This South Carolina National Park Has Waterways Where You Can Float Beneath Some of the Tallest Trees in the U.S. — and an Epic Firefly Spectacle

Congaree Nationwide Park in South Carolina is understood for its astonishing biodiversity — notably the expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest that’s thought of to be the biggest of its form in North America. The traditional bushes, typically referred to as “champion bushes” for his or her age and measurement, flourish in Congaree Nationwide Park’s watery floodplain, which is fueled by the Congaree and Wateree Rivers. The rivers — which border the jap and southern sides of the park — feed the myriad creeks that crisscross their approach across the park, carrying vitamins and sediments that assist the ecosystem.

Though the nationwide park accommodates effectively over 26,000 acres of comparatively untouched backcountry, it’s a surprisingly straightforward 30-minute drive from Columbia, South Carolina, the state’s capital. And whereas Congaree Nationwide Park is greatest identified for its old-growth forest and waterways, it additionally has glorious mountaineering that permits guests to “get misplaced” within the Congaree wilderness. Fishing and uncommon synchronous fireflies spherical out a number of the park’s extra well-known choices.

Right here’s a rundown of what you need to find out about Congaree Nationwide Park earlier than you go to.

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Issues to Do at Congaree Nationwide Park

The park’s waterways, which deliver vitamins to the old-growth forest, are additionally a playground for guests to Congaree Nationwide Park. The Cedar Creek Canoe Path passes beneath a number of the tallest bushes in jap North America on its 15-mile journey via the wilderness. Skilled paddlers typically set their sights on the 50-mile Congaree River Blue Path, which begins in Columbia and travels downstream via Congaree Nationwide Park.

In the meantime, these on the lookout for a low-key day journey can hire a canoe or kayak from an clothes shop in Columbia — or ebook a guided paddling tour via the park.

For a park that’s coated in water, Congaree has a stunning variety of trails, a lot of which run alongside elevated boardwalks. The Harry Hampton Customer Heart is the trailhead for many routes, and for the reason that park sits in a floodplain, the paths are usually flat. Fashionable routes embrace the simple Boardwalk Loop Path and Kingsnake Path, which is rated “tough” and is a favourite amongst birders.

Within the spring, the Firefly Path is an after-dark favourite, because it leads deep into the forest the place a uncommon species of firefly — the synchronous firefly — places on a surprising mild present throughout their spring mating season.

The place to Keep

The easiest way to really expertise the wonders of Congaree Nationwide Park is to remain in a single day inside the park. There are not any lodges, however there are two campgrounds that supply fundamental in a single day facilities and night time skies crammed with stars (and possibly even a firefly or two).

The Longleaf Campground is correct subsequent to the park entrance street, making it a seamless dwelling base for in a single day guests. Longleaf is a walk-up campground, which means campers might want to park within the parking zone after which carry their gear to one of many 10 particular person or 4 group tenting websites. There isn’t a water, however water is accessible 24 hours a day on the close by Harry Hampton Customer Heart.

Equally, campers at Bluff Campground might want to both pack in their very own water (or refill on the customer middle) and must carry their gear from the automobile to the campground’s six particular person campsites. All campsites should be reserved upfront via Recreation.gov.

These trying to expertise Congaree’s huge, forested wilderness ought to take into account backcountry tenting — which entails both a hike or boat experience in. Backcountry tenting requires a allow, which is free, however should be requested no less than 72 hours upfront by way of e mail (despatched to cong_information@nps.gov).

How you can Get There 

For a park that’s so wild, Congaree Nationwide Park is surprisingly straightforward to get to. The Harry Hampton Customer Heart is simply over half-hour by automobile from the center of Columbia, below two hours from Charleston, South Carolina, and an hour and a half from Augusta, Georgia.

The Harry Hampton Customer Heart acts because the hub for many of the park’s actions and is a good place to start out your journey via Congaree Nationwide Park.

When to Go to Congaree Nationwide Park

The park is open yr spherical and because of South Carolina’s gentle winters, lots of the trails and waterways stay open in the course of winter. That mentioned, it’s arduous to beat a go to within the spring and fall when the temperatures are heat, however not scorching or chilly, and there are fewer bugs.

Spring, from March to Might, is among the greatest occasions to go to the park, particularly in the event you occur to overlap with the annual synchronous firefly mating season (and handle to snag a go). The occasion, which happens two weeks between mid-Might and mid-June annually, is marked by hundreds of fireflies that mild up in unison. The magical spectacle has turn into so well-liked, there may be now a lottery to get a go to view the occasion. 

Within the fall, from September to November, the temperatures drop from their summertime highs and fall colours start to reach. The foliage tends to peak between the tip of October and early November, which additionally occurs to be an excellent time to paddle Cedar Creek.