The Cattail Trail was one of the first trails established at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park . Its name comes not from the multitudes of Cattail plants in this area, but from its development as a teaching trail for the Nature Park 's Cattail Kids Club. It also serves as the pathway to our beautiful Floodplain Boardwalk and Observation Deck. Use caution on the lower portion of this trail, as it is sometimes flooded or muddy after a heavy rain.
As you start the trail, you will be walking downhill through a field. Through much of the year this field is a good place to find wildflowers. The purple-flowered Brazilian Verbena is the most common wildflower in the Nature Park and abounds in this field. These wildflowers and other grasses attract many insects. Look around and see if you can spot a grasshopper, ladybug, or other insects. From early spring through early fall, this field is an excellent place to observe many species of dragonflies and damselflies. Dragonflies start their life in the water, where they live from one month to five years as aquatic nymphs. Nymphs are fierce fighters, eating multitudes of aquatic insects, tadpoles, and even small fish. After a metamorphic change, they become beautiful dragonflies but will only live a few weeks more. Dragonflies eat an abundance of insects, mostly mosquitoes, thus earning the nickname “mosquito hawks.”
The field quickly disappears into a wooded area where you can find many different tree species including Persimmon, Sugarberry, Sweetgum, Red Maple, and Dogwood. You will also start to see bamboo. This bamboo, known as ‘Switch Cane’ (Arundinaria gigantea) is the only bamboo native to the United States . Switch Cane looks like a woody tree, but it is actually a grass! Note that the Cane grows very close together, creating a thicket. These thickets of bamboo are classified as special habitats called "canebrakes." Canebrakes used to be abundant along rivers and creeks throughout the South, but most were cut down for farming and to create easier access to our waterways. Canebrakes provided habitat to many animals such as the Canebrake Rattlesnake and the extinct Carolina Parakeet, which was the only parrot native to the United States . Endangered or extinct species are a clear reminder of the importance of habitat maintenance for the preservation of species.
As you come to the bottom of the hill you may notice the approaching edge of a wetland. Take a moment to sit on the bench and listen to the sounds of nature. Some common bird calls you may hear are the Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, and Northern Cardinal; they will be joined in the summer by the Northern Parula Warbler and Yellow-throated Warbler, and in the winter by the Northern Flicker. During the summer, listen for the serenades of Cicadas and frogs. Some frogs you may hear include the Bullfrog, Southern Cricket Frog, Bronze Frog, Green Treefrog, Squirrel Treefrog, and Eastern Narrowmouth Toad.
No trip to the Nature Park is complete without a visit to our Floodplain Observation Deck. Let the Floodplain Boardwalk transport you over the swamp without getting wet! As you walk down the boardwalk, look carefully in and among the wetland vegetation. You may find a snake basking on a mound or tree branch, a frog sticking its head up out of the water, or a Green Anole running down the deck ahead of you. Look for paths in the vegetation indicating that a deer, muskrat, beaver, or other animal visited this area recently. In the summer months, look in the grasses for Black and Yellow Argiopes, also called Golden Garden Spiders. They start their lives small, but after their summer feast of insects and dragonflies, they are huge and beautiful. This spider and the hairy-looking jumping spiders are common in the Nature Park but are quite harmless.
The boardwalk is also an excellent place for bird watching. Often you can spot a Great Egret hunting in the swamp or a Belted Kingfisher flying above the water. Look high above to catch sight of a soaring Red-shouldered Hawk or Turkey Vulture. The wetland plants below are also worthy of observation! The summer heat rewards you with the beautiful blooms of the Marsh Mallow (the South’s native hibiscus) and the puffy white flowers of the Common Buttonbush. Other common wetland plants include Arrowhead Plant, Alligator Weed, and Duckweed.
As you walk the boardwalk, you may notice many mounds that appear to be some kind of animal home. Careful observers will notice they are all attached to a willow tree. They are called “tip-up” mounds and are the exposed roots of willow trees felled by wind. These trees continue to grow sideways, and yes, animals use these tip-up mounds as homes! Notice that the tall Baldcypress trees have not tipped over – their root systems are deeper and are designed to keep them stable in the wetland soil. As you come to the fork in the boardwalk, take a moment to pause on the observation deck. During the winter you will easily observe the creek that meanders within thirty feet of the deck, but in the summer the vegetation may block this view entirely. This is Butler Creek. Continuing up the boardwalk, you will come to the Phinizy Swamp Nature Park campus which is home to our Education, Administration, and Research facilities as well as our Visitor Center .
Returning the way you came, take a sharp turn to your right as you leave the boardwalk, continuing on the Cattail Trail. Watch your step as you walk along the edge of the swamp. The ‘stumps’ sticking out of the ground are known as cypress knees. They are actually part of the root system of the Baldcypress trees, which have the large, fluted bases. The function of cypress knees is unknown but hypotheses on their function include oxygen delivery to the roots (like a snorkel), support (to prevent tip-ups), and food storage. Deeper water will result in taller knees, but these modified roots will never grow into an adult tree. Birds such as the Prothonotary Warbler sometimes nest in these knees!
As you continue on the trail, look carefully at the base of the trees and the logs on the ground. You may be able to spot beaver teeth marks or insect boring holes. If the ground is muddy, you might also find the footprints of a raccoon, opossum, bird, deer, or even the elusive bobcat.
Heading up the hill you may notice an abundance of vines. In the summer look for orange-red trumpet-shaped flowers on a creeping vine. Pretend you are a Naturalist exploring this area for the first time. What would you name this plant? It is called ‘Trumpet Creeper’ and we think someone did a good job naming this lively vine! Trumpet Creeper flowers attract many insects as well as the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. In the fall, the purple berries of Pokeweed add color to the trail. Though some animals feast on these as well as other berries, they are not fit for human consumption. Near the top of the trail you may notice a tree with bumpy or warty bark. This is Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata), often called a Hackberry. In late summer, the leaves on many of the Sugarberry trees turn blackish and fall off. This is caused by the Hackberry Aphid, which is common in the Augusta area.
We hoped you enjoyed your walk on the Cattail Trail and the Floodplain Boardwalk and Observation Deck. Please visit some of the other trails in Phinizy Swamp Nature Park . The nature park is being developed and operated by Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy, a private, nonprofit 501(c) organization. Questions? You can reach our office Monday - Friday from 8am - 4pm at (706) 828-2109.