Exploring Congaree National Park: Best Tips + Activities

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Podcast Episode Overview

The swamp lights up like a galaxy, and the forest hums with life you can hear before you see. Congaree surprised us in the best way, and we left with our socks knocked clean off!

In this episode, we cover:

• Where Congaree National Park is, how close it is to Columbia and Charleston, and why it’s still one of the least visited parks
• When to go, including mosquitoes, water levels, and why late March worked so well for us
• The boardwalk loop trail from the Harry Hampton Visitor Center, side trails, and what you’ll see along the way
• How to experience Cedar Creek by kayak or canoe, and why we chose a guided tour
• Congaree’s synchronous fireflies, plus the lottery and timing, compared to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Your task for today: Make sure to head over to the @DirtInMyShoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know if you’re more excited to see the spiders or the snakes. Bonus points if you have been to Congaree and have stories to share!

Planning your own Congaree adventure?

• Congaree National Park website: https://www.nps.gov/cong/index.htm
• Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/
• National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 
• Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

Exploring Congaree

We put off visiting Congaree National Park for years because of spiders, snakes, and mosquitoes, but we finally went and fell in love with this small park in the southeastern United States. Just 30 minutes outside of Columbia, South Carolina, this park is one of the least visited national parks despite its easy access. The park protects the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in eastern North America and is full of bald cypress trees, cypress knees, tupelo trees, and loblolly pines.

We stayed in Columbia and explored the east side of the park first via the Fork Swamp Trail and Bates Ferry Trailhead near the Congaree River Blue Trail. It wasn’t well marked and had some rough edges, but we still enjoyed views of the General Greene Tree, muddy forested trails with crayfish mounds, and a peek into this unique floodplain. The Harry Hampton Visitor Center is where most people go, and it’s also where you’ll find the mosquito meter and the park’s most popular elevated boardwalk.

Exploring on foot and by water

We visited in early spring, which turned out to be the best time for us. Water levels were low enough to hike, mosquito activity was minimal, and we even saw a few snakes and a water moccasin from the safety of the Boardwalk Trail. The boardwalk loop is about 2.5 miles and includes interpretive signs and views of the forest floor. You can also access the Weston Lake Loop Trail and Wise Lake if you want to leave the crowds.

Our favorite way to explore the Congaree wilderness was on the Cedar Creek Canoe Trail. We went with a guided tour from Carolina Adventures, and it was the best way to get through the twisting creek, spot wildlife, and avoid getting stuck behind a downed tree. We paddled through longleaf pines, watched river otters, and listened to the forest come alive. There’s a canoe launch at South Cedar Creek Canoe Landing, but we wouldn’t have felt comfortable going without a guide, even with our own equipment.

Magical fireflies and a few surprises

Congaree is also home to synchronous fireflies in May, typically a few weeks before the similar show in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You’ll need to enter a lottery for tickets. We haven’t gotten lucky yet, but it’s one of the main reasons many people plan a visit. We also loved the Kingsnake Trail for birding with the Merlin app and had a close call when a frog fell from the trees—just another reminder that Congaree is teeming with life.

Congaree National Park is absolutely worth visiting. The landscape changes constantly with heavy flooding, and park rangers work hard to preserve this natural habitat. Congaree was once the Congaree Swamp National Monument, and it still feels wild and full of secrets. It’s a great place to experience the best things about the National Park Service in an underrated, unforgettable setting.

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Links mentioned in this podcast episode:

• Favorite National Park Experiences of 2024 Episode 100
• Congaree National Park Official Website
• Congaree Trails Information
• Harry Hampton Visitor Center
• Congaree current conditions
• Congaree synchronous fireflies and lottery
• Great Smoky Mountains synchronous fireflies
• Cedar Creek canoe and kayak trail
• Carolina Adventures (guided paddling)
• Junior Ranger program

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