The Palmetto State alone is a huge natural wonder. With 187 miles of gorgeous coastline to the East, the remnants of an ancient sea in the Midlands and the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains to the Northwest, there's much to love and admire about South Carolina. We've rounded up eight natural wonders that are just hiding in plain sight. You'll barely have to step foot out of the car to see these beauties!
1. Tree Tunnels
South Carolina has more than a handful of these natural beauties. The one shown above is on Botany Bay Road on Edisto Island. To see a list with eight more tree tunnels in the Palmetto State, read this article.
2. Table Rock
One of the largest natural wonders in the Palmetto State, Table Rock rests at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In fact, when the Cherokee Indians inhabited the area they referred to it as "Sah-ka-na-ga," meaning the Great Blue Hills of God. They considered this giant rock to be the dining table of the Gods. You can see it from your car for tens of miles - it's a majestic sight! Want to see it up close? Check out the drone video in this article.
3. Wildcat Branch Falls
Wildcat Branch Falls is a roadside waterfall on the scenic Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway. From the highway you can see the cascading 30-foot (bottom) waterfall that wraps up a series of three drops tumbling down the mountain. Here's a link to the Google Map showing the location of Wildcat Branch Falls.
4. The Carolina Sandhills
The Carolina Sandhills divide the South Carolina Coastal plane from the Piedmont. These ancient sand dunes in the midlands are hard evidence of how the ocean once occupied more of South Carolina. When I travel outside the state and drive in from the North or West on I-77 or I-26, I always start to smell salt in the air just a few miles after Interstate 77 connects to Interstate 26 just South of Columbia.
5. Healing Springs
The healing properties in the water from this natural spring, called God's Acre Healing Springs, have long been touted as having a super power to naturally heal whatever ails you. Plus, it just tastes good! People drive hundreds of miles to restock their water supply from this healing spring in South Carolina. Read more about it and get the location in this article.
6. The Angel Oak
Believed to be at least 400 years old, Angel Oak has a circumference of more than 25 feet and her longest branch is 187 feet long. It's truly a magical experience to see Angel Oak in person. Find out more in this article.
7. Edisto River
This natural wonder in South Carolina is one of the longest black water rivers in the U.S. It starts in Saluda and Edgefield counties and flows 250 miles until it spills into the Atlantic at Edisto Beach. It's the longest river system completely contained within the borders of South Carolina. You'll pass over it several times along the highways in the Palmetto State.
8. Lake Marion
Although created by the man-made reservoir, Lake Marion is indeed a "natural" wonder. At 172 square miles, it's the largest lake in the state and spreads into five of South Carolina's 46 counties. You can easily see her from where Interstate 95 crosses this beautiful "inland sea" near Santee. Read more about it in this article, and see photos of an underwater ghost town in Lake Marion here.
South Carolina is such a beautiful place to live! Don't you agree?
To see more "easy access" natural wonders, check out these South Carolina waterfalls hiding in plain sight.
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