Friday, April 4:
Leave Chapel Hill 4:30pm. US15/501 s to US1 s to NC177 s to SC177 s to SC9 w to US1 s to Cheraw State Park (ignore sign to State Park), Co. 20 1 mile e across Juniper Crk (#1).
1. Hudsonia Island, Chesterfield Co., SC.
Gradient from turkey oak scrub to pine woodland to bay forest. Only site for Hudsonia ericoides south of Delaware. One of four known sites for Chrysoma pauciflosculosa in the Carolinas. [Alas, we canceled this stop when we arrive after dark.]
Return w to US1, se to US601 (Camden), s 3 mi to I20, sw into Georgia. On SW side of Augusta, take GA 383 exit (63, or perhaps 194). Immediately south of I20 you should find the Best Western Motel, 452 Park West Dr., 706-651-9100.
Saturday, April 5:
I20 sw to GA47/US221 (exit 61), n 2.7 mi to GA232, e (rt) 1.7 mi to first crossroads (S2122?) Lewisville Rd., long defunct Smitty's Grocery on corner), n (lft) 2.2 mi, park across from chainlink fence (walk e 0.7 mi; #2).
2. Heggie's Rock, Columbia Co., GA
This is the best remaining granite outcrop community left in the Southeast. Contains 21 or the 26 SE granite outcrop endemics.
S2122 ne to S2123 ne (rt) to GA104 nw (lft) across Kiokee Creek, dirt rd (Petersburg Rd.) n (rt) to Old Middleton Ferry Rd., e (rt) to Burks Mtn (#3).
3. Burk Mountain, Columbia Co., GA
The best example of piedmont serpentine vegetation south of Maryland.
W to Pollard's Corner, US221 ne to Clark's Hill, Co.88 ne 1.1 miles to dirt rd, ne 400 yards to Stevens Creek (#4).
4. Steven's Creek, McCormick Co., SC
Spectacular mesic herb vegetation of circumneutral soils. One of two known locations for Ribes echinellum.
Co.88 sw to SC28/US221 (Clark's Hill), SC28 se to I20, ne to first exit in SC = SC230, se (rt) 0.2 mi to first rt, 0.3 mi to end of pavement (#5).
5. Savannah River Bluffs, Aiken Co, SC
Classic pleistocene refugial habitat with numerous rare, disjunct species (e.g., Cladrastis kentukea, Aesculus parviflora, Forestiera ligustrina, Trillium reliquum)
Backtrack to I20, ne (rgt) to SC19 (exit 18), S to US 1 in center of Aiken. Continue straight one block and turn rt on Hayne Ave. Continue to Dibble Rd. left on Dibble crossing RR and parking on turnbout on left side of road.
6. Hitchcock Woods, Aiken Co, SC
Mixture of Longleaf pine types; excellent examples of mixed pine and evergreen heath communities on Vaucluse soils.
Backtrack to I20, ne to SC6 (exit 55). Right, almost immediately stopping at Ramada Limited Lexington. 1015 Southlake Drive, Lexington SC. 803-356-6533.
Sunday, April 6:
S on SC6 to SC627, s (rt) to729, w to Souters Creek (#7)
7. Shealy Pond, Lexington Co., SC
Excellent aquatic habitats, with adjacent seepage slope dominated by South Carolina's most extensive stand of white cedar. Only known site for Vaccinium sempervirens.
E to SC6, s 2.3 mi to SC635, n 0.3 mi (#8).
8. Peach Tree Rock, Lexington Co., SC
Sandhill rock outcrop community that combines coastal plain (e.g., longleaf pine) and mountain (e.g., Mountain laurel) elements.
SC6 n to I20, I20 e to I77, n to SC9, w ca 4 mi to SC909, nw (rt) to SC72, nne (rt) ca 2.5 mi to county #82 (Chappel Rd)(sic), w (lft) 0.7 mi to Alex Miller House (#11), where we will regroup and exchange fluids. Continue w to dirt road, and continue north ca 0.5 mi.(#9)
9. Camassia Flat, York Co., SC
Lowland montmorillonite soils supporting remnant populations of plants from the long-destroyed Charlotte prairies, including one of three populations of Camassia known from the Carolinas.
Backtrack to SC9, e to join US521 bypass, stay on 521 and shortly past 9 turns off, turn se on SC903, se (lft) ca 16 mi to US601, ne (lft) ca 1 mi to Flat Creek (#10).
10. Flat Creek Dike, Lancaster Co., SC
Mesic forest over basic soils, one of the richest herb communities known from South Carolina.
ca 0.2 mi to SC27, (#11).
11. Forty-acre Rock, Lancaster Co., SC
Classic granite outcrop community
N on US601 to NC9, e to US1, N toUS15-501, N to Chapel Hill (#12)
12. Chapel Hill