PARKS AND WILDLIFE
The Santee National Wildlife Refuge is a 15,000-acre refuge alongside Lake Marion, adjacent to the Santee River. It shelters a huge variety of wildlife species and is a paradise for bird and wildlife watchers. View wading birds, song birds, and wintering migratory waterfowl from the observation tower along the Wright's Bluff Nature Trail. Red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks are visible throughout the year. During the winter, migrating waterfowl such as mallards, pintails, teal, and wood ducks, along with Canadian Geese, are a major attraction; the threatened bald eagle, and occasionally the endangered Peregrine Falcon, can also be seen.
Located in the northern party of the County, Woods Bay State Wildlife Area is one of a series of natural phenomena known as Carolina Bays. The 1,500-acre park offers a variety of natural habitats in which visitors can view many species of wildlife, including a boardwalk and a canoe trail extending into the bay. Other facilities and activities include picnic areas and shelters, canoe rentals, and nature programs.
Congaree National Park, in nearby Richland County, is home to the largest remnant of old-growth floodplain forest remaining on the continent. Visitors can walk, hike, canoe, kayak, and fish among national and state champion trees that are part of a dynamic floodplain ecosystem. The park hosts a variety of research and education projects, and free guided walks and presentations are given throughout the year.
Francis Marion National Forest covers more than 250,000 acres in nearby Charleston and Berkeley counties. Recreation options include camping, rifle ranges, boating, hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.
Taw Caw Creek Park has boardwalks, picnic tables, and some shelters available for public use. The park is located at the point where Taw Caw Creek empties into Lake Marion.
Santee Dam on Lake Marion gives visitors excellent views of Lake Marion and the Santee River Swamp. Cypress tree trunks still stand above the water, creating an underwater environment that some call “Fish Heaven.” Eagles, egrets, loons, cormorants, herons, and turkey vultures are just a few of the bird species you are likely to see. Bring binoculars to check out some of the biggest alligators around.
The county’s hundreds of thousands of acres of woods, combined with the opportunity to hunt almost year-round, makes Clarendon County a hunting mecca. Public hunting is allowed within the Santee National Wildlife Refuge and the Francis Marion National Forest.