Congaree National Park (S.C.)

Set in South Carolina, the Congaree Swamp is a national treasure. Housed in more than 22,000 acres, it is one of the best and last remaining examples of a mature forested floodplain. Numbers of plants, reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals live in this pristine environment. Congaree Swamp was designated as a National Monument in 1976 and became a part of the International Man and Biosphere Program, preserving genetic diversity. In 2003, the swamp received the honor of becoming a National Park, thus becoming the first and only National Park in South Carolina.

The National Park is located on the floodplain between the Upper and Middle Coastal Plain provinces in South Carolina. Approximately 10 times a year, the swamp floods providing essential nutrients for plant and wild life growth stimulation. Mountain rivers from North and South Carolina help feed the swamp and contribute to the flood process from melting snow in the spring.