Woods Bay State Natural Area offers a close-up look at the unique geology of the Carolina bays of the Atlantic coastal plain, along with the mystery and diverse ecology of a southern cypress-tupelo swamp.

Habitats at 1,540-acre Woods Bay also include marsh, sand hills, oak-hickory forest and a shrub bog. More than 75 species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians are found here, along with more than 150 species of birds, changing with the seasons.

Visitors enjoy canoeing, fishing, walking, hiking and photography on the 500-foot boardwalk, canoe trail and nature trail.

Woods Bay was registered as a Heritage Trust Site in 1981 for its outstanding example of a Carolina bay.

Located throughout the Atlantic coastal plain, most Carolina Bays are found in South Carolina, North Carolina aand Georgia.

The bays themselves are elliptical depressions of unknown origin. Oriented in a northwest-southeast direction, Carolina Bays range in size from less than an acre to several thousand acres or more.

A sand rim is characteristically associated with these features and is most visible along the southeastern edge. Several theories exist about their formation.

The most popular include sea or underground springs, meteorites or tidal eddies.

South Carolina offers a variety of Park Passports. You can read more about the South Carolina Park Passports and order online by visiting the SOUTH CAROLINA PARK PASSPORTS web page.