Congaree National Park

We have a national park in South Carolina and it is about an hour from my house.  Since today was our weekly go out to lunch and then go hike somewhere we (I!!) decided we would go to this park and walk on the elevated boardwalk  which   meanders through the swamp itself for a little over 2 miles.    Some parts of the boardwalk are high up over deeper water and this part goes to a small lake where it meets the other section which is low and skims the water.      A few weekends ago, the lower boardwalk area was flooded from all the rain we had and was closed.  

In the photo is one of the largest southern pine trees in the state.  There is no way to get a full photo of this tree but I hope you can see the size compared to the cypress trees beside it.   Makes me realize how small we really are in relation to other things in the natural world.  You can see on the trunk where the mud has made it brown when it flooded.

The photo of Jerry is at the lower boardwalk which shows how the water is right at the same level as the boardwalk.  

I like walking in the cold sunshine!