Columbia, SC: Honoring the Past, Focusing on the Present

One score and a month or so ago, we moved to Columbia, South Carolina, a land flowing with flowering trees. Delicate dogwoods and azaleas bloomed everywhere, nearly knocking our poor Texas-dried eyes out of their sockets. The lush (we took this picture in early spring, so you'll have to use your imagination) vegetation wasn't the only thing that floored us. Along with wide streets and magnificent architecture in the downtown area, we soon learned this city was steeped in history. With several marks in its favor, I decided to check it out.

The kids were little then, and couldn't protest too much when I put them in the car to explore. They didn't mind when we ended up at Sesquicentennial State Park or Riverbanks Zoo. But they did sigh a few times after I checked out Sherman's March Through the Carolinas and immediately began visiting places mentioned in the book.

I expected to find that same city on this visit, and at first glance, it appeared we had. After pulling into the Clarion Hotel, located on Gervais in the historic downtown area, I spotted a sign that said Sherman headquartered there during his stay.



That's the Columbia I remember.

Despite a light rain, we visited SC's capitol, aka the State House. As in the past, pink azaleas framed the immense Greek Revival structure, and gold stars still mark the spots where Sherman's cannons hit the building.



As I mentioned earlier, the streets are wide, some stretching one hundred and fifty feet across, while others, a mere hundred feet. The city planned it so because....

The width was determined by the belief that the dangerous and pesky mosquito could not fly more than 60 feet without dying of starvation along the way.

(www.columbiasc.net/columbia/257)

Residents and visitors still enjoy those wide streets, which are even more beneficial than they've been in the past.

On this trip, I once again settled into what I thought was the pulse of the city. But as I soon learned, Columbia has undergone several changes in the last decade, and it's now a good mix of past and present. Modern buildings soar beside stone or marble structures. On the way to Chick-fil-A and Atlanta Bread Company on Main Street, we passed the Doric-columned Supreme Court building. Several years ago, planners revitalized an old warehouse district by converting it to a trendy hub called the Vista, complete with condos, art galleries, and several restaurants. The brick and woodworking creates great ambiance. And for the record, the Blue Marlin has great key lime pie.

Columbia also appears to be big on the arts. We passed a dance conservatory, and later, made a grievous error by not going to the Columbia Museum of Art. However, we did see a few, err, artistic pieces around town:

Exploring time was limited on this trip, so we didn't have a chance to take a hike at nearby Congaree National Park, or to search for the Fort Jackson passage of the Palmetto Trail. Nor did we go to Elmwood Cemetery or the Caroliniana Room at USC. But I did make it to one attraction on my list, and I'll cover that in my next post. Until then, here are a few pictures:

And if you'd like a review on the hotel, the Clarion is conveniently located in the downtown area and consists of a six-floor "tower" and adjoining two floor units. A restaurant is located on the first floor of the main building, but because of that, the hotel does not serve a free continental breakfast, nor did we have a refrigerator or microwave in our room. That meant eating out three times a day, which put a strain on our budget, and our diets.

Their wireless Internet connection is fairly weak as of this writing. An antenna went down the night before our arrival, so the hotel moved us across the hall where we could try to catch a connection they share with a business across the street. A bit better, but the connection still dropped far too often.

Beds are comfortable, but we live in the country now, and we're not accustomed to the sound of traffic at night. But it's convenient, especially if you don't want to deal with parking (you WILL receive a ticket if your meter expires or if you park in the wrong place.) However, if you're on a budget and you need to stay in the downtown area, you may want to check out the Rodeway Inn.

More on Resources: Scenic NC Blog and Waterfall Videos

While we're on the subject of resources, Kelvin Taylor, co-moderator of Carolinas Adventures, (the hiking group I often mention) created a companion blog for his website, ScenicNC.com.

