This South Carolina Park Over A 'Geological Oddity' Is A Hidden Gem Full Of Natural Beauty And Wonder

South Carolina is renowned for having some of the best beach getaways on the East Coast, while the city of Charleston romances visitors with its Southern charm. You'll need to venture further inland, however, to explore the mysterious heart of the Carolinas.

It won't take long before you come across an egg-shaped body of water known as a Carolina bay. These geological mysteries are shallow bodies of water, completely unconnected to any rivers or streams, filled by rainwater. All are elliptically shaped and aligned in the same direction: along a southeast-to-northwest axis. There are thousands of them, stretching from Florida to New Jersey, but they are most plentiful in the Carolinas. The formation of these structures is a mystery that geologists are still trying to understand.

Sadly, many are barely recognizable now, filled in or drained for agricultural purposes. Less than 10% of the 2600 bays recorded in South Carolina are still completely intact. Fortunately, one of the last remaining is open to visitors at Woods Bay Park in Olanta, South Carolina.  It's less than a two-hour drive from the airport in Myrtle Beach, and you'll spend about 30 minutes longer on the road if you're driving in from Charlotte Douglas International Airport. If you're traveling through on I-95, the park is less than 15 minutes away and makes a good place to stretch your legs with a nature walk. Visitors can explore the Carolina bay and discover the unique wildlife and ecosystems that have developed around these geological oddities.

What could cause such a profusion of indentations, all with identical shapes and pointing in the same direction? It was once thought that meteorites raining down on Earth may have caused these depressions. Carolina bays do not exhibit features characteristic of a violent meteorite impact, however. Furthermore, though they all formed during the Pleistocene era, some are much older than others, and a multiple meteorite event is improbable. Instead, scientists now theorize that Carolina bays were formed by strong southwesterly winds that created a consistent current in the rainwater that collected in the area. This current deposited sediment on the northeasterly shores, creating oval-shaped depressions in the soil, all with the same alignment.

The Algonquin called these bodies of water pocosins, meaning "swamp on a hill". The rainwater that collects in these shallow basins can't drain away because of an impermeable layer beneath the soil. The result is a valuable source of water for the surrounding flora and fauna. Twenty-five different species of carnivorous plants make their home in Carolina bays. It's the only place that insect-eating pitcher plants and sundews grow in the wild in the U.S. At Woods Bay State Park, bird watchers can spot up to 114 different species of birds. The park's boardwalk allows visitors to travel easily over the marshy area and scan for wildlife. But be careful where you step: Alligators abound in these swamps!

Wood Bays is a small state park at little more than two square miles, but its tidy walking paths pack in a lot of nature. A boardwalk of about 500 feet wends its way across the cypress swamp. Anglers can even cast a line from here for fishing. Walk along the Mill Pond Nature Trail, a three-quarter-mile loop, to skirt the bay's edge. From here, you can see the sand rim on the southeastern rim of the bay that makes its oval shape. Either walk is a good choice for bird watching and alligator spotting. For a fee, visitors can also take a canoe out onto the waters if the water is high enough.

It's a peaceful place of contemplation. Facilities are limited to bathrooms and a picnic area, however. So, you'll need to bring your own or look outside of the park for food. Nearby Olanta has the closest options for a meal. Country Cousins BBQ does a whole hog pit roast three days a week, dishing up classic fare from the local Pee Dee region. If you're looking to spend a few days in the area, 30 minutes north along the I-95, the city of Florence is a good base for outdoor adventures with plenty of tasty food options.