Why Congaree National Park Is Worth a Visit

Some say Congaree is the worst national park in the United States. The naysayers are wrong. Once you kayak and explore, you’ll find Congaree National Park worth a visit.

Yes, it can be hot and buggy, depending on the season. Yet Congaree National Park is worth a visit for its unique beauty as a floodplain, its diverse ecosystem, and its almost guarantee to see a variety of birds and reptiles, including snakes, turtles, and alligators.

The best way to experience that ecosystem is kayaking along Cedar Creek. You’ll feel like you’re in a swamp as tree roots stretch along the bank, with their knees popping in and out of the water in an eerie yet beautiful sort of way.

Listen to the sounds of the forest. You might hear the hoot of an owl or the pecking of a pileated woodpecker. Observe your surroundings as you paddle slowly along the creek to find snakes slithering along a branch or a turtle perched on a stick poking out of the water. During part of the year, you might even see a baby alligator in the creek.

Congaree Swamp National Monument was redesignated to Congaree National Park in 2003, making it the 57th national park in the United States (https://www.nps.gov/cong/learn/historyculture/history-culture.htm). Each of the current 63 national parks has at least one crown jewel that you must see or experience to say you visited the park. At Congaree – it is kayaking along Cedar Creek.

The relaxing paddle down the blackwater stream allowed me to enjoy the sound of the oar splashing through the water as birds chirp in the distance and dragonflies buzz by my ears. We were fortunate enough to see a barred owl along the path for a few moments before it flew away. I was so enthralled that I forgot to take a picture before it was too late.

Bugs are an issue without bug spray

Yes, there are bugs—and a lot of them. When we went in early June, the mosquito meter was a 4 out of 6 — which is severe. Six, on the scale, is known as “warzone.”

The key to no bites: bug spray, bug spray, bug spray!

I thoroughly covered myself with bug spray—on every inch of skin, all over my clothes, and even in my hair. And guess what, I never received a bite.

Not all bugs are created equal. I loved it when a dragonfly landed on my boat and stayed there until right when I got my camera out. There are 140 species of butterflies, 1,000 species of moths, and thousands of other types of insects, according to the park brochure. Not only did I not get a bug bite, I was too interested in the various snakes we saw on the kayaking trip to worry or care about the bugs.

Kayaking with a guide has advantages

My teenage son and I went kayaking with Carolina Outdoor Adventures
(https://www.carolinaoutdooradventures.com/kayaking-trips-carolina-outdooradventures.htm#congaree), and even forgot the bug spray but the crew shared theirs, and we were both fine. Another son chose to skip the kayaking, and when we went on a two-mile hike that afternoon, he was chewed up because he had no bug spray on.
The guides for the approximately three-hour kayaking trip talked about the history of the area, pointed out the various trees – bald cypress, water tupelo, pine, and willow oak. Along the blackwaters of the park, the guides seemed to be experts at finding various snakes, birds, and turtles. I highly recommend using a guide. Carolina Outdoor Adventures is one of four listed on the park website, and we really enjoyed them.

Cedar Creek was amazing

Cedar Creek was amazing and is what makes Congaree National Park worth a visit. The blackwater was the color of iced tea due to the sediment and decaying vegetation in the water. The various trees were not only tall, but unique with their root system that sprawled out along the bank like a five-finger grab.

Even though I’ve been to Redwoods and Sequoia, I thought the trees in Congaree along the creek looked tall. Many of the trees reach at least 130-150 feet high, about a third of the size of the giant Sequoias Out West, but still look like giants.

According to displays in the visitor center, loblolly pines at Congaree get to be about 166 feet, with a circumference of 15.6 feet with a crown spread of 67 feet. A water tupelo can reach a height of 114 feet with over 19 feet in circumference and crown spread of 58 feet, a swamp tupelo can reach 132 feet with a circumference of 15.6 feet and 64 feet in crown spread, and a bald cypress can reach 131 feet with 26 feet in circumference and crown spread of 48 feet (source park visitor center exhibits).

In June, we saw so many snakes I lost track. I was especially excited about seeing an orange-banded water snake, a long common brown water snake, and a poisonous water moccasin (aka cottonmouth).

Wildlife makes Congaree National Park worth a visit

After kayaking, we enjoyed seeing other wildlife throughout the day, including a blue-tailed skink, which was incredibly beautiful. This skink is not poisonous, but a park employee said it can create a foul smell.

There are other animals in the park, although we didn’t see them on this trip, including river otters, white-tailed deer, fox squirrels, and 18 kinds of frogs. Besides the alligators and poisonous snakes, Congaree also has feral hogs.