While Carolina Towns and Trails focuses on outdoor destinations, KT's Exploring Scenic NC takes a peek at the makeup of the state, from geology and soil to weather events, and discusses their significance to the landscape. KT has led several group hikes to local longleaf pine savannas since our arrival, and he has supplied me with information on the natural communities on the eastern side of North Carolina. He's also what several of us refer to as "the resident botanist", so expect information on area plants, wildflowers, and preserves crucial to the ecology of the state.

And his pictures are splendid:


Want more? Go to http://scenicnc.blogspot.com/

Later, I have more to share. KT, in conjunction with Waterfall Rich of NCwaterfalls.com, has created a page on Vimeo. You'll find videos of waterfalls, mountains, kayakers, and more. It's great for people like me who love the mountains, but can't visit as often as they'd like. To watch the videos, go to http://vimeo.com/scenicnc.

It occurs to me that you may be wondering why we go through the trouble of photographing, videoing, and blogging the wonders of the Carolinas, and then turn around and hand that information to you. You know those people who claim they love their work so much they'd do it for free? Yeah, that's us.

Okay, you can go to KT's blog now.

A Few Guides to Help You Find Your Way

The temperature is warming. Violets and trout lilies have broken through the wintered ground and stretched their petals toward the sky. Hepatica and bloodroot are sure to follow. The sun warms your skin. The rays effervesce through you, waking your muscles, energizing them. You have to move. Get up. Inhale the mountains, the lowcountry, the banks along the sea and you know....

It's time to get out.

This has been a long winter, and everyone seems ready to experience the outdoors. But where should you go? I'm happy to recommend a few sources to help you figure that out. Below, I've listed the books and websites we use to plan our outings.

Okay, you got me. We rarely plan outings. But we do research a place of interest before, during and after a visit. This list is far from exhaustive. If you have a resource you'd like to recommend, feel free to let me know. I'm always on the hunt for another decent guide.

South Carolina:

I have only a few resources for my favorite state. Much of my information came from my hiking group or was discovered during visits.

State Parks

South Carolina has a lot of them. You can find one near you--or across the state--at:
www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/park_locator.aspx

Trails:

We often used the South Carolina Trails website (http://www.sctrails.net/trails/MAPS/SCmap.html)

I love the way this map is set up. The state is divided into counties. Users then click on the county of choice. Icons mark the trails in that area. Users can then either cursor over each icon to get the trail name, or click on the icon for more detailed information. To try it, click on the link above, and then click on Oconee County, located at the far upper left of the state. One of our favorite trails is located in that section.

WARNING! Some information may not be entirely accurate (see my Kings Creek Falls post for an example.) We used this site, and used it often, but we considered it a guide. Kind of like the pirate code.

* * *

Although it covers more than trails, A Day's Drive From Greenville gives visitors a close up look at some of the trails around the Upstate. The author hikes and then writes, and he's braver than I am—he's willing to hike the strenuous Hospital Rock Trail in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness—so he covers more ground.

In my defense, there's a reason they call it Hospital Rock....

Lowcountry:

Coastal South Carolina, Welcome to the Lowcountry by Terrance Zepke (Pineapple Press) takes visitors on a scenic trip along the Lowcountry from North Myrtle Beach to islands south of Hilton Head. It breaks down the lowcountry into regions (Myrtle, Georgetown, Charleston, Beaufort) and then lists cities and islands. At the end of each region, Zepke includes sections on recreational activities, nature preserves, parks, etc, and even ghost stories.

We learned about Bear Island, a designated wildlife management area, from this book. We also knew which islands in the Beaufort area were residential or gated. It's packed with information, and because of that, we take it when we travel to South Carolina's exotic shores.

Wildflowers:

Love wild orchids? So do we. That's why we purchased James Alexander Fowler's, Wild Orchids of South Carolina. Dedicating two-to-four pages per orchid, this well-organized book lists flowers by their scientific name, but provides the common name along with clear photos, descriptions of the flowers, habitats they grow in, the months in which they bloom, and even a tiny map showing the region in which they grow. It helped us identify the grass pink, a crane fly orchid, and a couple other orchids my husband has spotted along the trail.

