Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve, South Carolina

During a recent trip to Columbia, SC, we found ourselves with enough time to explore Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve, a Nature Conservancy (SC Chapter) project just over thirty miles outside the city. As I mentioned in a previous post, if a conservancy acquires a tract of land, there's a good reason for it, so they're worth checking out.

The prized object of this conservancy is something that borders on comical, begging the question, How did it happen? But as we discovered, there's more to see at Peachtree.

Following the directions listed on two websites, we found the preserve without any difficulty. After parking in the small, dirt lot located at the trailhead, we grabbed our camera and headed down the sandy trail.

We walked through the woods, avoiding the usual trail hazards such as roots and rocks in the ground. About a quarter mile into the trail (purely guessing here), we reached a T-Junction. To our right, the trail extended past a sandstone ledge hanging several feet above the path. According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Peachtree Preserve has the largest sandstone outcroppings in the state.1

We turned left, and a couple tenths of a mile later, we reached our goal. While we stared at the curious formation, a sound caught our attention, and we followed the trail to the end and found something we hadn't known to look for.

A waterfall. The only one in the coastal plains. As I understand it, at the time of this writing, the state is experiencing drought conditions, so I don't know if the thin stream of water we saw flowing over the ten-ish foot ledge is normal, but it made the landscape even more scenic. We walked to the falls on dry ground, and stood close enough to feel the mist spraying off the rocks.

A pleasant surprise.

Okay, by now you must be wondering about the curious formation that brought us to Peachtree Rock Preserve, and why I've yet to show a photo. Here's why.

That's right. It's a giant inverted triangular rock. With a tree perched on top.

Lest anyone get the wrong impression, I think it's great. It's an incredibly unique, peculiar formation. One that should be viewed in person to appreciate the size and mass resting on that rounded point.

I was curious both about the shape and why the sandy landscape had rock ledges in the first place. According to the Conservancy's website, the softer, sandier material at the bottom of the rock eroded faster than the sandstone above it. I assume the entire area is a result of erosion. Take a closer look at the rock near the waterfall:

But interesting rock formations and a pleasant little waterfall aren't the only attractions at the preserve. As I later learned, according to the Nature Conservancy's website, we missed several natural communities:

The area harbors a swamp tupelo-evergreen shrub bog and a longleaf pine ecosystem.  Typical sandhill scrub vegetation, pines, turkey oaks and sparkleberry bushes are present in abundance on the preserve.  The federally endangered Rayner's blueberry is found growing on the seepage slope within the longleaf pine forest.2

I'm sorely behind on the subject of longleaf pines, but intend to cover it in an upcoming post.

Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve is located near Edmund, SC.

Cabin Fever

Okay, so I haven't been blogging. I'm barely writing at all.

I have cabin fever.

Upon reading that, the good folks in the north and midwest would point at the piles of snow obscuring their car and cackle hysterically. I wouldn't blame them. While I've seen more snow this year than the last ten combined, our roads are clear. However, my husband's schedule isn't, so this little explorer is home bound.

So I have cabin fever.

One solution? Find a cabin, and stay there.

That may seem like a paradox, but numerous state parks in South Carolina offer cabins, and because it's the low season, reservations are often available. As soon as we can, we'll spend one night at Myrtle Beach State Park.

Because I have cabin fever. And they have cabins.

Let's get the word out to our northern and midwest friends!

How long until the azaleas at Magnolia Plantation are in bloom?