Congaree National Park
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| Congaree | |
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Missing image LocMap_Congaree_National_Park.png Image:LocMap_Congaree_National_Park.png | |
| Designation | National Park |
| Location | South Carolina USA |
| Nearest City | Columbia, South Carolina |
| Coordinates | Template:Coor dm |
| Area | 21,890 acres 8,859 ha |
| Date of Establishment | October 18, 1976 (U.S. National Monument) November 10, 2003 (U.S. National Park) |
| Visitation | 98,197 (2003) |
| Governing Body | National Park Service |
| IUCN category | II (National Park) |
Located in South Carolina, the 34 mi² (89 km²) Congaree National Park is the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States but one of the smallest national parks. The lush trees growing in this floodplain forest are some of the tallest in the Eastern U.S., forming one of the highest natural canopies remaining in the world. Bald cypress is a common tree in the park. The Congaree River flows through the park.
Congaree_swamp.jpg
While largely recognized as a sanctuary for animal and plant life, Congaree National Park features primitive campsites and offers hiking, canoeing, kayaking and bird watching. Primitive and backcountry camping is available. Hiking trails are found in the park as well as a 20-mile marked canoe trail on Cedar Creek.
In 1969, the Sierra Club launched a "grass roots" campaign to save this area of old growth forest from private landowners interested in the relatively high timber prices. The result of this campaign was the establishment by Congress of "Congaree Swamp National Monument" on October 18, 1976. It became an International Biosphere Reserve on June 30, 1983. Over two-thirds of the park was designated a wilderness area on October 24, 1988 and it became a Globally Important Bird Area on July 26, 2001. Following an increase in its authorized boundary, it became a national park on November 10, 2003.
External links
- Official site: Congaree National Park (http://www.nps.gov/cosw/)
- wilderness.net page on the park (http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=wildView&wname=Congaree%20National%20Park)
- Photos of Congaree National Park - Terra Galleria (http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.congaree.html)
Template:National parks of the United Statesde:Congaree-Nationalpark pl:Park Narodowy Congaree