Congaree encompasses the largest, contiguous old-growth bottom land hardwood forest in North America still intact. https://www.nps.gov/cong/learn/cbr.htm According to the park site, over 15,000 acres of the Congaree Biosphere Region are protected due to their importance to clean air and water. In addition, about 5,500-acres of wilderness and 5,700-acres of non-wilderness (including the visitor center, facilities, and trails) are managed-use areas.

Hiking in Congaree

There are several hiking trails of varying difficulties and lengths, ranging from the moderate Fork Swamp Trail at 0.6 of a mile on the eastern side of the park to the difficult 12-mile roundtrip Kingsnake Trail on the western side which is a favorite of bird lovers.

According to the park map, all but two designated trails are on the western side near the visitor center, including:

• The easy 2.6-mile roundtrip Boardwalk Loop Trail that is elevated, wheelchair and stroller accessible, and has benches
• The moderate 4.5-mile roundtrip Weston Lake Trail noted for seeing otters
• The difficult 7.1-mile Oakridge Trail where you might see deer and wild turkeys

There are four other easy trails besides the boardwalk. Check them out at https://www.nps.gov/cong/planyourvisit/trail-information.htm

See wildlife on boardwalk

The Boardwalk Loop Trail is a fantastic way to see the alligators in the wild from the safety of a deck. The wooden walkway cuts through the old-growth forest and journeys to Weston Lake where alligators and turtles commonly swim.

About midway along the Boardwalk Loop Trail, at the overlook, we saw alligators swimming in Weston Lake. A group of turtles frolicked directly underneath where we were standing on the overlook. This is a great place to hang out and observe and listen.

You will see a variety of trees while walking on the boardwalk, including bald cypress. Its intricate root system, called knees, pop out of the ground to help stabilize these giant trees in this floodplain.

We were able to admire a beautiful great white heron, just walking around a flooded area off the trail. There are over 100 bird species including eagles, hawks, warblers, sparrows, and herons.
https://www.nps.gov/cong/learn/nature/index.htm

Most of the hikes start near the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. The center is worth stopping by to learn about the area’s culture and history and it sells books, shirts, cups, and other souvenirs. I picked up an ornament and decal to add to my collection. The center has clean bathrooms. This is the only area in the park to buy water, so come prepared.

Synchronized fireflies

One of the park’s biggest attractions is the synchronized fireflies in May. Due to the high demand, you need tickets, which you can get at https://www.recreation.gov. Congaree is home to several species of fireflies. You may be old enough to remember catching fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, in your backyard as a kid. They don’t seem to be as prevalent now and seeing them flash in unison in May is something I’d like to come back and see. https://www.nps.gov/cong/learn/nature/synchronized-fireflies-at-congaree.htm

Know before you go!

Park floods often

You should be aware the park floods often. According to the National Park Service, almost 80 percent of the park is in the floodplain of the Congaree River and floods several times a year meaning backcountry trails and even parts of the boardwalk can be inaccessible https://www.nps.gov/cong/planyourvisit/conditions.htm. When the boardwalk floods, if the trail is open, you can walk barefooted or with water shoes, but keep in mind this is near the lake which usually has alligators nearby.

Tent camping only

Congaree doesn’t have a lodge and only has tent camping. To make camp site reservations, go to https://www.recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777. There are campgrounds outside of the park that may allow for RVs and popups, visit https://southcarolinaparks.com/camping-andlodging/camping. Our hotel in Columbia, S.C., was about 20 minutes away.

No food service

There’s also no food service in the park, except snacks and drinks inside the visitor center, located at 100 National Park Road, Hopkins, S.C., which is usually open most days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except holidays. There is a water fountain outside the visitor center. The park is free and open year-round. For more information, look at the National Park Service mobile app or visit their website, www.nps.gov.

Bring bug spray

Bring your own snacks, water, and bug spray. I mistakenly thought I could purchase bug spray on the way there, but once I left the Hampton Inn in Columbia’s historic district there really wasn’t any place to get any. I’m not sure if the visitor center had any, since that was our last stop. Using bug spray—which is necessary—is the difference between a great visit and one that stinks.

Cell service not good

And, like many of our beautiful national parks, cell service isn’t that good. So, know your limits, let people know you are hiking/kayaking, bring your own snacks, water, and bug spray, and enjoy.

Congaree National Park is absolutely worth a visit. I plan to come back to see the fireflies. But if you only visit once, you must kayak on Cedar Creek as that is what makes this park beautiful, interesting and worth a visit.