I had a chance to visit Congaree in the spring. It was while on a business trip and only had a few hours to see what I could. Yesterday we spent the afternoon hiking this floodplain forest. The Bald Cypress trees along with the Loblolly Pines are truly amazing. We hiked the Oakridge Trail which took us 6.6 miles through the flood plain.
Pileated Woodpeckers could be heard squawking or hammering throughout the afternoon. Several barred owls where calling " Who Cooks For You". The trail lead to a overlook at Weston Lake. Stopping to rest for a few minutes five yellow-bellied slider turtles were seen.
During the hike we did see a number of wild hogs and one rat snake occupying the trail.
The hike was certainly eventful and I would recommend if you are in South Carolina. I will add pics when back in Massachusetts.
Jim
