Redwoods East: Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park is the last continuous stand of an old-growth floodplain forest in South Carolina. When the Congaree River, which forms the southern border of the park, floods, usually in late winter or early spring, its waters inundate the roughly 26,000 acres of this monument. When the water recedes, the remaining black silt feeds the land. On either side of us, the fluted ankles of bald cypress trees waded into the creek. Tupelo trees, with bottoms like upside-down funnels, rose next to them. Every now and then, the trunks of the two species twined into hulking, wondrous masses. When we were there, the trees were budding, suggesting the promise of cool, dappled shade to come. Beyond them, on the north bank of the creek, beech and oak trees bore tender, green leaves. Farther in were loblolly pines. They seemed to tickle the blue sky.

From “Slipping Into Silence Among Majestic Trees” by Rosalind Bentley for New York Times; Photo from NPS.gov 

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