 50 years.  It will be a great re-union and evening of gabbing and catching up. She and her husband lives just outside the southern border of Smoky Mountain National Park.  South Carolina is preparing for the remnants of Hurricane Ian tomorrow late   We should be long gone before it comes through here.