COLUMBIA, S.C. — Need to get out of the house during the month of July? Consider signing up for all or part of a planned hike along South Carolina's Palmetto Trail from the mountains to the coast beginning July 1.
Tom Mulliken, a former US Army officer and Master Fitness Trainer, will lead a group from the mountains in Oconee County to the Charleston Aquarium. En route, the expedition will explore the seven geographic wonders on South Carolina:
- Chattooga River, where the movie "Deliverance" was filmed, was named a National Wild and Scenic River in May 1974 and is known for world class whitewater rafting. (July 2)
- Sassafras Mountain, at 3,533 feet above sea level, Sassafras is known as The Roof of the Palmetto State. Laurel Valley Trailhead (July 3)
- Jocassee Gorge, a transitional zone where the mountains meet the rolling hills of the piedmont. Blue Ridge Electric Co-op Passage (July 5)
- Congaree National Park has the largest remaining area of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in North America. (July 16)
- Edisto River, the longest free-flowing blackwater river in the United States and one of the longest worldwide. (July 26)
- Bull Island, a 5,000-acre maritime forest with fresh and brackish water impoundments and a beach area. The largest of four barrier islands found within the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge (July 27)
- ACE Basin, the 350,000-acre area where the Ashepoo, Combahee and South Edisto rivers combine into the larger St. Helena Sound and drain a significant portion of the Lowcountry region (July 28)
Along the way, there will be fireside chats covering conservation, preservation and history.
- July 3: Table Rock Lodge, Pickens, Natural water movement
- July 8: Riverstead Community, Marietta, Resilient living and SC power plant
- July 9: RJ Rockers Brewery, Spartanburg, Celebration of the Palmetto Trail and planting natural vegetation
- July 10: Croft State Park, Spartanburg, Revolutionary War battles
- July 14: Palmetto Trail Headquarters, Columbia, Childhood fitness
- July 15: Fort Jackson, Columbia, Outdoor therapy for PTSD
- July 26: Givhans Ferry State Park, Development of new reservoir
- July 27: Bull Island, Floodwater issues
Learn more about the trip, see the full itinerary, and how you can join in -- on the trail or virtually -- by going to southcarolina7.com
