People sometimes ask me why I travel overseas so much. Well, that’s a long answer for another post. But, so often, people want to know why I don’t appreciate my own nation and they want to know whether or not I find nothing worthwhile here. To that I would say, “Ridiculous!” In fact, traveling to other countries has renewed my love of America. There are simple or peaceful or majestic or stunning places right here at home and I am so happy that I have a chance to see some of them. As I walked alone in a Columbia, South Carolina park this morning, I thought about how lovely America is. I confess here & now to having a “my-heart-is-full” moment in Riverfront Park.
Riverfront Park & Historic Columbia Canal is managed by South Carolina Trails. This State agency has a totally gorgeous website with tons of trail information, including length, difficulty level, amenities and surface material. In my case, I learned about Riverfront Park from the front desk guy at my hotel. He said this park is a local favorite and that he walks there all the time. I see why.
Riverfront Park has a North Entrance on River Drive and a South Entrance on Laurel Street. I opted for the South Entrance because that was a five-minute drive from my hotel. I considered walking from the hotel to the park entrance but decided that maybe walking 25 minutes before even getting to the park wasn’t a wise idea. I was picturing this as a brief sojourn, not an all-day affair. There were blog posts to write, after all.
The four-mile, paved trail is full of walkers and runners. I chose not to walk the entire length this time, but rather, just got a little taste of what the park had to offer. The section that I walked ran between two bodies of water. On my right, was the historic Columbia Canal, which dates back to 1824. The canal was constructed to bypass the rocks and rapids of the Saluda, Broad and Congaree Rivers. This made trade between the upcountry farms and the Port of Charleston easier. People transported corn, wheat, livestock, and of course, “King Cotton” via the canal. In the 1890’s, the canal was reconstructed to provide water for hydroelectric generation. It powered the first mill in the world to run completely on hydroelectric power.
On my left, was the Broad River. I paused many times at various overlooks to watch the rapids. There is something about watching a flowing river gently tumbling over rocks that makes you feel a thousand miles away from the city (even when you are in the middle of one). The signage said that Bald Eagles often live in the area. Sadly, I didn’t get to see one. I did, however, see large clusters of turtles sunning themselves on the rocks in the center of the river.
The area is also the perfect environment for the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily. I don’t know anything about plants, but apparently, this species is listed as “imperiled” by the government. I gather that this is the equivalent of being “endangered” for animals. The South entrance to the park even has a funky sculpture that honors this flower. I look forward to returning one Spring so I can see the lilies in bloom.
The one thing I would do differently next time would be to go earlier. I arrived at the South entrance parking area just after 10:00am. The fact that it was only 75 degrees was the reason I was out there in the first place. I love Fall! However, by 11:00am, on my walk back it got really warm. The trail has very little shade. The park management has constructed several overlooks with brick pavers and benches. Some of these have a little bit of shade overhead. There is an old-fashioned saying that I heard once: “Horses sweat. Men perspire. Ladies glow.” I had definitely arrived at the “perspire” stage and was bordering on the “equine” stage by the time I got back to my car.
One last detail: As my readers have likely figured out by now, I am a sucker for a good sculpture. Give me a pretty or poignant statue and I am one happy art lover. The entrance to Riverfront Park has a crime victims memorial that is quite impactful, so I made sure to stop on this cloudless day and remember those less fortunate.
A little history. A little nature. A little reverence. That was all before lunch. Yes, I do love America and traveling reminds me that natural beauty and moments of peace can be found here just as much as anywhere else. After months of being cooped up inside due to the pandemic and our famous southern summer humidity, I was grateful with a capital “G.”
Is there a walking trail in the Southeast that I shouldn’t miss? Leave it in the comments below. Feel free to share this post on social media with your outdoor enthusiast friends.
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