Congaree National Park

@fishtiger58 (29823)
Momence, Illinois
March 7, 2017 7:48am CST
Our 5th stop was just for a quick 2.4 mile hike in the Congaree National Park in South Carolina. It was one of my favorite stops. The hike we took was all boardwalk as it was very swampy. Congaree boasts the largest track of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. The story goes that many men came to this area to harvest the old growth cypress trees and the tallest tree here the Lobolly Pine. Because of the difficulty of the terrain getting the felled trees out was near impossible and work was halted. Lucky for the area. Native Americans used this area as their home for thousands of years. African American hid in this area from slave owners and stayed after emancipation. There was also at one time folks using the area to make moonshine. One still is left to show the history of the place. It's deep in the swamp and I'm sure the men making the moonshine had many difficulties. In the 1960's logging resumed with new ways to harvest and take out the trees. A number of conservationists fought to get this area preserved as a national park. They succeeded and it's a wonderful place to see the huge pine and cypress trees. I also saw my first lizard in the wild, and was thrilled. I took many many pictures of the place and it's really a must see National Park. As I said it was my favorite stop on our journey. I wish I could show just how big some of the pines and cypress are but as we had to stay on the boardwalk it was near impossible. However my picture is of the Mosquito Meter to warn visitors of the impending doom when they venture out into the swamp. Thankfully for us the threat was low. I thought the meter was excellent and gave me a chuckle. If ever you get the chance to visit here I highly recommend it. I would also suggest going in the winter to avoid the mosquitoes.
7 people like this
9 responses
@LadyDuck (455012)
• Switzerland
7 Mar 17
I love to hike but I hate mosquitoes, I am their favorite victim. I think that if I decide to visit it should be winter and with a lot of mosquito repellent just in case.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (455012)
• Switzerland
8 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 The butterflies are beautiful and I do not fear them, I only hate the mosquitoes.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
8 Mar 17
Yes for sure the winter was nice, we hardly saw any bugs except for lots and lots of butterflies.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
8 Mar 17
@LadyDuck Yea mosquitoes are awful, what is their purpose anyway?
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@rebelann (110778)
• El Paso, Texas
9 Mar 17
I hate mostquitoes as much as I hate ticks. You finally saw a wild lizard, did it run from you? Ours round here can move like lightening, so far I've never been able to get a shot of one but I have plenty of shots of that are perfectly focused of the ground they had been on
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@rebelann (110778)
• El Paso, Texas
10 Mar 17
We don't have green ones out here @fishtiger58 most look so much like the ground that by the time I actually see it it's already running.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Mar 17
@rebelann Oh I see, they are pretty quick. I have never seen a brown one. I was thrilled to just see this little guy.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
10 Mar 17
It was the first lizard I have ever seen in the wild. It was sitting on the railing on the boardwalk. I zoomed in and got a shot, how bout that. First lizard ever and I got the shot.
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@snowy22315 (168439)
• United States
7 Mar 17
It sounds good. I had never heard of it before. I have been to some vacation destinations in SC, but mostly along the coast. I would like to visit Hilton Head though, so maybe I could look to see where this park is in relation to that.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 It is off of I-26 south of Columbia. No where near Hilton Head.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Mar 17
@AbbyGreenhill Ah yes I 26 sounds familiar.
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Mar 17
I too would have to look at a map, I'm not sure where in South Carolina it is either. We traveled in two cars so I just followed my son, he did the mapping of where to go.
• United States
7 Mar 17
I a not innto hiking at my age, or when I was young, so just riding thru a National Park and stopping in the car for photos is my thing. You can find stills in the woods in this county....lotsof moonshine goes on.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Mar 17
If you don't hike then this is not the place for you, there is one road in and it leads right to the parking lot. To see any of the park you have to hike.
• United States
7 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 I was never even into walking,did enough of that when I was a kid. Old age brings laziness and safety. Plus my breathing issues limit me also.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Mar 17
@AbbyGreenhill It seems for me the more I walk the better I do, so I hike, love it.
@shshiju (10343)
• Cochin, India
11 Mar 17
I always like to hike in wild . But mosquitoes like me very much though I don't like them.
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@shshiju (10343)
• Cochin, India
11 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 Swamp land is difficult for the walkers. In Indian wild parks heat climate is also one important obstacle.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Mar 17
@shshiju At Congaree they had a 2.5 mile boardwalk above the swamp, made for easy walking
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Mar 17
this particular national park is just hiking. So the best time to be there is late winter when the bugs are not present yet. no way I would go there any other season. Seems the entire park is swamp land which the mosquitoes love.
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@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Mar 17
I would definitely visit this national park if I ever get to South Carolina despite the mosquitoes.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Mar 17
Go in the late winter like I did, no bugs at all. Quiet campground and hiking trails. Beautiful.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Mar 17
@JohnRoberts they sure are awful nasty blood suckers
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@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 The last time I ran into a mosquito swarm was at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.
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@DianneN (246452)
• United States
7 Mar 17
I assume you missed the mosquitoes. Glad it became a National Park.
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@DianneN (246452)
• United States
8 Mar 17
@fishtiger58 I suppose. There are very few bugs of any kind along the ocean, anywhere. They are blown away or the fish jump out of the water to eat them. Haven't been bitten once.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
8 Mar 17
@DianneN That ocean breeze is a huge help, while we were next to the ocean camping no bugs for which I am eternally grateful. It's way to early for me to be swatting bugs. There is something to be said for winter, no darn bugs.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
8 Mar 17
We missed the mosquitoes thankfully. No way would I go there in the spring summer and fall, Winter is the best time for this place. My son told me the mosquitoes in Florida was just awful in the Everglades but I would expect that it being a swamp.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (18760)
• United States
7 Mar 17
I never been there. I might have to go sometime.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
8 Mar 17
A very worthwhile trip, it was so beautiful.
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@ridingbet (66861)
• Philippines
8 Mar 17
wow, i suddenly recall a lesson we learned when we were in elementary years, that the largest trees were the giant Sequoia. i wonder if this is true? i always appreciate the big pine trees pictured from above
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
8 Mar 17
The Sequoia is the largest tree but not in this National Park, Sequoia's are only in California, this park is in South Carolina.
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