Longleaf and slash pine flatwoods with a dense understory of saw palmetto, gallberry and bay form the perimeter of the swamp. Most of the original timber was logged off between 1915 and 1920, and old earthen railroad trams, that are still visible, penetrated the interior. Trails are not maintained, but many old logging roads can be followed. All the human-constructed intrusions into the swamp have been greatly subdued by time. Boggy terrain, dense vegetation, insects and warm humid conditions make travel extremely challenging.
Deer hunters are the most common visitors.
On the northwest side, an old road tunnels through a stand of eloquent live oaks that tower massively overhead. Click here to find out how. Copyright Rodale, Inc. 2001.