South Carolina – Palm State on the Atlantic

By | July 5, 2022

Palm State on the Atlantic

The US state of South Carolina is located on the middle east coast of the USA on the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the southern states. South Carolina is also known as the “Palm State”. The Appalachian mountain ranges run through western South Carolina from south to north. About 5.1 million people lived in South Carolina in 2020. Almost a third of the population is of African-American descent.

  • Medicinelearners: Offers a full list of top medical schools and their profiles in South Carolina.

South Carolina State Capitol

 

South Carolina State Capitol

The most famous and largest city in South Carolina is Charleston on the seashore, with a population of approximately 150,000 in 2020. The capital of South Carolina is Columbia, the country’s second largest city. The highest peak in the country is Sassafras Mountain at 1,085 meters. The US state on the Atlantic is one of the founding states of the United States of America.

Watery state

The Savannah River and the Pee Dee are the largest rivers in the US state. In the border area with Georgia there are distinct swamp regions. A special highlight to discover in South Carolina is the Congaree National Park.

South Carolina has a varied natural landscape with mountains, forests, lakes and cultivated areas, from the Atlantic coast to the mountainous regions of the Appalachian Mountains. The beautiful nature is ideal for hiking, horseback riding, leisure activities of all kinds, in summer and in winter.

Hilly rangeland in the Appalachian Mountains in South Carolina

Sights in South Carolina

  • Aiken-Rhett House
  • Anderson County Museum
  • Bowie Arts Center
  • Boyd Observatory
  • Cleveland Park
  • Drayton Hall
  • Dupont Planetarium
  • Folly Beach County Park
  • Historic Charleston
  • Hitchcock Woods
  • Myrtle Beach
  • Myrtle Beach Amuse. Park
  • South Augusta Greeneway
  • Pickens County Museum of Art
  • Pirates Watch
  • Pleasant Ridge County Park
  • Railroad Historical Center
  • Ripley’s Aquarium
  • South Carolina Aquarium
  • Sumter County Museum
  • Table Rock State Park
  • The Artist’s Coop
  • The Village Museum
  • Wannamaker County Park
  • Waterfront Park
  • Wild Water – Theme Park
  • Carriage Museum at Rye Patch
  • Dorn Mill Center for History and Art
  • Fort Sumter National Monument
  • Heritage Corridor Region 3 Center
  • Jim Rampey Recreational Area
  • Lowcountry Children’s Museum
  • Redcliffe Plantation Historic Site
  • South Carolina Botanical Garden
  • South Carolina Cotton Museum
  • South Carolina State Museum
  • Spartanburg County Museum of Art
  • The New Charleston Lighthouse

Lake Jocassee in Northwest South Carolina

National Park in South Carolina

  • Congaree-National Park

Largest Cities in South Carolina

  • Columbia
  • Charleston
  • South Charleston
  • Mount Pleasant
  • Rock Hill

See Countryaah for more cities in the state of South Carolina.

Map of South Carolina – United States

The map of South Carolina in the USA. South Carolina is assigned to the southern states, geographically the US state is located in the region of the south east coast of the United States. The map shows the neighboring countries, the country’s largest cities, the country’s rivers and lakes, as well as the course of the highways and the most important transport links. The deep sea bays on the coast are clearly visible on the map. The area of ​​South Carolina is 82,932 km². Columbia is the capital of the US state of South Carolina. About 5.1 million people live in South Carolina in 2019.

Congaree National Park – South Carolina

Wet feet guaranteed

Congaree National Park is located in the US state of South Carolina, not far from the capital, Columbia. In contrast to the other national parks in the USA, the Congaree National Park can be described as small in terms of area. The Congaree National Park has to cope with around 125,000 tourists every year. The area of ​​the national park is 88 km².

The Congaree Conservation Area first received US National Monument status in 1976. Finally, in 2003, Congaree became a national park.

Sign at the entrance to Congaree National Park

No swamp, but lowland forest!

Congaree National Park is famous for its tall forests that grow in a large swamp-like landscape. They are the remains of the last coastal forests on the Atlantic. Strictly speaking, the Congaree National Park is not a swamp, but an area that is constantly flooded by the Congaree River. On average, the water in the Congaree National Park has a much higher flow rate than is usual in swamp areas. The Congagree can therefore be described more as an alluvial forest.

Congaree – flora and fauna

The bald cypress and the loblolly pine are the defining trees in Congaree National Park. The loblolly pines grow up to 160 m high there! In Congaree National Park there are coyotes and wild boars, deer and bobcats, possums, deer, otters and raccoons. Due to the water landscape, the number of species of amphibians, reptiles and fish is quite high. The biggest fish are catfish, pike and largemouth bass.

Path through the damp alluvial forest

In the late 1960s, private landowners began felling trees again in what is now Congaree National Park. In order to permanently protect the forests from this, the Congaree area received the status of “National Monument” in 1976.

Hiking and paddling in Congaree National Park

Today’s Congaree National Park can be explored and traversed on hiking trails or by boat or canoe on the numerous waterways. The Congaree National Park in South Carolina is particularly popular with ornithologists, as bird watching is particularly possible during bird migration.

Camping in the national park

Congaree National Park has two simply designed campsites within the Conservation Area. Camping in the backcountry of the park is also possible with a permit. The parking rules must be strictly observed.

Hiking trail in Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park – small but nice!

The Congaree National Park is open all year round. There is no entrance fee to the national park. Another important bird sanctuary is located just 70 km from Congaree National Park, the Santee National Wildlife Refuge. There is a small museum on the history of the national park in the Harry Hampton Visitor Center of the Congaree National Park. Numerous hiking trails also have their starting point at the Visitor Center.

Hiking routes in the national park

  • Bluff Trail 0.4 miles
  • Oakridge Trail – 7.5 km
  • Weston Lake Trail – 4.6 km
  • King Snake Trail – 11.1 km
  • Boardwalk Trail

The curse of the Europeans

Congaree National Park was home to “Native Americans” before the arrival of the whites. However, these were completely wiped out by smallpox brought in by the settlers, since their immune systems did not know and could not fight off these pathogens.

Hurricane Hugo and the Aftermath

In 1989, Hurricane Hugo caused extensive damage to Congaree National Park. Many of the large trees fell or broke in two. But soon one noticed that noticeably more sunlight penetrated through the now sparse treetops down to the ground. This greatly promoted the growth of young plants.

The hurricane was actually a stroke of luck for Congaree National Park in South Carolina. The growth dynamics within the national park increased significantly, even the number of bird species present in the national park increased.

Destruction of the tree population

In the 18th century, white settlers tried to wrest pasture and farmland from the swamp-like land. However, due to the numerous and unpredictable floods, these projects were abandoned again.

The white settlers added to the trees in the Congaree area. They felled many trees and transported them along the numerous waterways of the Congaree. Eventually, it came to the realization that the very slowly growing trees in the flooded area should not be further decimated. The forests were then able to recover somewhat.