Last month I visited Congaree National Park in South Carolina. November is a good month for a visit. Because during the summer in this swamp the mosquitoes hold annual conventions with a fervor that would put any political rally to shame.
But not today.
So let’s take a boardwalk!
![](https://www.blueridgemountain.life/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Congaree-NP-1-of-15-scaled.jpeg)
Much of the park is a floodplain, which means it’s often as soggy as a sponge in a rainstorm. To help you explore without turning into a mud sculpture, there are elevated boardwalks winding through the forest.
![](https://www.blueridgemountain.life/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Congaree-NP-2-of-15-2268x3024.jpeg)
These boardwalks are fantastic, offering you the chance to stroll above the swampy fray while looking down at the world of frogs, waterfowl, and the occasional serpentine reptile.
+++
The park is home to some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States. These are not your average backyard oaks or maples; these are towering hardwoods and pines that have been around since, well, probably since the squirrels started keeping diaries.
![](https://www.blueridgemountain.life/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Congaree-NP-3-of-15-scaled.jpeg)
It’s like walking through a natural cathedral, with a canopy so high it might as well have its own weather system.
Aside from the aforementioned mosquitoes, which in the summer secretly hone their skills for the Insect Olympics, there’s a whole array of creatures. For example, the park is a haven for birdwatchers.
I heard many, but saw few.
![](https://www.blueridgemountain.life/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Congaree-NP-4-of-15-scaled.jpeg)
Feral piggies
I did spot four feral pigs running as fast as their little legs would go. Not native to the park these porcine interlopers roam like four-legged outlaws. Their snouts, like a bulldozer, can turn a serene patch of forest floor into a scene resembling a worn out rugby field.
The day before I arrived Park rangers closed the park & went on a piggy hunt. Feral pig foraging habits also make them the inadvertent landscapers of Congaree, altering the forest floor and waterways.
![](https://www.blueridgemountain.life/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Pig-Hut-final.jpeg)
This can lead to changes in water flow and vegetation, which in turn affects other species who are less keen on such disruptions. It’s a bit like someone deciding to reroute a river to get a better view from their tent.
(continue reading next page)