Please check the individual websites for up-to-date information as to closures and visiting information before you travel.
Francis Beidler Forest
South Carolina Audubon Sanctuary. As of January 2021, Biedler is closed until further notice in order that the COVID-19 virus does not spread. Check out their website before visiting.
The National Audubon Society’s Francis Beidler Forest in Four Holes Swamp contains within its 18,000+ acres, the largest remaining stand of virgin Bald Cypress/Tupelo Gum swamp forest left anywhere in the world. One thousand year-old trees and native wildlife abound in this pristine sanctuary that has been untouched for millennia. A 1.75 mile self-guided boardwalk trail (handicapped accessible) allows visitors the chance to safely venture deep into the heart of the swamp…to see it the way nature intended! Canoe trips and naturalist-guided walks and programs also are available seasonally and by reservation.
Address: 336 Sanctuary Rd, Harleyville, SC 29448
Congaree National Park
Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Waters from the Congaree and Wateree Rivers sweep through the floodplain, carrying nutrients and sediments that nourish and rejuvenate this ecosystem and support the growth of national and state champion trees.
Congaree National Park is part of the internationally-recognized Congaree Biosphere Reserve.
Biosphere Reserves are designated by the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Located around the globe, these sites recognize and protect areas of exceptional biodiversity, natural resources, and cultural heritage. Biosphere Reserves are changing landscapes that include not only protected areas like Congaree National Park, but also the surrounding communities. Thus, Biosphere Reserves also promote environmental education, research, tourism, and sustainable development by involving local communities in regional decision making.
Directions and Address:
100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC 29061
For those using a GPS device or app: Some GPS devices and services do not direct visitors to the proper location if using “Congaree National Park” when entering your desination.
Silver Bluff
Audubon’s Silver Bluff Sanctuary is a 3,400-acre woodland overlooking the Savannah River. Here you’ll find extensive pine forests and bottomland hardwood forests; beautiful walking trails; 50 acres of lakes and ponds; 100 acres of grassland; and all manner of birds and wildlife. And that’s just above ground — underfoot are archaeological sites from nearly every period in American history.
Visiting Silver Bluff is FREE, although online donations to Silver Bluff are always appreciated. We do charge for private tours and special events.
Address/Directions:
4542 Silver Bluff Road near Jackson, South Carolina
The nearest cities are Aiken, South Carolina and Augusta, Georgia.
Important note: some GPS systems tell you that you’ve arrived one mile before you actually reach the Silver Bluff gates. At that point, Silver Bluff Road transitions from a paved road to a well-maintained sand/clay road. Continue driving for one more mile and you’ll see the gates on your right.