South Carolina’s only national park has record-breaking trees and costs nothing to enter

They’re called the Redwoods of the East

Congaree National Park sits about 20 miles southeast of Columbia, South Carolina, and most people have never heard of it.

That’s a shame, because you’re looking at the largest intact old-growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the entire southeastern United States.

The canopy here rises above 100 feet on average, high enough to earn the place its nickname. It costs nothing to walk in, it never closes, and the trees are just the start of what’s waiting under that canopy.

A newspaper editor fought decades to save it

The park takes its name from the Congaree people who once lived across this land.

In the early 1900s, a lumberman named Francis Beidler bought the property but only allowed limited logging, so most of the old growth stayed standing.

Then in the 1950s, newspaper editor Harry Hampton started a one-man campaign to protect the forest for good. His push sparked a grassroots movement that led Congress to establish Congaree Swamp National Monument in 1976.

The site became a full national park on Nov. 10, 2003.

It’s a floodplain, not a swamp

The old name had “swamp” in it, and the place can look swampy when the water’s up. But Congaree is actually a floodplain.

A swamp holds standing water all year. A floodplain is low ground near a river that floods on a cycle.

The Congaree and Wateree Rivers spill into this forest roughly 10 times a year, dropping layers of nutrient-rich silt across the floor. That silt is rocket fuel for the trees.

Most of the year, though, the ground is dry enough to walk on.

A loblolly pine here stands 167 feet tall

You’ll find multiple national and state champion trees inside the park, meaning the largest known specimens of their species.

The national champion loblolly pine reaches roughly 167 feet, about as tall as a 17-story building. A sweetgum hits about 157 feet.

A cherrybark oak stands at roughly 154 feet. An American elm reaches about 135 feet.

Some of the bald cypresses are believed to be centuries old, with trunk circumferences topping 26 feet. Their cone-shaped “knees” poke up from the root systems above the waterline all around you.

Walk six feet above the forest floor

The Boardwalk Loop Trail is the one most people hit first, and for good reason.

It runs about 2.6 miles through the heart of the old growth on an elevated walkway that sits roughly six feet above the forest floor. That keeps you above floodwaters and mud.

The trail ends at Weston Lake, a former channel of the Congaree River where you might spot alligators, turtles and wading birds just off the platform.

Check conditions before you go, since sections of the boardwalk may be under repair.

Paddle 15 miles of blackwater creek

Cedar Creek gives you roughly 15 miles of paddling through the old-growth forest.

The water looks black under the canopy because of the tannins, and you’ll glide past towering bald cypress and tupelo trees with roots that form striking knees and buttresses rising straight from the creek.

You won’t find rentals inside the park, but outfitters around Columbia carry canoes and kayaks and run guided trips.

The Congaree River Blue Trail stretches about 50 miles from downtown Columbia downstream through the park if you want a bigger run. Grab a free backcountry permit and you can camp overnight along the way.

Fireflies flash in sync for two weeks each spring

For about two weeks between mid-May and mid-June, synchronous fireflies turn the forest floor into a light show you won’t find in many other places.

The species here, Photuris frontalis, is one of only three in North America where the males flash together in unison to attract mates.

The synchronized pulses start shortly after sunset and last about an hour, sending waves of light rolling across the ground.

A lottery-based ticket system controls access during the event to protect the habitat, so you’ll want to plan ahead. People travel from across the country for this one.

Over 25 miles of trails and almost all flat

Beyond the boardwalk, more than 25 miles of hiking trails spread through the park, and nearly every one of them runs flat.

The Weston Lake Loop follows Cedar Creek through cypress-tupelo forest and draws birders from all over. The Oakridge Trail covers about 7.1 miles and passes low-lying sloughs where deer and wild turkey like to feed.

Since the whole park sits in a floodplain, trails beyond the boardwalk can go underwater fast. Check conditions before you head out, especially after heavy rain.

Listen for barred owls calling in broad daylight

The USGS has documented over 1,200 species inside the park, including 191 bird species, 45 reptiles, 33 amphibians and 37 mammals. Congaree holds a designation as a Globally Important Bird Area, and it earns it.

Prothonotary warblers, sometimes called “swamp canaries” for their bright yellow feathers, nest in cypress tree cavities throughout the forest.

River otters, white-tailed deer, bobcats and armadillos move through the understory. Barred owls call even during the daytime here, and their hooting carries a long way under the dense canopy.

Cover your flashlight in red for the Owl Prowl

The park runs free ranger-led programs throughout the year, and the Owl Prowl is the one people talk about most. It’s a guided night hike held on select dates where you walk the trails in the dark listening for owls.

Everyone covers their flashlights with red cellophane so the light doesn’t disturb the birds, and the whole walk runs one to two hours. Sign up early, because spots fill fast.

Other free programs include the Nature Discovery Walk, Bird Walk/Talk and educational sessions for kids.

Follow a 1920s ferry road on the quiet east side

Most visitors cluster around the western side near the visitor center and boardwalk, but the eastern half of the park is a different world.

The Bates Ferry Trail follows a 1920s ferry road through land tied to colonial-era river crossings.

Wayside exhibits along the route cover Spanish explorers, American Revolution activity and a Civil War skirmish from 1865.

You can reach the Congaree River by boat from the Route 601 landing outside the park, though there’s no vehicle access to the river from inside. If you want solitude, this is where you find it.

Fewer than 300,000 people visit each year

Congaree pulls fewer than 300,000 visitors a year. Yellowstone and Great Smoky Mountains draw millions.

That gap means you can walk these trails without fighting crowds on most days.

The park is compact enough that you can hit the highlights in a single day, though a second day opens up paddling and longer hikes.

About 21,700 acres carry a wilderness designation, which is a rare thing to find just 20 miles from a state capital.

No entrance fee, no parking fee and free ranger programs make it one of the easiest national parks in the country to visit.

Explore Congaree National Park in South Carolina

You’ll find the park at 100 National Park Road, Hopkins, S.C. 29061, about 20 miles southeast of Columbia.

Start at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center, where you can grab maps, check trail conditions, watch an introductory film on the old-growth forest and sign up for ranger programs.

From I-77, take Exit 5 onto SC Highway 48 East/Bluff Road and follow the brown and white directional signs to the entrance. The park charges no entrance fee and stays open around the clock, every day of the year.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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