Boating: How to Boat: Advanced: Paddle Sports
Paddling Our National Parks: Congaree Swamp National Monument, South Carolina
Paddling the Land of Wow: Rivers of our National Parks
by Ben Long
Courtesy of Article Resource Association www.aracopy.com
When Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto marched through the territory of the Congaree Indians, South Carolina had perhaps a million acres of old-growth floodplain. After four centuries of exploitation, a mere 13,000 acres remain. Fortunately, 11,000 of those acres are protected in this national monument.
This is the largest old-growth floodplain east of the Mississippi River. A visit is akin to time-travel. The Congaree River floods the monument 10 times a year. The floods replenish the soil and grow some of the biggest trees in the East. Loblolly pine, cypress, and cherrybark oak tower overhead.
The 87 species of trees here support a broad array of wildlife, from native otters and bobcats to exotic wild boar. Birders are drawn by Congaree's eight species of woodpeckers and the Swainson's warbler. In summer, a dense canopy of leaves arches over the river. In places, canoers paddle through a lush, green tunnel. Warblers sing and frolic overhead while the river gently pulls your boat downstream.
Canoe travel along the Congaree can consist of short outings or overnighters. The paddle from Cedar Creek to the Highway 601 bridge is a 20-mile route that lends itself to a primitive overnighter. On land, the Park Service maintains a trail network, with hikes ranging from short boardwalks to 10-mile treks. Fishing for catfish, black and striped bass is allowed in most of the monument under state regulations.
The river fluctuates with upstream rains. Rising water can swamp camps and falling levels can leave your boat stranded. The main water trail is periodically cleared of debris, but a wrong turn can force you to drag your canoe through a field of downed logs. Also, beware of copperheads, cottonmouth, and other venomous snakes, mosquitoes and deer flies, and poison ivy.
Visiting the monument is free, although donations are accepted. Primitive camping is also free, although a permit is required. "This is a four-season park," said one official. "It can be enjoyed every month of the year."
Wow Factor? Joining hands with your paddling friends, trying to measure the girth of a giant cherrybark oak tree that somehow survived decades of logging and 1989's Hurricane Hugo.
Contact: Congaree Swamp National Monument, 200 Caroline Sims Road, Hopkins, S.C. 29061. Phone: (803) 776-4396.
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