Palmetto Islands County Park, Mount Pleasant, SC. by Shelley Hopkins

Have you ever wondered what Mount Pleasant looked like before it was covered with trendy shops and neighborhoods?  Mount Pleasant is still a beautiful city, and it can be a delight to walk through the Old Village and down Pitt Street to the pier.  The parks are wonderful and all the live oaks still shade the city streets and homes.  But, to see this area before people, take a drive over to the Palmetto Islands County Park.  This park is at the end of the Longpoint group of subdivisions, and it has plenty of park things to do; a playground, a splash park, crabbing dock, and paddle boat rentals, and my favorite, a 50 foot observation tower complete with sides for the “children.” 

Observation Tower and view from tower below

I visited the park today, in November, and I chose to simply walk the trails.  I was amazed at the beauty, at the palmetto trees nestled among live oaks, dogwoods and pines.  I started at the playground area and followed the paved pathway out past the splash park, and then I switched to a boardwalk that crossed marsh to reach what they call the Nature Island.  A man on a bicycle passed me, and I met several people walking with their dogs.  After circling the island I returned to the paved road, was passed by the same bicyclist, and then walked towards the river on the opposite side of the park.  I walked up to the 50 foot lookout tower, and rested, enjoying the expansive views and the cool breezes.  The air had the salty marshy feel.  It was low tide, and even from the top of the tower I could hear the pop pop sounds of air escaping the pluff mud.  Birds were plentiful, and I wished I had my binoculars and a longer camera lens.  After a time I returned to the trail, was passed by the same bicyclist, again, and walked on to the crab dock and river.

I kept thinking about how the original inhabitants of this land would live, the oysters, fish and crab providing food.  I think the soft wet soil under the palmetto forests would be difficult to navigate, and so I was thankful for the paved and dirt pathways.  I watched two men fish, and then walked back towards my car, passing that same bicycle rider one last time.

Check out Palmetto Island County Parks for more information
Search here for homes found in the Longpoint area, where you can bike to this park right from your home.

Parks in North Charleston

Wescott Park

Local parks come in many sizes and flavors, and are designed for the different interests of all the local residents.  Wescott Park on Dorchester Road in North Charleston was designed primarily as a baseball/softball park.  The three main fields are smaller versions of famous ballparks.  The Atlanta Braves field has a backdrop of the Atlanta skyline, the Boston field includes a miniature “Green Monster” wall in left field, and the third field is based on San Francisco Giants Park.

The park was also designed to aid in training of young ball players and includes a Ripkin Training Facility.  The Ripkin training circle was designed for drills and improving of fundamental skills.  Training areas also include batting cages and pitching mounds.      

   

Nature Walk Views

 The park also has a small playground with a baseball mitt slide and a tire swing, giving the other children something to do during games or practice.  The park includes one small path through wetlands.  It is not a long walk but it is at least a pretty and peaceful area.

 One popular attraction is the dog park, a fenced in grassy spot where dogs can run off leash and interact with each other.  Dog owners also have a chance to visit and relax under the shade.

Even though the Wescott Park is small and focused mainly on baseball it is a pretty park and fairly popular for those that live in North Charleston.

            

Caw Caw Nature Center

       

    The Charleston low country has so many wonderful places to visit, it can be easy to overlook the local parks.  Caw Caw Nature Center is located along Highway 17 in Ravenel, SC, and it was created on top of several old rice plantations.  Last year my daughter and I enjoyed a guided bird walk at Caw Caw, and still today the experience is one of our favorite memories.

            Laura and I arrived a few minutes after the walk had started.  We paid our fee in the main office.  The ranger told us, “You can’t go on a bird walk without binoculars,” and he opened a drawer and handed one to each of us.  We joined the group nearby gathered on the trail.  The guide was a young man, but except for my daughter and I, all the participants were of retirement age.  A few had bird books, mostly downloaded on tablets and phones.  Everyone wore binoculars, carried water bottles and bug spray.  One older man joined us on a Segway.  The trails were wide and even, and he had no problems. 

We saw ospreys, herons, ibis, and many red winged blackbirds, but the greatest excitement came from seeing the momma gator and her babies.  On the entire walk I think we counted 9 gators, mostly young.  It was amazing how we could be standing beside a marshy canal, relaxed and listening to birdsong, and the guide would point and say, “Gator number 5.”  We had to learn how to see them, then suddenly gators were everywhere.

            I loved the beauty of the park, the excitement of the alligators, and the help in identifying birds, but I struggled with being in a group and moving so slowly.  I grew impatient every time we heard a new song or rustle of leaves.  Each birdwatcher whipped out his or her phone, pulled up the bird books and began discussing coloration of the crest, size of the beak, and style of the song.   I wanted to say, “the bird is beautiful whether identified, placed on a life list, quantified, or not.  Just enjoy!”  And really, we did enjoy.  My family has been back many times to walk, in various seasons.  And now, I can point out the alligators.

            Caw Caw is open Wednesday through Sunday 9-5.  Admission is $1 per person, and if you want to attend the bird walks on Saturday or Wednesday starting at 8:30 the cost is $5.  Caw Caw is a beautiful and historical place, and worth taking the time to visit.

            

http://www.ccprc.com/index.aspx?nid=53

Riverfront Park in North Charleston by Shelley Hopkins

Riverfront Park

One of my joys in life is discovering new places, especially when these places are close to home.  On the way to one planned activity, we saw a sign for Riverfront Park in North Charleston, and we decided to drive by and check it out.  The park was built to honor the Charleston Naval Base and it does so in a beautiful way, with a water play area, lawns full of statues, and the Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial.  The memorial and several plaques tell the history of the Navy Base, from 1901 until it closed in 1996.  During the base’s busiest year, in 1943, 25,000 people worked there. 

The park was built on the site of the former Chicora Park, designed by the famous Olmstead Brothers in 1898.  Old buildings still remain that had been used by military officers when the location had a golf course.  Visitors can walk the pathways, enjoy views of the Cooper River, and learn a little history at the same time.  

My family walked around the park, took pictures of the statues and of the river, and studied the history on the memorial.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed watching small children play in the water fountain.  We saw fishermen not catching fish, and couples strolling together.  Workers were setting up equipment for a concert that was to take place the following evening.  What a beautiful location, sitting on the grass by the river listening to good music.  We will be back, and I suggest the park to anyone looking for a quite place to enjoy a picnic lunch or an evening stroll.