In early May I went on a combo boat – hiking trip with fifteen enthusiastic adventurers into the Congaree National Park, about 18 miles southeast of Columbia, the SC state capital.
After traveling up the winding Congaree River from the Bates Bridge Landing we went into the forest to see some amazingly large, and old, trees.
Very big trees!
Photography in the forest that shows the relative size is hampered by–the forest.
We ate our lunch with a couple of the biggest, including this one.
Much of the forest floor was muddy, and slippery. And yes I fell. Holding my camera high
From the park website (nps.gov/cong/index.htm)
Congaree National Park has the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States
May 4, 2022
Impressive trees, I hope the are well protected. You had good luck with your camera too 😉
The area is a federal park, so as protected as they can get, at least from cutting. The biggest danger I see is from river flooding. I couldn’t believe the trash we saw in the forest that had floated in when the water was high. And I expect that when there is flooding the water can easily be contaminated with other pollutants.
Yes, I was lucky—it easily could have gone in the mud along with my right arm. Sometimes it may be best to leave the camera at home.