Blogs on South Carolina Activities

Um, mine, but you know that. However, did you know I post links of Carolinas destinations on another blog? The link is in the list on the right, but if you can't spot it right away, click ere: http://carolinalinks.blogspot.com/ I'll continue to update this as we make our way around the states.

As I mentioned above, A Day's Drive From Greenville (http://addgreenvillesc.blogspot.com/) focuses on destinations of all types within a day's drive of the Upstate's crowning jewel: Greenville.

I happened on this blog last year, and was so impressed, I added it to my Carolina Links page. Family Friendly Activities: http://shoutaboutcarolina.wordpress.com/


North Carolina

Several guides help us find our way around North Carolina. Perhaps because the state is larger than its southern sister. Perhaps because we don't mind getting lost in South Carolina. Whatever the reason, nine NC guidebooks sit on our bookshelf near the front door. And I have one more in my Amazon cart. Each is as valuable as the next.

Mountain Hikes (Wildflower and Waterfall):

Kevin Adam's books are a standard among many Carolinians. We own and use two of them when we're in the mountains:

North Carolina Waterfalls is almost required reading in my hiking group. Mr. Adams breaks the state into "hubs" and lists the waterfalls from Eastern North Carolina (yes, ENC has waterfalls!) to the mountains. And once in the mountains, from the High Country, south to the westernmost tip of NC.

The first chapter warns of dangers (please read those) and explains how to use the guidebook. The next give tips on photographing waterfalls. Then Mr. Adams launches into the hubs with plenty of pertinent information on each fall along with his renowned photos.

North Carolina's Best Wildflower Hikes: The Mountains is the second KA book we reference for mountain hikes. Once again moving from the High Country, south to western NC, Mr. Adams lists each hike and provides information such as trail highlights, elevation, trail length, the bloom season, peak bloom time, and more, and then lists the flowers you may find along the path. Along with a generalized trail map (Don't trust your memory. Take a trail map with you. Refer to my Buckhorn Gap post to find out why), Mr. Adams includes some of his photos so you'll know what to look for.

* * *

Another waterfall standard is www.ncwaterfalls.com, owned by Rich Stevenson, aka Waterfall Rich. Rich is constantly scouring the mountains searching for new falls, revisiting known spots, and photographing what he sees. Then he puts it all online for the rest of us to enjoy.

You'll find an Index for the falls on the first page, but before you click on it, check out the rest of the information on page one. He loaded it down with good stuff.

Topo or Trail Maps. If you read the Buckhorn Gap post, you'll know we don't use these. A mistake on our part, we know. Consult a local outdoor store, or better yet, an experienced backpacker. Then buy these maps and learn how to read them. Doing so would have kept us out of trouble more than once.


Mountain (Drives):

A few years ago, my husband and I traveled down the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Shenandoah Valley to Boone, NC. Logue, Logue, and Blouin's, Guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway (2nd Edition) accompanied us, and we referred to it throughout the trip.

After providing logistical information, this book starts at Milepost 0 and breaks down each point of interest along the parkway. History, hikes, waterfalls, restaurants, campgrounds, it's all there. In the back, you'll find a wildflower bloom calendar, a list of trails, including milepost location, trail length and difficulty. Before the index, you'll find a list of tunnels along the parkway. A very handy guide for those who love to take America's favorite drive.

* * *

Another parkway resource: the Virtual Blue Ridge Parkway: www.virtualblueridge.com/index.asp

You'll find maps, a list of trails, lodging, food, and more. You can even take virtual tours.


Statewide:

North Carolina has their share of state parks as well. At home, I rely heavily on the NC State Parks website at www.ncparks.gov/Visit/main.php. This site devotes several pages to each park, and includes all the necessary logistical information along with a list of activities, fees, history, etc.

