A Treehouse Stay in South Carolina

The porch of a treehouse where the author stayed in South Carolina.
The porch of a treehouse where the author stayed in South Carolina.

South Carolina: Up the River, Sleepin’ in a Tree

By Carol Antman

We got a chance to get out into South Carolina country for a treehouse stay. But first, we had to get there, by canoe.

The treehouse stay next to the Edisto River, in South Carolina. photos by Carol Antman.
The treehouse next to the Edisto River, in South Carolina. photos by Carol Antman.

The Way they do it in the country: “We’re putting in the canoe at the ‘cat hole’ ”, Scott explained as we bumped along in his truck on the way to the Edisto River.

“It’s named for the big red whorehouse that used to be on the banks there. Boy! There were some wild times there back then!”

Cypress Swamps of South Carolina

It’s less than a two-hour drive from the magnolia-lined Rainbow Row of Charleston, South Carolina’s historic district to the cypress swamps of the state’s rural countryside. They do things differently here. Along the way, Scott stopped at a dirt road intersection and got out of the truck.

Standing solemnly, his hat on his heart, we watched a funeral procession pass. “I didn’t know the poor departed but this is how we do it out here in the country,” he said. “See over there,” he said pointing to the overgrown cemetery, “that’s from before the Civil War. Both blacks and whites are buried there but there’s a deep trench between the two sides to keep the spirits from mingling.”

Mark and I smiled. We know we live in Charleston but sometimes we forget it’s in The Deep South. The ramshackle “cat house” lay in a heap by the riverside where we stopped to launch the canoe.

We received a quick lesson on paddle strokes and lashed our gear to the boat. “Look for an upturned paddle planted on the shore,” he hollered as we pulled away. “That’s your landmark for the treehouse”.

Down the Edisto

The February sky was azure, the air chilly. After we rounded the first curve and passed a couple of houses, we didn’t see a soul. Not even another boat. Egrets gracefully glided into the grasses along the banks. Great blue herons and hawks coasted majestically above our heads. The wintery forest enveloped us, extending leafless branches covered with Spanish Moss.

The misty Edisto river at dawn.
The misty Edisto river at dawn.

We learned quickly how to navigate around fallen trees as we paddled downstream. Cypress trees lined the banks. No alligators this time of year but we knew that this area is full of them.

The current of the river carried us quickly without much effort and we soon fell into a rhythm, paddling further into the winter shadows.

Our little Treehouse Perch

Four hours later there was the sign and the incongruous appearance of three little treehouses. We easily beached the canoe on the riverbank and got out to see where we would be spending the night.

Perched in a tree up a steep staircase was a tiny gem of a house complete with a front door and carpeted floor.

Downstairs is one room with a futon, a table for two, a counter with a gas-burning camp stove, a propane heater, a few magazines, games, and pots and pans. Built into the eave of the house was our sleeping loft.

A triangular-shaped window served as the mattress’s headboard. Lying there you can see through the tree limbs to the river below. Although there is another, larger treehouse nearby, no one was there but us. Intoxicating isolation. We roamed among the 150 acres and explored the other accommodations, the outhouse, meadows, and fields.

On the way back, as the temperature dropped, we gathered fallen branches and piled them in a firepit. We sat by the fire until the cold black night drove us into our toasty warm, cozy hideaway. Many honeymooners come to this treehouse and, as we nestled into the loft, we could see the reason.

Journal Entries about the Treehouse Stay

Map of Edisto River and the treehouses in South Carolina.From the journal entries by previous occupants about their treehouse stay, we read, “Since we’re senior citizens it took us six hours to make it “home”. We raced the oncoming thunderstorms before the heavens opened…we slept with Mother Nature’s percussion on the roof”.

We read about the elaborate meals boaters had lugged in to make on the grills and propane stoves provided. Lobster grits, steaks, fine wines.

They’d left little gifts behind. A can of smoked oysters, coffee, and hot chocolate shared shelf space with kitchen matches and candles.

Another journal entry captured the mood: “? PM: fat and happy in the treehouse. Raining outside and not a care in the world.”

The journal tells of many families who have enjoyed their stays too. A fat rope swinging from a strong branch invites belly flops into the river. Miles of trails to roam and critters to discover can easily fill days with wonder.

Fishing and alligator sightings become part of family anecdotes retold for years. Spooky cypress knees transform into imaginative creatures in the creative minds of children.

Do We have to leave the Treehouse?

The next morning we dawdled and lay around. “This would be a cool place to come again when we can swim,” I remarked. “But it’s so nice when it’s chilly and there are no bugs, and no one around,” Mark answered. As we finally loaded our gear and headed out for the four-hour return trip, it started to drizzle.

River reflections. treehouse stay in south carolina
River reflections.

We slipped through the foggy forest silently. The river pulled us along as we paddled languidly. All too soon we were back at the outfitter’s camp. The weather had deteriorated and we were wet and tired but sorry to see our adventure over.

Driving back to Charleston, the treehouse already seemed like a fairytale, one I would recall fondly just like a previous visitor who’d written in the journal: “Every night when I’m going to sleep I’m going to close my eyes and pretend I’m in the treehouse…”

Want to Go?

Carolina Heritage Outfitters is located in Canadys, SC about 90 miles from Charleston just off of I-95. Treehouse stay includes canoe rentals, transportation and lodging.

They also rent canoes for day trips, have a primitive camp for groups, and a camping cabin.

Carol Antman

 

Read another story about a Treehouse Stay in Ohio on GoNOMAD

Carol Antman is a writer living in Sullivan’s Island, SC.

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