Hell Hole Outdoor Center kickoff

With the grand opening of the Palmetto Trail Hell Hole Outdoor Center set for Sept. 6, it's time to mark your calendar for a possible trip to upper Berkeley County. Reservations for most of the activities can be made by calling 567-4480 or e-mailing hellholecenter@palmettoconservation.org.

For information on any of the following day trips, see www.palmettoconservation.org. Here is what is on the schedule:

--The Jungle, 10 a.m. Sept. 6.

Guide Jeff Brown will lead paddlers through "The Jungle," an enclosed tupelo swamp laden with fragrant waterlilies as well as lotus plants and a variety of water grasses. You must supply your own canoe or kayak.

--Russellville Flats, 10 a.m. Sept. 6.

Located on the north side of Lake Moultrie, the Russellville Flats are known for excellent fishing, especially in the spring. Guide Sammie Harrelson will lead a group on a picturesque tour of sparse cypress trees, several types of flowering waterlilies, plant life and heavily forested high ground. You must supply your own canoe or kayak.

--A hike in the swamp, 10 a.m. Sept. 6.

Here is your chance to hike in a freshwater swamp and keep your feet dry. The Palmetto Trail crosses Wadboo Swamp on a series of old rice dikes. Guide Robin Blakely will lead a hike through a swamp that will be teeming with wildlife and shaded by a dense canopy of tree limbs and leaves.

--Hike the Canal, 10 a.m. Sept. 6 and 27.

Take a leisurely stroll along the Old Santee Canal on the Palmetto Trail. History abounds where a transportation canal connected the Santee and Cooper rivers in the early 19th century. The trail is along level, well-maintained open ground with a dense forest on one side and the old canal on the other. Guides Oliver Buckles and Jeff Zelenak will lead groups.

--Kayak Wee Tee, 10 a.m. Sept. 13 and 20.

Guide Eddie Stroman will lead a group on a rare opportunity to explore South Carolina's newest state forest. The area teems with wildlife surrounded by huge bottomland hardwood trees, giving a feel of true outdoors in the Lowcountry. You must supply your own canoe or kayak.

--A Driving Tour of the Forest, 10 a.m. Sept. 20.

Led by wildlife biologist Mark Danaher and Sewee Visitor co-director Jenna DuPre, this is an opportunity to see the Francis Marion National Forest up close and personal. The group will travel by car and stop at points of interest in the forest. After the tour, you will be free to explore the back roads on your own or even take a short hike on a trail. Rated easy.

--Explore the shore of Lake Marion, 10 a.m. Sept. 27.

Guide Archie Thompson leads a paddle trip on Lake Marion's shoreline maze of waterways, islands, sandbars and creeks, all worthy of exploring. You must supply your own canoe or kayak.

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