Another great state park resource is the North Carolina State Parks: A Niche Guide by Lynch and Pendergraft (Niche Publishing LLC). This book lists NC state parks from the mountains to the sea, and includes parks "in the works". Allowing on average two pages per park, Lynch and Pendergraft provide a park overview, list of activities, contact information, an informative little blurb called "Staying Alive", and nearby destinations of interest (state parks, state forests, etc) along with beautiful color photos. Because the parks are listed by region, we consult it often. If we're not exactly sure where we'll end up, we'll toss it in the backseat and take it along. It's a fairly sturdy book.

* * *

The Nature Conservancy's, A Guide to Nature Conservancy Projects in North Carolina, (2000) lists lands protected under their umbrella by four regions: mountains, piedmont, coastal plains, and coast. Dedicating just two pages (which makes the book small and manageable) to each project, the Conservancy provides logistical information on each area along with a description, conservation highlights, directions, and very important: ownership. Some of the lands listed are privately owned or are only accessible through chapter field trips.

Pithy and informative, this book was well worth the ten bucks we shelled out for it. I found destinations not listed in my other guides.

* * *

Regular readers will recognize exploring north carolina's natural areas: parks, nature preserves, and hiking trails, edited by Dirk Frankenberg (The University of North Carolina Press). We've consulted this book on just about every trip we've taken since moving to eastern North Carolina, and we'll use it when we start exploring the Piedmont.

This book begins at the coast, then moves into the coastal plains, the piedmont, and then the mountains, organizing each region into a series of tours. Thirty tours in all are included, and range from driving excursions to hiking trails. At the start of each chapter, you'll find an overview map and information on each area including info on habitat and geology. Next, each stop on the tour is listed along with highlights. This book is extremely informative and imho (in my humble opinion, for those of you who have been wondering), it's a must for those who explore North Carolina.

The disadvantage--the book organizes stops in tours. This means directions to a destination are listed only in terms of the previous stop. To get to a location, you'll need a good map or gazetteer, which is also a must for travelers.


Coastal Plains and Coast:

Four books are piled in a haphazard stack, waiting for me to introduce them. One covers both the coastal plains and the coast (Outer Banks). Another, destinations near and along the coastline. The third, lighthouses, and last, birding trails along the coastal plains and coast.

The Natural Traveler: Along North Carolina's Coast, by John Manuel (John F. Blair, Publisher) was on my wish list for months before we purchased it. Once in my hands, I started kicking myself for not buying it sooner. After providing twenty-six interesting pages of overview, Mr. Manual breaks NC's coast into the manageable nuggets: the Outer Banks, the Sound Country, and the Southern Coast. Notable attractions such as lighthouses and plantations are included, as well as outoor destinations your blog host loves to visit. Also included, lodging and restaurant information, directions, activities in each area, occasional blurbs on interesting subjects such as the *sighs* snow goose, the Carolina water snake, wreck diving off the coast, and more.

Each section begins with an overview of the area. From one, I learned more about marshes than I had in over a year of occasional--but dedicated--online research. A very informative book. So much so, it may have superseded...

Coastal North Carolina: Its Enchanting Islands, Towns, and Communities, by Terrance Zepke (Pineapple Press).

Once upon a time, Coastal North Carolina sat in my back seat beside exploring north carolina's natural areas during our excursions. Zepke breaks down the coastal area into three sections: Outer Banks, Crystal Coast, and Lower Coast, then gives readers a glimpse into the, well, islands, towns and communities in each of those areas. Fast facts and history are included, as are recreational and sports activities—fishing, golf and boating are given their own sections—then nature preserves and parks. Even ghost tales. What's the Outer Banks without a good ghost tale?

Leafing through it now, I'm reminded that Zepke included a calendar of annual events, a quiz (and answers) to test your knowledge of each area, a section on NC's pirates and hey, the pirate code!

They're really more like guidelines, you know.

After taking another look at this book, I've decided to once again take it along on coastal trips. We have three seatbelts in the back. That's more than enough room for exploring, Natural Traveler, and Coastal NC.

