Best trails in Congaree National Park

4.3(8,070 reviews)

United States
:
#33 of 60 national parks

Congaree National Park preserves the largest old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the U.S., rich with champion trees like towering loblolly pines and ancient bald cypress draped in moss. Explore via the accessible 2.4-mile Boardwalk Loop or via longer forest and canoe trails through floodplain pathways. Paddlers can journey Cedar Creek or the Congaree River and book primitive backcountry campsites by permit. Wildlife includes deer, otters, birds and amphibians. The Harry Hampton Visitor Center offers parking, exhibits and trail info.

Top trails

The Boardwalk Loop is elevated almost 6 feet above the forest floor and meanders through a diverse old-growth forest. You can use the self-guided brochure (available at the visitor center) to learn more about the area's natural resources. Keep an ear out for the sound of woodpeckers hammering away in the tall trees above. The boardwalk will take you past Weston Lake, which is an old channel of the Congaree River. Accessibility: Equipment This trail is likely accessible for visitors...

#2 - Weston Lake Loop Trail

This trail begins by following an elevated boardwalk through a diverse, old growth forest. Eventually, you will leave the boardwalk to continue on the Weston Lake Trail, which passes Weston Lake and Cedar Creek. Keep an eye out for a variety of wildlife along this trail! There are many benches along the way to stop for a snack and to take in the scenery.

This trail gives you a taste of everything that Congaree National Park has to offer, from raised and low boardwalks above swamp, to remote sections of the park, plus a couple of forest lakes. Keep an eye out for wildlife, including many species of birds, wild hogs, and deer. There are also many species of trees along this route, including huge uprooted trees, enormous deciduous and pine trees. The trail is almost completely shaded. Be sure to bring bug spray, as mosquitoes are common along...

This trail leaves from the Harry Hampton Visitor Center and follows the Bluff Trail and Caroline Sims Trail to Wise Lake and back. The trail takes you through a dense forest. Depending on the time of year, the trail can get very muddy, so wearing appropriate footwear is recommended. Be sure to bring bug spray, because mosquitoes are common on this trail. This is a great trail for viewing wildlife.

This trail leads to the Congaree River, which is considered the lifeblood of the national park's great diversity. Wildlife is abundant in this area and the chances you will observe an alligator or two are high. Approximately ten times a year (mostly in winter), floodwaters from the river cover nearly 80% of the park. When the river is low, a large sandbar may be visible.

This trail leaves from the Longleaf Campground, and follows the longleaf trail to the Bluff Trail. Follow the Bluff Trail as it loops through dense forest. The trail follows a wooden boardwalk most of the way is well-maintained and well-marked. Keep an eye out for birds and other wildlife. Be sure to bring bug spray, as mosquitoes are common in this area.

The Firefly Trail winds through an old-growth bottomland swamp on a wooden boardwalk at Congaree National Park. During late spring and early summer, visitors can experience a mesmerizing synchronous firefly display along this trail, creating an unforgettable experience. To protect the fireflies' habitat, a lottery system requires tickets for entry during the firefly viewing period. For more information about the event details and the lottery process, please visit the National Park Service...

The Kingsnake Trail delves into a remote section of Congaree National Park, offering a glimpse into a unique ecosystem. The trail frequently experiences washouts and blow-downs due to flooding rivers, so it's important to be prepared for challenging conditions. Along the way, hikers may spot a variety of wildlife, including deer, raccoons, opossums, and even bobcat tracks. Birdwatching is also excellent along this trail. The trail passes a large cypress-tupelo slough that seems to go on...

#9 - Bates Ferry Trail

A flat, easy trail with historic background within the bounds of Congaree National Park leading to scenic views of the Congaree river. Great opportunities for birding.

#10 - Cedar Creek Paddle Route

4.5(71)

•Easy

•7.4 mi

Showing results 1–10 of 12

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Visitor info

Hours & contact

Open 24 hours

Passes & fees

No fee required

Accessibility

General park hours

Every day • Open 24 hours

Phone

(803) 776-4396

No entrance fee or pass is required.

Annual pass

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Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.

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Overview

Congaree National Park does not charge an entrance fee, but the Interagency Access Pass allows pass holders to receive a 50% discount on other park amenities, such as camping.

The Harry Hampton Visitor Center is accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and has wheelchair accessible restrooms and drinking fountains.

A braille brochure, one standard-sized wheelchair, two large wheelchairs, and three Hippocampe all-terrain wheelchairs are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Kayak adaptations, including a back-of-hand adaptation, a wrist slide adaptation, and a paddle pivot, are also available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Please call ahead or ask at the visitor center to make a reservation for equipment. If you are scheduled for a canoe tour and need an adaptation, please let the park know 24 hours before your tour.

Additional information about accessibility at Congaree National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/cong/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.

Facilities

The Harry Hampton Visitor Center is accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and has wheelchair accessible restrooms and drinking fountains.

