Table Rock, Ceasars Head and Dupont Forest unforgetable mountain vacation

So much to see, so much to do at Table Rock State Park the undisputed jewel of the South Carolina mountains. The park is at the edge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment off of scenic highway 11, relative short drive from Greenville and little over an hour drive from Charlotte. Table Rock mountain has a spectacular granite outcropping which at 3124 feet is a stark contrast to the heavily wooded forests below.
The first white men moved in the Oolenoy Valley soon after the Cherokee treaty at a place called Pumpkintown. In 1840 the Keith and Sutherland families built a hotel that soon became a popular area attraction. A second hotel was built in 1899 at present White Oak Picnic Shelters site then moved in 1920 to Saluda Valley to become a summer lodge.

Things to know before you go at Table Rock and Ceasar's Head parks
1. Carrick Creek is the only recommended hiking trail for young kids at the Table Rock state park. It starts at the Nature Center and about 2 miles it takes an hour to complete. It weaves around Carrick Creek and rewards hikers with dozens of gorgeous, refreshing and easy accessible mini waterfalls. It gets better at the end (or beginning!) when you and your brave little ones can goof around at the rock sliding and swimming area.


Here are all Table Rock hiking trails. Hikers are encouraged to register at the trail head kiosk and be off trails at least one hour before sunset. No overnight camping on trails. Foothills Trail hikers need to purchase a parking permit at the Visitors Welcome Center.
• Pinnacle Mt. 8.4 miles 6-7 hours
• Table Rock 7.2 miles 5-6 hours
• Mill Creek 5.8 miles 5-6 hours
• Carrick Creek (kid friendly) 1.9 miles 1 hour


2. There is a big playground near Pinnacle Lake with plenty of age appropriate equipment in a nicely shaded place. Beware of the geese wandering throughout the parking lot and the picnic area. They are mean, mean, mean and will harass you as soon as they sense you have food. My 4 years old and I had to take refuge on top of the picnic table. No kidding! Finally I braved to chase them away using some stick musketeer style.


3. Caesar’s Head State Park has the “take it with you, no trace left behind” policy. There are no trash canes or restrooms along the park. The welcome center has restrooms and vending machines. I encourage you to replenish there and use the facilities.

4. The trail to Raven Cliff Falls from Ceasar’s Head is about 5 miles long so plan ahead. If there is not much time left you can still enjoy incredible vistas of Campbell, Paris, Table Rock, Raven Cliff and Glassy mountains and the immaculate Table Rock reservoir (it supplies the city of Greenville with fresh water) at the Ceasar’s Head overlook. From there you can hike the short and moderate Devil’s Kitchen trail. Be mindful this park is frequented by black bears.

5. If waterfall viewing "it's on the menu" drive to Dupont Forest State Park (couple miles after crossing the NC border off of hwy 276; here are driving directions to and map of Hooker Falls Access Area). It provides easy hiking and quick access to some of North Carolina most beautiful waterfalls: Triple Falls, High Falls and Grassy Creek Falls. There is a $12 map you can purchase at Ceasar's Head welcome center. Here are some great Dupont Foreast park hike trails details, an interactive map and waterfall photos.

Table Rock Admission, Lodging and Rental Prices
Admission fee: $2 per person; $15 per bus; $1.25 SC senior citizen. Annual passport $50 (good at all SC State Parks); Palmetto Passport $25 (for SC seniors or disabled citizens). Tip: if you got a permit or day pass from another SC park you can use it at Table Rock (and any other state park) as long as the permit / pass is still valid.


Cabins: There are 16 cabins (8 with 1 BR, 5 with 2 BR and 1 with 3 BR) that can accommodate 4-10 persons. They range in price from $75 to $120 per night. Check in 4 PM, check out time 10 AM. Tip: rent Sunday thru Thursday to save $15-20 per night. Cabins 5, 6, 7 and 8 are right by Pinnacle Lake and have the best views. You can reserve a cabin up to 11 months in advance. Call 1-866-345-7275 or go online www.southcarolinaparks.com

There are 100 camping sites at the White Oaks campground equipped with showers and a recreation building. Price is about $20 per night (including tax); again is cheaper during the week.

Equipment Rentals: Spring thru fall, Tuesday to Sunday from 11 AM till 5 PM (weather permitting).
• Pedal boats - 2 person $5 per half hour; 4 person boat $7 per half hour
• Kayaks and canoes - $5 per half hour; $15 per day
• Fishing boat - $15 per day; $35 per day for boats with trolling motor (3 person maximum). Note that no private boats are allowed on Pinnacle Lake however you can use them at Lake Oolenoy across Hwy 11.