* * *

Lighthouses from North Carolina's Outer Banks down to Hilton Head, SC are the subject of Lighthouses of the Carolinas, A Short History and Guide, by Terrance Zepke (I'm beginning to like this gal.) Fast facts, history, and other points of interest are listed for each structure. I not only learned about each lighthouse—when it was built, how much it cost, which were blown up when Union forces paid a visit—I learned about the Fresnel lenses which shines light across the water, the reasons behind the various patterns, and the incredible base that forms the foundation for each structure.

It also helped me figure out which lighthouses I wanted to visit, and which I didn't.

* * *

Last on the list is The North Carolina Birding Trail: Coastal Plain Trail Guide. This spiral-bound softcover breaks down the coastal plains and coast into sixteen areas. One to two pages is then dedicated to recognized birding trails within each of those areas.

Included is a short description of the trail, bird species of interest, that area's habitat, parking, direction, and coordinates that correspond to the NC Gazetteer. We have a nominal interest in birding, but this resource is handy because it lists short, or out of the way trails that aren't listed in our other guides.

* * *

On the "To Get List": 100 Classic Hikes in North Carolina by Joe Miller.

A member of my hiking group just informed us Kevin Adam's Backroads of North Carolina is now on sale. From the looks of it, it may be on our shelf soon as well. I'll get back to you on that one.

* * *

We love exploring the Carolinas and sharing our journeys with you, but the goal of this blog is to encourage you to visit the destinations we cover, as well as those we intend to explore. I hope that along with my blog, one or more of these resources will help you find your way there.

Sylvan Heights: A Groundbreaking Experience

Last week, we traveled to Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park to find a few wood ducks. We first visited this overlooked jewel last year after reading about it in Wildlife in North Carolina magazine. That trip was both pleasant and informative, and because of it, we expected to spent our day strolling around the shady forest-park, looking at ducks that couldn't fly away when we tried to photograph them. We got that and more.

To our surprise, one of the employees recognized us from our previous visit. I remembered her, too, because she spent time with several visitors, providing excellent information on many of the species living at Sylvan Heights, as well as on the park itself. After chatting for a few minutes, she invited us to a groundbreaking that would take place on the premises that afternoon.

As we soon discovered, the groundbreaking was for a ground breaking expansion. Sylvan Heights is building an accessible treehouse so that those with physical impairments may enjoy the park and its residents. Funded in part by several organizations both mentioned and represented at the event, the octagon-shaped "Bird's Nest" will overlook three levels of wetlands to be restored in the woods behind existing exhibits.

Wetlands restoration? Handicap-accessible facilities? Those in addition to working to save waterfowl? We were honored to witness the event:

The grand opening should be held this summer. We hope to be there for it.

Sylvan Heights is located in Scotland Neck, NC, approximately eighteen miles from historic Halifax. To keep up-to-date on the opening and other events at Sylvan Heights, visit their new blog at http://sylvanheightsblog.blogspot.com/

A delightful visit. But we didn't expect anything less.

If you missed the link to our first post, including photos, on Sylvan Heights, click here.

Pungo Lake (Part II)

(To read Part I, click here)

Main Entry: po•co•sin*
Pronunciation: pah-KOH-sen (my spelling)
Etymology: probably from Virginia or North Carolina Algonquian
: an upland swamp of the coastal plain of the southeastern United States

Like Phelps Lake, Lake Mattamuskeet, Alligator Lake (aka, New Lake) and the three lakes in Croatan National Forest, Pungo Lake is a pocosin lake, which means it's surrounded by thickets consisting mainly of short bay trees and shrubs with Latin names I can't pronounce. To give it a decidedly southern touch, Magnolia virginiana, or Sweetbay magnolia, grows in the midst.

In addition to being a pocosin, and possibly a Carolina Bay (the lake is elliptical like a bay), the 12,000 acres of what's referred to as the Pungo Unit is also a haven for wintering waterfowl. Thousands of ducks, geese, and swans—and I mean about 50,000 more than the number that just popped in your head—winter at Pungo. I understand that during the warmer months, black bears can also be spotted when they leave the protective confines of the woods to feed.