The picnic area near the first parking area has 4 wheelchair accessible tables with packed, level paths and surfaces.

Camping

Longleaf Campground Campground has 1 individual wheelchair accessible camping site ( #1) and wheelchair accessible vault toilets.

Service animals

Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.

Guides

Top Picks in Congaree National Park

8 trails

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Trail reviews for Congaree National Park

11,360 trailgoers Busiest in March

Julia Baker

Aug 25, 2025

Easy to parkNot crowdedGreat conditions

We hiked to Weston Lake via the Weston Lake Loop Trail at Congaree National Park. We accessed the trail from the Boardwalk Loop Trail at the park. It is our second favorite trail in the park, and a detour we highly recommend from the Boardwalk Loop Trail if the tide and trail conditions allow. I highly recommend checking the tide chart at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center before going on this trail as it can become flooded. We saw three alligators on our hike.

Weston Lake Loop Trail

Matt L

Jul 16, 2025•Hiking

Awesome coming back to congaree national park. Did most of the boardwalk loop and some of the firefly trail.

Boardwalk Loop

Lara Henry

Mar 26, 2025•Walking

Easy to parkNot crowdedBathrooms availableDog-friendlyGreat conditionsGreat views

First time to visit Congaree National Park and it was exactly what I expected. A lovely quiet walk through a flooded forest with Loblolly Pines. Reaching as high as 160 feet! The boardwalk part of this hike is fairly fairly simple. Once the boardwalk ends where the construction begins you take a right and you head out on this trail which will give you a lot more seclusion than the boardwalk does. Most visitors here seem to be flocking to just the boardwalk area. Find one of these trails that ends at the boardwalk and continues on into what would be called the backcountry here. The trail is flat as can be, I don’t know why my elevation said I had 1000 feet there was nowhere near that, and is fairly wide and is soft dirt with no rocks to trip on. The only thing you’re going to trip on our roots from the trees. Lots of birds singing in the air and woodpeckers searching for grubs in the trees. I didn’t see any other animals like snakes, gators, bears, deer, et cetera. The only other mammal I saw were squirrels everywhere. I ended the trail by doing the firefly trail which was quite interesting as the fireflies were out hovering around the ground and making all sorts of noise that I thought they were bees, but it’s fireflies. Kind of cool to see them during the daytime. I gave this trail five stars because it’s everything that a national park trail should be when it’s trying to educate you as to why this place was designated and national park. This trail gives you a very good sense of the environment, the vegetation, the creeks and rivers and swamps,and wildlife such as birds.

Oakridge Trail

Lorena Ruiz

Feb 20, 2025•Hiking

Easy to parkNot crowdedBathrooms availableDog-friendlyGreat conditionsGreat views

This was our first time visiting Congaree National Park and we had the most wonderful experience. We took it slow and did the easy boardwalk trail. Unfortunately, due to recent rain, the trail was half through under water. We took a side trail (Firefly) to get in a few more views of the park. Definitely hope to come back and do some of the more intense trails in the future!

Firefly Trail

Dave Misselhorn

Nov 8, 2024•Hiking

Easy to parkNot crowdedBathrooms availableDog-friendly

Congaree national Park got here and must’ve rained a lot. All the trails were closed except for a few so I got the closest hike in and then added a couple bits and pieces of other trails area.

Conditions: Bugs, Muddy

Bluff Trail

Savannah Rountree

Oct 13, 2025•Hiking

Easy to parkDog-friendly

forgot to turn my alltrails on but i did every trail. took me about 3 hours. picked up some trash due to the goverment shut down. congaree is beautiful and has lots of hidden gems

Firefly Trail

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Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to hike in Congaree National Park?

According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Congaree National Park is Boardwalk Loop, which has a 4.5 star rating from 3,565 reviews. This trail is 2.3 mi long with an elevation gain of 13 ft.

What is the longest trail in Congaree National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Congaree National Park is Cedar Creek Canoe Trail & Congaree River Paddle. This trail is estimated to be 19.2 mi long.

How many trails are in Congaree National Park?

There are 12 trails in Congaree National Park. These trails have an average 4.3-star rating from 8,070 AllTrails community reviews.

Which trail has the most elevation gain in Congaree National Park?

If you're looking for elevation gain, Congaree National Park has you covered. River Trail boasts the most elevation gain with 49 ft of total ascent. The park's runner-up is Cedar Creek Canoe Trail & Congaree River Paddle, which will get you 36 ft of elevation gain.

Are there camping trails available in Congaree National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there is 1 camping trail in Congaree National Park which is River Trail with an average 4.2 star rating from 444 community reviews.

Are there running trails available in Congaree National Park?

According to AllTrails.com, there are 7 running trails in Congaree National Park and the most popular is Weston Lake Loop Trail with an average 4.5 star rating from 1,719 community reviews.