South Carolina - Congaree National Park
Just south of Columbia, SC is the Congaree National Park. The reason it is here is to preserve one of the only places in the country where there is a Floodplain Forest. It is really interesting, and flat, and basically, the forest is routinely flooded here, with water levels going up and down over 10 feet. At the visitor center, there was a great video that discussed the land, the trees and the critters that could be found - including alligators.
Inside the park, there are a bunch of trails, but I stuck to the 2.5 mile long boardwalk that snaked its way through the woods. The Cyprus trees in the park are really weird, and they grow something called "knees", which apparently help them stay upright. The path came along with a self-guided tour, which talked about the plants and animals. I seriously was thinking about what I would do if I came across an alligator - that was a first!
It was a beautiful location - the next time I am here, I am going to need to be here in summer, so that I can do the kayak tours.