Savannah National Wildlife Refuge

2019 Hiking Week 6

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge
Click to see a larger photo where you can see the birds in the grass.
This weekend, we were in Savannah. While there, we visited the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, which is actually in South Carolina. It is on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River. We have driven by this refuge for years but never stopped to check it out. It was a really neat place that we plan on visiting again soon! 

The refuge "consists of 31,551 acres of freshwater marshes, tidal rivers and creeks, and bottomland hardwoods." It is full of birds, reptiles, and other animals. Only a small part of it is open to hiking, driving, and other activities. We first stopped at the visitors center. It's a newer center and a nice place to learn about the refuge, its history. and its inhabitants. There are also a couple of short trails in that area. We walked the short Beech Hill Trail, which takes you by the cypress swamp. 

Ricefield dike
Heath and I were joined by his family so we decided to do the 4-mile Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive and then decide where we wanted to hike. We drove pretty slowly to be sure to see all the birds and sights along the way. There was also an informative audio tour on their radio station along the way. Much of this area was previously a rice field, and you can still see the rows and some of the waterways they used for this type of farming. 





Bobcat!
Every now and then, we came across some higher ground that had trees, spanish moss, and places to get out and look around. Near one of these areas, we saw a bobcat! They had said that there had been sightings in the area but I didn't expect to see one, especially since it was midday. But there it was, just walking along, not paying us much attention. We were pretty excited. 

We also saw multiple alligators along the way. Most were smaller and out in the marsh grasses getting sun. It was pretty neat to see them. After our drive, we got out and did a short hike but since it was getting close to lunch time, we decided to head back to Savannah for lunch. 




Alligator!

I would highly recommend this refuge to anyone interested in wildlife, especially birds. There were many different water birds that we saw and we wished we had brought binoculars to see better. Heath and I plan to return and hopefully visit closer to sunrise or sunset. We'll probably do some more of the hikes too. Just be prepared, there isn't much shade on these trails. I can imagine how unbearable it can be in the middle of summer. Be sure to check this place out if you're in the Savannah or Hilton Head area! The refuge is free and open from sunrise to sunset. The visitors center has its own hours that you should check on before going. 
Oaks and Spanish moss along the drive.


Location: Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, 694 Beech Hill Ln, Hardeeville, SC 29927, USA

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