Swimming: June till mid-August Tuesday to Sunday from 11 AM till 5 PM; August 16 thru Labor Day weekends only. Adults $2, children 4-12 years $1.50, free for kids 3 years and under.

Enjoy the beauty of the South Carolina Upcontry parks!

Mountain Bike Trails at Harbison Forest park

Ready for some biking fun under the sun? At Harbison State Forest park there is a trail for everyone from the novice to the occasional bicyclist to the passionate mountain biker.

Things to know before you go
1. If this is your first visit start your biking adventure at the Education Center on the versatile 4 miles easy to moderately difficult Firebreak Trail. Pay your biking permit (I recommend getting an annual pass which pays for itself after 5 visits), get a folding biking and hiking trail map, fill up with water, use the restroom and ask the park rangers questions. As you get more comfortable on the trail you can connect to the more difficult 3.7 miles Midlands Mtn Trail; from here you have several choices: a) do the rugged loop on Harbison Bluffs and come back to the Center, or b) connect to Spider Woman II, the most difficult trail in the park, and run down to the Broad river or c) connect and stroll down scenic and educational Stewardship Trail (easier in difficulty). Stewardship Trail allows you to get back to Firebreak Trail later on and return to the Education Center after you have experienced three different trails along varied terrains. I did just that and took me 2.5 hours - I stopped frequently to take these awesome pictures :-)

2. The park provides extremely easy trail access:
You can drive and park your car to most of the biking and hiking trails; there are 6 parking lots in the park; each biking trail has multiple entrance points and connections to other trails; this way you can combine sections from different trails, with varied levels of difficulty, to make your trip to the park more interesting.

3. All biking trails are cleaned and well-maintained; there are rest benches throughout so you can stop, take a water or photo break and just enjoy the view. There are 3 restrooms in the park.

4. Each trail is color-coded and has corresponding signs throughout its course. Further each trail is divided into alphabetical sections with their distance clearly marked on the map. To make things even easier, there are overall maps at most connection points to tell you where you are inside the park and how much distance is still left. This makes it very convenient to orient yourself and to plan your time and next move as you go along.

5. Unlike the mountain bike trail at the Sesquicentennial Park (another great family outdoor getaway near downtown Columbia) you don't have to put up with the inches deep sand patches. Don't worry there are plenty other obstacles for you to conquer! For one, there are chunky stubborn tree roots everywhere; river stones, especially on Midlands Mtn and Spider Woman II trails will keep you on your toes; the trails are steeper (both uphill and downhill) and with sharper turns peppered with big logs, hidden bridges, or rocks just to make it more interesting...

6. Safety first. Wear your helmet, carry water (there is only one drinking water fountain at the Education Center), put on sunscreen and bug spray, bring your cell-phone (there is strong signal throughout the park) and travel with someone (or at least let your family and friends know your trip plans for the day).

7. Best time to ride is in the morning and if you can make it during the week. I went Friday afternoon and during my 2.5 hours adventure on 3 different trails I ran into 3 bikers, 2 joggers and one lady walking her dog.

Columbia Sesqui Park Mountain Bike Trail Details

The Sesquicentennial Park near downtown Columbia features a very nice 4 miles long mountain bike trail that both beginners and seasoned bikers can equally enjoy. The serene, peaceful and mostly single track trail will take you through the park's dense longleaf pine and turkey oak trees. The trail has a sandy surface that sometimes is inches deep and makes the ride quite challenging even for more experienced bicyclists.

If you go during the week there is hardly a soul around: just you, the bike and the forest. No matter the skill level, everyone will find something interesting along the trail: from wide smooth paths to rough root and stone covered patches to longleaf pine trees, so dense you can barely squeeze through, to desert like hills.

Tips to know before you go

1. Play it safe. Wear your helmet and know your limits. When in doubt just carry the bike till you feel comfortable riding again.

2. Stay on trail and follow the signs. The mountain bike trail is marked with a blue diamond and between each marker you will see the trees painted blue. It's very easy to get disoriented and at times you feel like you're going in circles; just follow the signs and you'll be OK. There are no maps along the trail to tell you where you are, how far you still have to go and what's noteworthy to see in the surrounding areas. Pretty much you're on your own.

3. This can be a great family weekend gateway. If you go alone tell someone when and where you are going. Bring your cell-phone; there is very good signal throughout the park.

4. Carry plenty of water since there is no drinking water along the trail; I didn't see any water fountain at the park's facilities. The restrooms by the picnic and boat area were closed during the week. Put on sunscreen and wear long sleeves it can get really hot out there.

