Congaree

Congaree National Park, SC

During the winter flooding, when you get to a certain point on the wetland boardwalk, the path dips underwater, and you find yourself with your soles in the swamp, unable to go any further. Standing in the water-covered foot path, you have a first-hand, eye-level view of the swamp, and the plant life and cypress trees are amazing. The boardwalk stretches for a few miles in a loop and is the perfect vantage point to enjoy the wilderness of the Congaree River. In the winter months the river rises and covers much of the National Park.

After a snowy trip in the Smokies, Ella and I hit the road for warmer temperatures, making our way to Congaree National Park in South Carolina. Arriving in mid-January, I learned that it is a floodplain park, and all the trails that lead to the Congaree are flooded – but not to worry! – a self-guided, boardwalk tour will tell us everything we need to learn about the park, its biosphere, and its significance.

We began the tour on dry ground, but as we walked, we could see the water level rise. The farther we walked, the higher the water rose, until we felt like we were smack dab in the middle of the swamp. I kept stopping to enjoy the view and take pictures, and Ella just had no patience with all that. She wanted to go! Where the water rose to meet the boardwalk, a thick raft of leaves floated on top and gathered along the edges, looking like land. Ella, in her incessant need to explore off-track, stepped off the boardwalk into the water and fell up to her shoulders. Ol’ Ella, the swamp dog.

Swamps are full of the most interesting colors and textures. The mosses, ferns, lichens, mushrooms, and evidence of microbial decay are in glorious abundance, and here in the National Park they are protected. The standing dead trees, called snags, are important to the ecosystem because they provide homes to all kinds of birds, bugs, algae, bacilli, and fungi. Snags and their cousins – fallen dead trees, often as tall as 100’ – are a profusion in this park, so you can imagine the cornucopia of decomposition: mycelium, algae, sludge, gloop, muck, and mire. It was glorious!

With each elevation change, the wildlife also changed. At the highest point, squirrels were squirreling, and gnats were gnatting; there were oaks and pines, ferns, tall grasses, wintering vines, and holly. As we continued, the plant life changed steadily. Saw palmettos began to make an appearance and then giant cypress trees. Owls hooted loudly, and woodpeckers took advantage of the snags. Clumps of algae, moss, and lichens floated on the surface and gathered around eroded tree stumps.

Being able to go no further, we turned around and retraced our steps to the other end of the boardwalk where it culminated at the Congaree. A thick brush of water hickories, sweet gums, laurel oaks, and loblolly pines lined the river on both sides, and the water ran a murky gray-green. It looked like every Alabama river I ever saw.

There are several trails that wind through the middle of the boardwalk loop that have a great representation of fungus and mycelium. Dusty colors of gray, blue, green, and purple on the ripples and folds of lichen foliage popped out of dry-rotted tree stumps and looked like bouquets of spring flowers. Tiny white mushrooms grew in long leggy clusters like small stands of trees trying to outdo each other for the sunlight. As the rains continue through the winter, these trails will probably be covered with water too.

Because the Congaree campground was flooded, we went to a nearby state park, Poinsett, and stayed for the night. It was chilly, the perfect night for a campfire, and this was the perfect park for one. In many state parks it’s hard to find enough wood to build a fire, and, in fact, wood gathering is prohibited. This park, however, was full of dead, dry branches of all sizes and widths. Fire making was a breeze, and Ella and I stayed toasty as we tried to spy the stars peeking out between the canopy of branches above us.

Both Congaree and Poinsett were very akin to the topography and biosphere of home. It felt familiar. Almost too familiar. I was ready to see more of the US and its natural wonders. The next morning, we walked, had breakfast, and broke camp, eager for the next leg of our incredible National Park adventure!