A hiker who ascends beyond Arch Rock will gradually hear the shift from the powerful company of Alum Cave Creek to the smaller Styx Branch, which accompanies the path for a short distance. Inspiration Point is the next landmark along this less trafficked, though still popular, portion of the trail. Upon this outcropping of rocks about in elevation, a hiker can, on a clear day, get an unobscured view of the surrounding landscape, most notably Little Duck Hawk Ridge. Not far from Inspiration Point, the Eye of the Needle (a round, see-through hole cut into the side of Little Duck Hawk Ridge) can be seen to the left as the hiker continues along the now rocky trail.
|
|
Lake Wateree is another South Carolina lake known for its great fishing and bountiful wildlife. The fish include Largemouth Bass, Striped bass, White Perch, White bass, Crappie, Channel catfish, Arkansas Blue Catfish, Shellcrackers, Bream. Other wildlife that call Lake Wateree home include deer, fox, squirrel, turtle, dove, turkey, alligator, and various species of duck, hawk, eagle, egret, Heron and osprey.
|
|
The state fishing record for Largemouth Bass (16.2 Ibs) was set at this lake.Freshwater Fish Records for South Carolina Other fish that abound are striped bass, white perch, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, Arkansas blue catfish, Shellcrackers, bream and Chain pickerel (Jack). Other wildlife that call Lake Marion home include deer, fox, squirrel, turtle, dove, wild turkey, alligator and various species of duck, hawk, eagle, egret and osprey. Conditions vary from shallow swamps and blackwater ponds to vast open water with a multitude of underwater structures.
|
|
The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue- grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest bird in the world, as well as the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to a National Geographic TV program, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is .
|
|
The Stephen Mather Wilderness provides a protected area for a wide variety of wildlife, including elk, mule deer, gray wolf, mountain goat, moose, and bighorn sheep. Species of wolverine, bat, duck, hawk, owl, frog, loon, chipmunk, coyote, squirrel, bear, falcon and eagle are also fairly common.State of the Stephen Mather Wilderness 1994 - NPS There are approximately twenty-eight species and subspecies of fish found in the wilderness, including the threatened bull trout and anadromous runs of coastal cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden, steelhead, and five species of salmon found in the Skagit, Nooksack, and Chilliwack drainages. Threatened or endangered wildlife species in the area include bull trout (threatened) and northern spotted owl.
|
|