Congaree National Park
RV Guide

Congaree National Park offers a variety of ranger-led programs that educate visitors and campers about the park’s history, features, wildlife and vegetation. These range from guided tours on the park’s waters to hikes along the park’s trails. The Nature Discovery Walk, for instance, takes visitors and campers along the Boardwalk in the park, led by a knowledgeable volunteer naturalist. The walk covers a round-trip distance of 2.4 miles and usually takes two hours to complete.

Wonderful recreational fishing opportunities are available in Congaree River, Cedar Creek and the oxbow lakes at Congaree National Park. River striped bass is the most abundant fish species in Congaree river, while anglers get to catch catfish, bass, crappie and many fishes in the creek and oxbow lake.

A valid South Carolina fishing license is required before fishing in the park, and only the Weston Lake overlook and the surrounding area is closed to fishing. The allowed fishing method in the park is with closely attended hook and line, fly rod, casting rod, pole and line or hand line. The use of inboard and outboard motorboats is prohibited.

Canoeing and kayaking on Cedar Creek is an absolutely exciting way to experience Congaree National Park. Visitors and campers alike do not miss out on the opportunity to paddle across this waterway that passes through a primeval old-growth forest containing some of the tallest trees in the entire eastern North America. Moreover, there are opportunities to view various wildlife in the park along the creek. Novice and expert paddlers have enjoyable trips on the marked Cedar Creek Trail that is approximately 15 miles in length. You are required to bring your own vessels unless you want to participate in a guided tour.

Wildlife species, birds, reptiles, insects and many other faunae call Congaree National Park their home because the park features habitats that support them. From slow moving creeks to oxbow lakes, sloughs and forested areas, these animals thrive and occur in abundance and offer visitors and campers beautiful sights. For instance, 178 bird species have been recorded in the park, including pelicans, herons, egrets, and vireos. In addition, bats, coyotes, gray fox, turtles, and various snake species are present in the park.

Congaree National Park is well known for its flora diversity and uniqueness. The park is primarily significant thanks to its unique bottomland hardwood forest communities, forest canopy and champion trees height, and its diverse ecosystem. As you visit and spend time at Congaree National Park, you will see the various forest communities that are represented across the park’s landscape, featuring upland pines, bald cypress, and water tupelo. These trees occur from the elevated bluffs in the park to the floodplain areas. Consequently, everywhere you go, these resplendent florae will greet you.

There are many hiking trails in Congaree National Park that range from short hikes to longer treks into the backcountry areas, thereby offering campers and visitors a variety of options that suit their hiking skills and abilities.
Your choice of what you want to see will inform where you want to hike to and which trail to set out on. Some of the trails in the park lead to oxbow lakes, while others lead to Congaree River. You could also hike the trails where you will see stands of spectacular old-growth trees that make up the tallest deciduous forest in the US. You can rest assured that you’ll have a wonderful hiking experience at Congaree National Park.