Congaree National Park
South Carolina, October 8, 2010

The Congaree Swamp
The Congaree National Park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. The Congaree River flows through the 22,000-acre park where minor changes in elevation cause regular flooding and make the land unsuitable for farming or development. The area boasts approximately 90 tree species, with many trees holding the state record for size. The lush trees growing in this floodplain forest are some of the tallest in the Eastern U.S., forming one of the highest natural canopies remaining in the world. Hiking through mossy forest leads visitors into backcountry inhabited by wild boars, bobcats and venomous snakes. More than 20 miles of hiking trails provide access to the northwestern portion of the floodplain forests within Congaree National Park, including a 2.4 mile boardwalk.