5. It took me 2 hours to complete the trail. I'm a beginner and I also stopped frequently to take pictures.

6. Watch out for deep patches of sand especially when going downhill. You can easily lose control; keep the bike straight and break on smoothly, same as when you're driving the car on icy roads.

7. Uphill roots provide good grasping for tires, yet avoid the bigger ones that can kill your momentum or worse make you tip over.

8. Besides some birds I didn't run into any wildlife.

This is a great exercise that will you test you physically and mentally. You will enjoy fresh air and mountain like outdoors just minutes from the noisy downtown city traffic. All in all, biking at the Sesquicentennial Park it's a fun thing to do for the entire family.

To get a better idea of what you might run into on the mountain bike trail take a look at this slideshow:

Keep on biking through beautiful South Carolina parks!

Congaree National Park untainted natural wonder near Columbia

Congaree National Park is the largest and few remaining bottom land hardwood forest in North America. A short drive from Columbia the swamp park (more exactly a floodplain forest) stretches over 11,000 acres along the Congaree and Santee rivers.

With its serene cathedral like canopy it is the world's tallest deciduous forest, with trees reaching up to 170 feet (as high as a 17 stories sky-scraper!); it is taller than famous forests in Japan, Himalaya and Europe.

This natural wonder still looks as it did more than 500 hundreds years ago when early Europeans - like Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto - came to South Carolina looking for gold, silver, precious stones and natural resources.

The Congaree Indians camped, fished and hunted along the Congaree river more than 13,000 years ago. They believed the swamp was "filled with ghosts". Congaree means "dragged the bottom of the boats", an accurate description of the swamp's appearance most of the year.
During the Revolutionary War, the Congaree swamp gave refuge to Francis Marion and his patriots companions (hence his nickname: The Swamp Fox), as they repeatedly harassed and sabotaged the British troops.

For its incredible biodiversity and historic importance the Congaree National Park has been designated a Natural National Landmark, an International Biosphere Reserve and Globally Important Bird area. Scientists and outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world come year around to visit and study this natural wonder.

Tips to know before you go
At the Congaree park you can enjoy all the usual outdoor activities: camping, fishing, canoeing, biking, walking and bird watching.
Be mindful of the perennial bugs and mesquitoes so wear long sleeves shirts and plenty of repellant. If you plan to walk the 2.4 miles self-guided boardwalk that loops around the Visitor center make sure to carry some water; there is no drinking water along the trail (you can fill up at the Visitor center). The boardwalk is suitable for strollers, bring these along to avoid some drama later on.

There are about 20 stops along the trail and many have benches you can rest on.
Those more adventurous canoeing along the river bring food and supplies to last 2-3 extra hours beyond your originally planned time travel. Note that Congaree National Park offers FREE ranger guided canoe tours every other Sunday.

Attractions along the boardwalk trail

The famous Dorovan Muck, the Congaree swamp's dark mud is essential for breaking down pollutants into harmless ingredients

Hollow trees that house thousands of evening bats, which can consume up to 600 mesquitoes an hour. The swamp is home to 6 different bats varieties

A remnant of lucrative bootlegging enterprise...national champions the grand Loblolly trees...frightnening lightning marks along the pine trees...eerie and alien looking (as one might expect in this ancient forest) swamp...Paw-Paw and cabbage dwarf palmetto trees...and plenty of wildlife, in particular birds.



Where
Congaree National Park is located about 20 miles from downtown Columbia, South Carolina in the Hopkins / Gadsden community. It's open year around except on Christmas Day and is FREE.

From Interstate 77, take Exit 5, turn off onto SC Hwy 48 East (Bluff Rd.) and follow the brown directional signs. Travel southeast fourteen miles on Bluff Rd, turn right onto Mt. View Rd. and follow it 0.8 miles. Turn right onto Old Bluff Rd. and travel 0.6 miles. At the large park entrance sign, turn left onto and proceed one mile to the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. Detailed driving directions and map: http://www.nps.gov/cong/planyourvisit/directions.htm

Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park: unwind in the outdoors, admire wildlife, experience the city history and have unlimited fun for FREE!

The Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park is Columbia secret jewel. At the confluence of 3 Rivers (Congaree, Broad and Saluda) and minutes from downtown, EdVenture and State museums, the Riverfront Park is an oasis of outdoor relaxation, amazing history and abundant wildlife, the entire family can enjoy every day for free!

Part of the Capitol City Passage, connecting Fort Jackson to Congaree Riverfront, the park is open daily untill 9:00 PM.

With emergency call stations spread throughout the 3 miles lighted and paved trail and regularly pattrolled by park rangers, the park is very safe.

All day there are people walking, bicycling, jogging, fishing or just having a romantic picnic by the outdoor amphitheater.

