The Great Outdoors: Early Explorations of Upstate SC

After driving across the country and finally settling in to our South Carolina abode, we decided to get out and explore our new turf. One of our first stops was the South Carolina Botanical Garden located in our very own Clemson, SC.

The setting was gorgeous and we were able to get a feel for the variety and beauty of the wildlife we will be enjoying for the next three years. Here are a few pictures of the garden and its unique plants, ponds, and historic homes.

 

We decided we'd venture a little further out on our next adventure and drove a whopping forty minutes up to the Stumphouse tunnel and Issaqueena falls. The tunnel was a pretty amazing failed attempt at developing a subterranean railway and the falls were a risk management nightmare but all in all we enjoyed the adventure.  There are supposedly hundreds of falls like Issaqueena strewn throughout the state and many of them just a short walk/hike off the road.  We are excited to explore them all!

The tunnel went about 1600 feet deep and felt a little Indiana Jonesy. I kept expecting a large rock to chase us out when started exiting the tunnel.