On our drive to Columbia SC, we made a stop at this park just outside Cheraw. The park has an 18 hole golf course which did not interest us. It also had this 360 acre lake with Cypress which did interest us. Juniper Creek is dammed at this point and created a huge lake. Although there was a boat ramp, we dragged the kayaks across an open area behind the Visitor Center to launch.
Bird motel
With a real boat launch ramp, I thought there would be a bunch of boats out here on a pretty Sunday. We saw just one. The lake was shallow and we bumped a few stumps. That is likely why we didn't see motorboats out there. A bit of a tailwind pushed us across the lake. Finally, after 20 minutes, the first Cypress came into view.
For the next hour, we floated silently through the trees. Two pairs of Osprey took turns checking us out. Both had large nests atop Cypress trees. Yellow Bellied Sliders were out sunning.
Ospreys in their nest ahead
There are remains of an old RR bridge at this end of the lake but we did not see it. As the lake became more shallow, we turned around to head back. The tailwind became a headwind but was gracious enough to give us some calm spells.
At over 7300 acres, it's the largest of the SC state parks from the CCC era. It is also the oldest state park in South Carolina, dating to 1934. The CCC built the dam and many of the buildings still in use.
Continuing our road trip, we made another stop upstream on the Juniper Creek. This dammed pond is Campbell's Pond, part of the Sandhills State Forest. The Cypress were smaller and very dense. This place also may have had some CCC work. There is a picnic shelter with massive hand hewed logs attached with pegs. The state park land comes up to the pond on two sides. We did not paddle here although it looked enticing.
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