Travel Tips: Bring your water or juice bottle along; there is a water fountain at the restroom near the park entrance so you can refill there. Once you go over the bridge there is no drinking water on the trail.

Little kids can also enjoy a very nice playground across from the parking lot. There is no shade, so in the hot summer days make sure you keep them hydrated.

Historic sites you can admire along the river trail

1. The Columbia Canal, built between 1819 and 1824 was a major transportation route before the railroad boom and the Civil War; home to the world's first hydro-electrically powered textile mill (later destroyed in the war) and current municipal water plant (originally built in 1906).


2. 1865 Civil War battle over Broad River bridge. Sherman's troups prevailed and the Columbia's mayor had to surrender the city

3. The ruins of the state's first prison that was built in 1868 and has operated until 1993. Always overcrowded some say it's still haunted by its formers "guests".

4. The one room Little Red School House open 1867 through 1913

5. The archeological site of where Native Americans used to live more than 10,000 years ago.

6. The large rounded granite boulders spread all over Congaree river; these geological wonders are the result of North American and African tectonic plates collision and remnants of the Appalachian Mountains

Amazing wildlife and flora

Over 350 birds species use the river for nesting or as a migrating rest stop. Among these you can spot the red-tailed hawk, the the crested cormoran, the great blue heron, and the bald eagle.

There are plenty of reptiles like water snakes, alligators and soft-shell turtles

The Riverfront Park also features the rare Spider Lily unusually growing in the boulders crevaces that border the Congaree river.

Where:

312 Laurel StreetColumbia, SC 29201 - (803)-733-8613

www.riveralliance.org

Take I-126 into Columbia then exit onto Huger Street. Go south on Huger Street two blocks, then turn right onto Laurel Street. Follow Laurel Street to the main parking lot. The park entrance is right by the AT&T building.

See more breathtaking Canal and Riverfront Park photos in my slide show.

Happy and Safe Vacation Travelling in South Carolina.

"The Reptile Capital of the World" at your fingertips in North Myrtle Beach

The Alligator Adventure is a must see when you visit North Myrtle Beach.
Housed in the beautiful Barefoot Landing shopping center right in front of famous live music hangout The House of Blues , the self-proclaimed "Reptile Capital of the World" is a guaranteed couple hours of wild, educational and fun times for the entire family.

Tips to know before you go

1. Avoid "the alligator fatigue" (there are hundreds spread throughout the zoo) and start your tour at the other end of the park.

Here you'll meet the park's most beloved guest, Bob, the alligator without a tail. Born right here at the zoo he is well taken care off. Check out "The Swamp White Ghost" albino alligators. Legend says it will bring you good luck if you see one in the wild.

Other notables: the fake Gharial and the real funny looking chinese Alligators. You can also catch a glimpse of live medical action at the animal hospital.

2. Plan your visit after Spring Break if possible. This is when the live feedings start (alligators don't eat anything during the winter!). As you can imagine the first feeding days of the year will be quite animated. Best time of the day is between 11:00 AM (first feeding) and 1:00 PM (when Utan, the King of Crocs eats). Feeding shows are every 2 hours.

3. Young kids have a blast at the Reptile Show when they can pet snakes, turtles and a baby alligator. Nearby is a snack food stand. If you promise them ice cream they will wait quietly for the show to start.

4. The giant Galapagos turtles are also very popular with children of all ages. The "big puppies with shells", love attention and are always on the move. Charlie the male turtle is about 450 pounds. At 40 years old he is considered a teenager, just barely ready to mate.

5. You can get your second day at the park for free. Make sure to check your ticket at the gate before you leave. You can also save a buck or two if you buy your ticket online ahead of time.

Utan, The King of Crocs is by far the park's main attraction . At 20 feet long and weighing in at more than a ton, he is the largest crocodile to ever be exhibited in the United States. In case you're wondering his jaws bite pressure is a mind bogglin 5 tons PSI!


The fully air-conditioned reptile amphitheater, considered one of the best reptile houses in any zoological park, houses an impressive assortment of exotic snakes, like the giant Green Anaconda. The world's largest snake it can reach an estimated maximum length of over 37 feet. Other cold-blooded cuties are the Retriculated Python (which rivals the Anaconda in size and occasionally preys on deer), the beautiful Green Mamba and the magnificent albino Phyton.

The colorful blue and gold macaw may chat with you if they are in a good mood.

Where

Alligator Adventure, Hwy 17 at Barefoot Landing,

North Myrtle Beach S.C.

Phone: (843)-361-0789;

Tickets: Adults $16.95, Seniors $14.95, Children ages 4-12 are $10.95; Discounts are available, and children 3 and under get in free.