Wambaw Creek Wilderness

Wilderness designation protects 11 miles of Wambaw Creek, another area in Francis Marion National Forest. Old dikes and canals bear evidence of attempts made by early European settlers to tame this region for agriculture. Giant cypress and gum trees line the creek, which flows down the heart of this long, slender Wilderness. The creek varies in width from 20 to 80 feet and provides a home for a few alligators, seen only occasionally by humans. There are no hiking trails; to see Wambaw Creek you will need a canoe and a tide table. Proximity to the Atlantic Ocean causes the creek to be greatly altered by tides. During low tide the upper creek, especially the first two miles, can be blocked by logs, and passage should be attempted only after heavy rainfall or during high tides, which occur here approximately 4.5 hours after the high tide listed in tables for Charleston, South Carolina.