With summer quickly winding down, Goose Creek State Park is hosting the Palmetto Boardwalk hike for all ages on Tuesday starting at 2p.m. The walk begins at the visitor center.

The Palmetto Boardwalk Trail is lined with trees covered in Spanish moss and is less than a mile long.

Joseph Martin, a park ranger, will teach hikers how Mother Nature is changing the current hardwood swamp into a marsh. Hikers will learn how hurricanes have affected the swamp due to the movement of water during storms.

“Trees have started to die off and there are a lot more cattails and grass species in there than would be if it was still a complete swamp, the way that it used to be,” said Joseph Hawley, an environmental specialist.

According to Hawley, the current hardwood swamp is lined with gum and cypress trees, which block the sun. However, with the trees dying out, this has allowed for more grass to grow, Hawley said.

Participants in the Palmetto Boardwalk hike will get a firsthand look at the amphibious wildlife that calls the trail area home. Martin plans to bring a net and bucket along to allow people to get up close with the wildlife.

“There are all kinds of frogs and tadpoles, crayfish, along with a few different species of fish,” Hawley said. “We’ll look at those and talk about the habitats they live in and how those species are changing.”

Along with the amphibious creatures, hikers are also going to get a chance to look at the different types of birds that call Goose Creek State Park home.

“In the trees that are dying out, there are tons of woodpecker holes,” Hawley said. “There are woodpeckers, owls and bats living in those.”

The hike is free for participants, and people are encouraged to bring their own drinks on the nearly hour-long hike.

For more information about the hike and other Goose Creek State Park activities, call 252-923-2191.