Congaree National Park Travel Guide

One of my many travel goals is to visit all the National Parks in the US. Congaree is small and not well-known, but it is one you cannot miss. The land is a marshy floodplain and a perfect home for birds and owls.

Explore the old, dark forest and bring your ‘mudding’ boots as the hiking trails may be submerged by the river any season. Paddle through the southern jungle on a canoe tour as you keep an eye out for the wild boar in the backcountry. Here are a few travel tips for when you visit!

Where To Find It:

Congaree National Park is a 26,276-acre American national park in central South Carolina. Located around twenty miles southeast of Columbia. It is the perfect place for a day trip. And guess what? It is free to enter! Don’t forget to stop by the Harry Hampton Visitor Center to find maps, snacks, and souvenirs.

Where To Stay:

Camping! Tent camping is the only option for an overnight stay in this national park. Choose between the two campground options:

Front Country Camping: Longleaf Campground

Back Country Camping: Bluff Campground (requires a mile-long hike)

You must reserve your site, before arriving. There are group campsite options if you are traveling in a larger group, or there are ten individual sites to choose from. Keep in mind, you cannot drive up to your site. There is a gravel parking lot, then around a one-hundred-yard walk to the campsites. Longleaf Campground is $10 a night. (Full disclosure, I was not a fan of having to carry all our gear from the car to the campsite. I recommend bringing a wagon to help. Also, there were many spiders and bugs which caused my liking of this park to drop). The mosquitoes can also be fierce at certain times of the year. be sure to bring repellent!

If you do not want to camp, book a hotel near Columbia, the nearest city to Congaree.

Where To Eat:

There are no places to eat within Congaree National Park. The best place to eat in Congaree National Park is at your campsite! Start by building a fire, in the campground pit, and grill anything you like. Don’t forget your marshmallow for smores! (If you are not a fan of grilling or eating outdoors, the city of Columbia is not far away. Stop in Columbia for a bite to eat, before heading into the park).

Climate and Best Time to Go:

Contrary to popular belief, Congaree is not a marshland. It is defined as the largest hardwood forest in the southeastern US and is a floodplain filled with waterways and sky-high champion trees.

Spring – From March through May is a great time to visit the park. Temperatures are gradually getting warmer; rain and mosquitos are not usually a problem.

Summer – June to August is normally the hottest time of the year in addition to the high humidity. Rain is at its highest point this time of year and thunderstorms are not uncommon.

Autumn – September through November is another great time to visit Congaree. Temperatures are starting to drop and the humidity is lowering. This is a perfect time to canoe or paddle down Cedar Creek. Also, don’t forget to catch those fall colors!

Winter – November through February is a mild winter season. Temperatures are mild, however, it can get freezing at night. Flooding is most likely to occur during these months.

Bucket List Activities

Be sure to check Congaree’s main website to see if the conditions of the trail are walkable. Most trails start at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. Here are a few to try!

Hiking – There are 10 walking trails throughout the park, ranging from easy to difficult.

Boardwalk Loop Trail: Easy, 2.6 miles – Starting at the visitor center this elevated section leads down into the old-growth bottomland hardwood forest. A variety of different tree species can be seen here including bald cypress and tupelo trees. Loblolly pines, oaks, holly trees, and maples can also be seen. The boardwalk has benches along the way and is wheelchair and stroller accessible.

Weston Lake Trail: Moderate, 4.4 miles – Starting off the Boardwalk Loop, this loop provides great views of Cedar Creek where otters and wading birds can be seen. The eastern portion of the trail follows a dried-up river bed where many cypress knees (roots) can be seen sticking out of water.

River Trail: Difficult, 10.1 miles – Starting off the Weston Lake Trail, this trail leads to the Congaree River. Approximately ten times a year, the river floods throughout the bottomland forest. When the river is low, a large sandbar may be visible. This trail typically has a thicker brush than the other trails.

Canoeing and Kayaking – Cedar’s Creek winds through 27 miles of the park. It is the perfect way to explore the wilderness!

Spend the day paddling down the 27 miles of ink-black river waters. Choose from a ranger-led Wilderness Canoe tour or rent a canoe and explore on your own through River Runner Outdoor Center. Be sure to soak up all the scenery.

Take a ranger-led “Owl Prowl” night hike through the forest

Check the “Mosquito Meter” at the Visitor Center. It will let you know how buggy the park will be.

Instagram Worthy Spots

Take a photo for your Instagram beside the centuries-old champion trees. What is a champion tree? It is a super-sized tree of its species. Each tree is measured for its trunk circumference, height, and an average reach of the branches. It is awarded points and tallied for a total score (representing a tree’s wood volume). Trees with the highest score win. Thus, a champion may not be the tallest of its species or have the thickest trunk; it’s the combination of all three measurements that determines its champion status.

(Pictured Below, I couldn’t even get the whole tree in one photo!)

Thank you for reading!

If you have any specific questions, do not hesitate to comment down below! Or you can email us!