Our Snail Tracks

Walking beneath the canopy of trees at Congaree National Park feels magical. The park was designated a National Park in 2003 to preserve the last and largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in the country. At one time, these trees covered 30 million acres in the Southeast. Due to logging and agricultural development, most of the forest was wiped out. Congaree protects the remaining 27,000 acres.

The park is full of champion trees, which are the tallest of their species. One loblolly pine soars to 167 feet–equivalent to a 17-story building. There are a total of 25 trees designated as champion trees in the park. Several cypress trees are over 500 years old.

A great way to experience the majestic trees is to walk the Boardwalk Loop, an elevated walkway that meanders through the swamp. The boardwalk allows you to see all the unusual plants and fungi, without worrying about trampling them (or running into an alligator!)

Bald cypress trees are fascinating. Some have a trunk circumference of more than 26 feet. Their root systems rise above the swampy water as “knees.”