Caesar’s Head State Park / Hawk Watch

We will meet at the Caesars Head State Park Visitors Center parking area.
35.106038943794324, -82.6260896511111.

Caesars Head State Park does not take reservations for day-use parking. All parking is first-come-first-serve. There is NO roadside parking at Caesars Head, so we will begin a bit earlier at 10. Park opens at 9. There is an additional parking area about a mile further north towards the NC/SC border. This parking lot provides viewing access to the spectacular 420-foot Raven Cliff Falls and to several other popular hiking trails.

At an elevation of 3,208 feet, Caesars Head State Park is situated on the south facing Blue Ridge Escarpment, which rises steeply from the Piedmont Province below. The unique geography helps create ideal wind conditions for soaring raptors, including “kettling” Broad-winged Hawks during their fall migration. Former Park Naturalist Irvin Pitts started the Caesars Head volunteer hawk watch in the 1980s.These counts continued and are reported each year to the Hawk Migration Association of North America and to Cornell University’s Laboratory ofOrnithology.

From our vantage point atop the observation deck at the Caesars Head Overlook, a granitic-gneiss outcrop, we will search the sky for migrating raptors, especially Broad-winged Hawks which pass through in late September. We may also see Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, Ospreys, Bald Eagles, American Kestrels and Merlins, as well as, our resident Black Vultures, Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks and Peregrine Falcons. In addition, we might also see Red-headed Woodpeckers, Common Ravens and migrant songbirds, especially thrushes and wood warblers. So, bring your binoculars and hat, sunglasses and sunscreen is recommended.

The park has many trails to explore for our SCANing. These trails are located throughout the park and are of various lengths and difficulties. A few begin near the visitor center. Across the street, #15 the Frank Coggins trail is an approximately 2-mile long loop. It descends 700’. There are 2 spring-fed creeks, waterfalls and small caves to check out.

The park is home to many wildflowers, mushrooms, and animals. Special species to look for:

The green salamander Aneides aeneus is the only arboreal salamander in SC, 8-12cm in length, sports toe pads to climb rocky cliffs and trees. They can be found in shaded damp crevices, under logs, or loose bark. The green salamander is in critical status.

The Piedmont Ragwort, grows on granitic outcrops. Divided leaf Groundsel and Parnassia gluca are also special to this area.

Directions:
There are several routes to Caesar’s Head. The directions below has little traffic and very scenic.

From I-26 Exit 5, take Hwy 11 west for 26.1 miles.
Turn right onto 276, go for 5.4 miles
Take the slight right as Hwy 11 and 276 separate. 276 also named Geer Hwy heads north.
Go 7.4 miles up steep curvy 276 to the Caesars Head Visitor Center
on your left.

https://www.google.com/…/Caesars+Head+State+Park…
,+Cleveland,+SC/@35.0891564,-82.6324606,14z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x8859b6e7b315549b:0x4870b297be11fd07!2m2!1d-82.626111!2d35.105859!3e0

Trail access cost: $3 adults; $1.50 SC seniors.

The Eva Chandler Preserve and Bald Rock Preserve are part of the Mountain Bridge Wilderness area, within a few miles from Caesar’s Head which sit at different elevations. Both are right off 276.

After Caesar’s Head, if you have time and energy you can explore Eva Chandler Preserve.

35.08431488513215, -82.6 074160324304.

From 276 take the gravel Persimmon Ridge road. The 253 acre Eva Chandler Preserve sits at 1575’ above sea level. Per DNR , the ECHP protects several rare plant species, including the state-threatened plant species, Grass-of-Parnassus (blooms in late fall), Indian paintbrush and Thousand-Leaf Groundsel. There are two short trails. One path to the north leads to a pond and another trail follows south to an overlook, a granite rock bald with Slickum creek flowing off the edge.

Bald Rock Heritage Preserve sits at 1709’ with 165 acres and 2 short trails. This granite outcrop is managed by the SC Department of Natural resources. Two headwater streams, seeps and waterslides provide habitat for the nationally threatened plant species, Piedmont Ragwort.

https://www.google.com/…/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d…
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