That's why, when the Navy decided to build an Outlying Landing Field within miles of the Pungo Unit, coastal NC residents went berserk. And I mean berserk in a good way. A grassroot organization instantly sprang up to defend the waterfowl. NO OLF signs appeared in store windows and in front yards. The case went to court. After a long fight for the birds, the birds won. In January of 2008, the Navy changed its mind.

But I promise you, there's still some fancy flying going on out there:

As I mentioned in my previous post, we finally found the lake, but of course, we spotted only about a half dozen swans floating around. During an informative conversation with Gail and Steve, bird enthusiasts we met on the way to Pungo, we learned migrating waterfowl are all but gone by March. Along with a time frame to return next season, Gail suggested the best place to find those elusive snow geese is Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, located on the Outer Banks. Indeed, a month or so before this we'd spotted a couple of white feathered fowl floating around the marshes near the Pea Island Visitor's Center before rain sent us home. In a voice filled with a sadness I've come to understand, Gail told us the number of snow geese has diminished greatly over the past decade. Once they "were all over, and walking in the road". But no more.

We spent some time there, enjoying the lake despite the high winds that day, and chatting with Gail and Steve. Then we left to find the second access road I spotted through Google Earth. We found it, but it was "Closed for Research". Since it appears a sandbar extends into the lake at that point, we'll return later and check it out.

Other Pungo facts:

• Like the trails in the Alligator and Roanoke NWRs, a Charles Kuralt Trail kiosk has been erected in this refuge. We spotted it near the observation platform. I'm just learning about this trail system, but I did find a link to a website that explains what it is and why Mr. Kuralt's name is attached to it. For more information, go to http://www.northeast-nc.com/kuralt/
• From what I can ascertain, hunting is allowed on the refuge (state rules and regulations apply). However, I've yet to find anything that indicates boating is permitted. The lake is smaller than Phelps and Mattamuskeet, and access is limited. Because it's a pocosin, the water is shallow. A ranger at the National Wildlife Refuge office estimated the lake is, on average, six to eight feet deep. So if you're hoping to spend the day on the water, this may not be the right destination for you.
• According to The Natural Traveler: Along NC's Coast, the land was once owned by a commercial farming company. Remnants of their presence is visible in the grid of dirt roads and the deep canals running alongside them. While the roads are handy, the trip can be bumpy in dry weather, and deep and rutted when it's wet. Use caution. As the NC Birding Trail reminds visitors: if it's raining, you want want to reschedule your trip for another time. I would also suggest this to those considering a trip in the middle of the summer when NC bugs are out in full force.
  
• The presence of farms inside Pungo Unit may confuse you. After all, this is a national refuge. As I've recently learned, the farms are part of the sanctuary. Farmers are permitted to grow crops, but they must leave twenty percent of the harvest behind for refuge animals. I'm sure the birds love this. We spotted plenty of them feasting on fallen grain.

After spending time enjoying the scenery, looking for birds, and chatting, we said our goodbyes. Steve and Gail left to find New Lake (Alligator Lake on some atlases) and we followed the road alongside Pungo, photographing mallards and a few other duck species as we went. Wouldn't you know it, we ended up at the same spot we stopped at last fall.
But we found the lake, and that's what's important. Another good day along the ENC coast.

Pungo Lake is a great destinations for birders and naturalists. If you're interested in seeing the lake, especially during the winter, grab a good atlas and match it up to these basic directions:

From the west: Travel Hwy 264 to Pantego. Left on 99, Right on 45, Left on Hyde Park Canal. When the pavement ends, keep on going until you hit the lake. If the road is closed like it was on the day we visited, turn left on the dirt road, travel about two miles, then turn right at the refuge sign. Turn right again at the end of that dirt road, and when you reach the dirt intersection, turn left over the stone culvert that crosses over the canal and go until you hit the lake.
Yes, it can be that confusing. Again, use caution.

For more information on Pocosin National Wildlife Refuge, go to:
http://www.fws.gov/pocosinlakes/

Photos at http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/570305604FRLhNf

* http://www.m-w.com/