Timmerman Trail
2019 Hiking Week 10
If you hadn't noticed, we skipped week 9. That weekend was busy for us and the only time I had to go hiking, the weather was so nice I just wanted to sit in the sun and enjoy it. Hope you weren't too disappointed!
This weekend was another tough one to go hiking. With rain and dreary weather and the things I had going on, I didn't go very far. But I'm excited to share with you one of my favorite trails in Columbia. The Timmerman Trail is in Cayce, SC and is just across the river from Columbia. It links up with the 12,000 Year History Park, and is connected to the Three Rivers Greenway.
The Timmerman Trail opened a few years ago as a donation for SCANA Energy. It's a really nice trail. It's paved the whole way and has some neat bridges that span creeks and streams (look out on the wooden bridges when they're wet, they can be slippery). It also has lights along the path. Many times when I'm out on this trail, I will only see a few other people. I do recommend doing this with someone else for safety reasons. I've also biked this trail in the past, which is fun, but it has a lot of sharp curves so use caution. Another thing I really like about this trail is that you can make it as long or as short as you like. The basic loop is about 3 1/2 miles. You can add to that by taking the spur of the Cayce Riverwalk that goes along the Congaree River. That will make the walk about 6 1/2 miles. There is also a section you can take to visit the Cayce Tennis & Fitness Complex, which is really nice and has restrooms and water. There's also a history of the 12,000 Year History Park inside the complex. There is also a kayaking trail that is available in this area. I believe it goes down the Congaree Creek to the Congaree River.
There are signs all around the area about the potential for alligators. It is a pretty wild area so I would be careful, but I have never seen one there. When I was there Saturday morning, the weather was overcast and rainy, so the pictures aren't that great. I did see the May Apples that were covering the side of the trail. I found some in all different stages of bloom, which was pretty fun. To see the flowers, you need to find one that branches into two leaves. Then you check under the leaves and see what you can find.
I also have some pictures from the trail when I visited later in the spring. I believe these were taken in May. Any time of the year is a great time to visit. There are a lot of trees to keep it shaded in the summer and there is always something new to see. You should check before heading out there for flood reports. This is a low-lying area that can be flooded when the Congaree River or Congaree Creek are high. The City of Cayce usually reports flooding on their facebook page. If you are planning a Saturday trip to the trail, I recommend getting there early to walk, then heading over to the Soda City Market on Main Street for breakfast/brunch. Or, during the warmer months, there is a Sunday brunch at the West Columbia Riverwalk Amphitheater.
I'm hoping to get out soon to check out the Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve. I've heard about it but haven't gotten over there. I encourage you to get outside soon before the weather heats up and the bugs come out! Also, we're finally getting into spring weather in South Carolina so it's a great time to explore.
Columbia Recommendations
If you hadn't noticed, we skipped week 9. That weekend was busy for us and the only time I had to go hiking, the weather was so nice I just wanted to sit in the sun and enjoy it. Hope you weren't too disappointed!
This weekend was another tough one to go hiking. With rain and dreary weather and the things I had going on, I didn't go very far. But I'm excited to share with you one of my favorite trails in Columbia. The Timmerman Trail is in Cayce, SC and is just across the river from Columbia. It links up with the 12,000 Year History Park, and is connected to the Three Rivers Greenway.
The Timmerman Trail opened a few years ago as a donation for SCANA Energy. It's a really nice trail. It's paved the whole way and has some neat bridges that span creeks and streams (look out on the wooden bridges when they're wet, they can be slippery). It also has lights along the path. Many times when I'm out on this trail, I will only see a few other people. I do recommend doing this with someone else for safety reasons. I've also biked this trail in the past, which is fun, but it has a lot of sharp curves so use caution. Another thing I really like about this trail is that you can make it as long or as short as you like. The basic loop is about 3 1/2 miles. You can add to that by taking the spur of the Cayce Riverwalk that goes along the Congaree River. That will make the walk about 6 1/2 miles. There is also a section you can take to visit the Cayce Tennis & Fitness Complex, which is really nice and has restrooms and water. There's also a history of the 12,000 Year History Park inside the complex. There is also a kayaking trail that is available in this area. I believe it goes down the Congaree Creek to the Congaree River.There are signs all around the area about the potential for alligators. It is a pretty wild area so I would be careful, but I have never seen one there. When I was there Saturday morning, the weather was overcast and rainy, so the pictures aren't that great. I did see the May Apples that were covering the side of the trail. I found some in all different stages of bloom, which was pretty fun. To see the flowers, you need to find one that branches into two leaves. Then you check under the leaves and see what you can find.
I also have some pictures from the trail when I visited later in the spring. I believe these were taken in May. Any time of the year is a great time to visit. There are a lot of trees to keep it shaded in the summer and there is always something new to see. You should check before heading out there for flood reports. This is a low-lying area that can be flooded when the Congaree River or Congaree Creek are high. The City of Cayce usually reports flooding on their facebook page. If you are planning a Saturday trip to the trail, I recommend getting there early to walk, then heading over to the Soda City Market on Main Street for breakfast/brunch. Or, during the warmer months, there is a Sunday brunch at the West Columbia Riverwalk Amphitheater.
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| Spring on Timmerman Trail |
I'm hoping to get out soon to check out the Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve. I've heard about it but haven't gotten over there. I encourage you to get outside soon before the weather heats up and the bugs come out! Also, we're finally getting into spring weather in South Carolina so it's a great time to explore.
Columbia Recommendations
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