Little Wambaw Swamp Wilderness
Little Wambaw Swamp Wilderness (5,047 ac) features wild orchids, pickerel weed and bladderwort as part of its dense understory. Impressively large bald cypress and water tupelo trees grow throughout, some in areas believed to be virgin timber. The remains of raised railroad tram lines cross the area and may provide slightly higher ground for camping, but wading in the sloughs and bottomland hardwood forest is a necessity to explore the wilderness. There are no trails, and some areas are thick with undergrowth in the cypress/tupelo swamp. However there are beautiful areas of mature bottomland hardwoods comprised of oaks, hickories, sycamores and maples that are well worth experiencing. As with all lowcountry wildernesses, it is best to explore in winter and early spring. Access the area at the perimeter using FS roads 220A, 217A and B.
At a Glance
Permit Info: | No wilderness permit required. |
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Best Season: | Winter to early spring |
Restrictions: | Please practice Leave-No-Trace wilderness ethics. Visit www.lnt.org. |
Information Center: | The Wilderness Act “A wilderness…is hereby recognized as an area where earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” (The Wilderness Act of 1964) The National Wilderness Preservation System was set up in 1964 by an act of Congress known as the Wilderness Act. Wilderness areas are affected mostly by the forces of nature and have outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation. These areas are managed in such a way that visitation will not change their unspoiled condition. They may also contain ecological, geological or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historic value. |