Take a Hike to Congaree National Park
Tips for easy hikes
Of the 63 national parks in the U.S., only 16 require no entrance fee – and Congaree in central South Carolina is one of them. That’s right, the Palmetto State boasts a national park and it’s a gem.
Established in 2003, Congaree saw just 250,000 visitors in 2023 according to the National Park Service (by contrast, 4.5 million tourists visited Yellowstone the same year). When we arrived at 8 am on a mid-summer morning, we practically had the park to ourselves during our 2-hour visit.
Congaree is interesting on many levels, one being obvious on arrival – the odd 27 mph speed limit signs posted along the park’s road. They’re designed to catch visitors’ attention, Park Ranger Gabrielle Alban told me. “Drivers are used to seeing 15 and 25 mph signs and may overlook them more easily,” she said. “The 27 mph signs, along with the fox squirrel signs, are meant to remind drivers to slow down and watch for wildlife.”
Fox squirrels, with their charming furry brown coloring, may dart unexpectedly across the road like all their tiny energetic bushy-tailed cousins. However, not all wildlife in Congaree is so endearing. Destructive wild hogs have invaded the park where they root through soil in search of food and destroy vegetation, prompting the occasional controlled hunts at night.
“It’s estimated between 3,000 to 9,000 hogs are in the park,” the manager of the park store, Patrick, told me. “Some nights we don’t get any (on the hunt), others maybe a couple of dozen, but it’s just a drop in the bucket.”
Easy hike and amazing sites in Congaree
Begin your visit by collecting a map from the visitor center, then head to the 2.5-mile boardwalk, an easy, level path that winds through the park. Along the way, you’ll likely spot a variety of birds and possibly some creepy large spiders dangling from webs spanning the trees. The park is also home to a small number of alligators, so you might be lucky enough to see one from the boardwalk swimming in Weston Lake. The map is essential as it highlights key points of interest along the boardwalk loop, including facts about Congaree’s remarkable trees.
The park is renowned for preserving the “largest intact stretch of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the southeastern United States,” as highlighted on the park’s website. Towering loblolly pines, sweetgum, and cherrybark oaks can soar over 150 feet tall. Cypress trees, with their characteristic swollen trunks, are also widely distributed throughout the park. Their unique ‘knees’ – prominent small structures emerging from their root systems – have intrigued scientists for ages.
Though it may appear swampy, Congaree is technically not a swampland since after heavy rain the water drains leaving pools of various sizes. But several times a year floods can cover portions of the bottomland including boardwalk areas, so check local conditions before visiting. The moisture level can also affect the mosquito population, mercifully low during our visit which ranked a “1” on the park’s quaint Mosquito Meter posted outside the visitor center. It rates mosquito activity up to a terrifying “6” – designated as ‘War Zone’ level!
Visitors hoping to avoid being targeted by mosquitoes will naturally want to apply bug spray, but the park advises doing this prior to entering the park since the chemicals can kill a far more beloved and inoffensive park insect: fireflies. These can be seen in the park year-round, but for two weeks between May and June the synchronous fireflies put on a spectacular light show.
During this brief window, the insects flash in perfect unison – a breathtaking spectacle that draws not only potential mates but curious humans eager to witness these glowing airborne wonders of nature. Due to its popularity, however, access to this extraordinary event is limited and only available through a lottery and only 145 passes per night will be issued next year. So apply online early at the official park website for a chance to enjoy this unique experience at Congaree in 2025.
FEATURED PHOTO, TOP: Boardwalk at Congaree National Park. Credit: Nick Thomas.
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama and has written features, columns, and interviews for many newspapers and magazines, including Boomer. His “Take a Hike!” column describes short trails, hikes, and walks from around the country that older adults might enjoy while traveling. See ItsAWonderfulHike.com.
