Congaree National Park was created on October 18, 1976, as a Congaree Swamp National Monument. 592 Reviews. This is perfect to help us plan our itinerary! The Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve is on the south side of the Congaree River and has a bluff that is a great place to see birds flying over the park. Both snakes have red, black, and yellow color bands on their body and telling them apart is a little confusing. Congarees waterways expand and contract with the seasons, often covering the ground with several inches or even feet of water. According to the EPA, a bottomland hardwood forest is a river swamp. We prefer this one on all of our travels. Although theyre often large, the black rat snake poses no threat to humans. It is just a 30-minute drive to get between Columbia and Congaree National Park. So it sounds like the flooding can extend later into the season. Learn how to become a Congaree Junior Ranger! In 2003, it was designated an Important Bird Area. Interesting Facts about Congaree National Park, Geography and Maps of Congaree National Park, Best Things to Do in Congaree National Park. First introduced into South Carolina in the. National Park Obsesseds Detailed Guides to Denali National Park, Road Trips that Include Zion National Park, Other Articles featuring Acadia National Park, National Park Service units within a 4 hours drive, National Park Service units within an 8 hours drive, Pin for Later: Visiting Denali National Park National Park and Preserve: The Complete Guide, Congaree National Park Foundation Document, National Park Passport Book click here to learn more, Visiting Conagree National Park: The Complete Guide, 7 Things You Cant Miss on Your First Visit to Congaree National Park. Fish, amphibians, deer, raccoon, feral pigs, bobcats, and numerous species of snakes and birds all find refuge inside this park. Visit NPSpecies for more comprehensive information and advanced search capability. There is a . Also be wary of poison ivy, spiders, wasps and snakes, which like to hang out near downed trees. For more restrictions and information, visit the NPS website. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Earth Trekkers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon.com. Out of the mainland USs national parks, its the third-least-visited east of the Mississippi, after Dry Tortugas and, Congarees trees support its vast array of wildlife and wetlands, Step onto (or paddle through) Congaree, and the first thing youll notice is just how tall the trees are. There are no restaurants in Congaree National Park. Bourbon was our favorite restaurant. We stayed at the Hilton Columbia Center and had a great experience but the Graduate Columbia, Staybridge Suites Columbia, Aloft Columbia Downtown, and the Courtyard Columbia Downtown all are highly rated and have a great location in downtown Columbia. Harry Hampton Visitor Center is located at 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC 29061. Congaree National Park is in the Middle Atlantic coastal region and has a humid subtropical climate. The park is a great place to fish; however, please read and understand the rules and regulations carefully. The 75 species of trees that grow in the bottomland forests of Congaree National Park provide a life-sustaining habitat for all kinds of mammals, fish, reptiles, and birds. Bates Ferry Trail | Best Things to do in Congaree National Park, Congaree River | Best Things to do in Congaree National Park. The Bates Ferry Trail is really not all that exciting. If you plan to visit the park for the day, pack a picnic lunch. Other parts of the US are dealing with floods so if this area also gets an increase in rainfall there could be some flooding in Congaree as well. Stamps located here: Congaree National Park is a unique and special place. More Information on the US National Parks: Read all of our articles about the United States in our. The bourbon list is extensive. Pick a quiet area along the boardwalk and stop moving and just look around you. These cookies do not store any personal information. Adding on the Weston Lake Trail and Wise Lake is great for those who want to go a little deeper into the park. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list. Plan a field trip to Congaree National Park. The park has mild winters with warm, wet summers. Congaree National Park is a place of tremendous ecological diversity. Temperatures frequently get up into the high-90s and even up over 100F. Birds are also prey to some Congaree snakesblack rat snakes, for example, are known to eat birds, lizards, rats, and sometimes even other serpents. Time required: 12-14 hours. Congaree has been the location of a search for the Ivory-billed woodpecker in the past, a bird once thought extinct until it was seen in Arkansas in 2004. Snakes like the black rat snake and the black racer are arboreal species, which means that they have the tendency to hang out in trees. The highlights, in our opinion, are walking the Boardwalk Loop Trail and kayaking or canoeing on Cedar Creek. Numerous old roads exist in the park. We were visiting, Congaree was originally designated as a swamp monument in 1976. We had a visit planned to the park March 2021, and cancelled it because the boardwalks were flooded. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. This blog post had me looking forward to visiting Conagree last month. Bald cypress trees produce knees like the ones in the photo above. Other common sightings include the white-tailed deer, skinks, and brown water snakes. The Fork Swamp Trail is located near the Bates Ferry Trail, so this hike is worth doing if you will be out this way. It was shortly after a rain storm and we saw it fly across the lake and land in a tree across the lake. The park now known as Congaree National Parks is on Santee, Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee, East), Wateree, and Congaree land. In 2003, Congress officially designated the monument a National Park, and today, the parks 26,276 acres of land and water make it a terrific destination for outdoor activities of all kinds. Congaree is a popular area for birding in South Carolina. There are another 3 species that are likely present within the park as they are known to occur in the region but havent been confirmed within the park. Post Summary: Visiting Congaree National Park. Cheers, Julie. Do not leave marked trails. However, the poisonous snakes typically avoid people. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your Google Maps account. When the trail rejoins with the boardwalk, walk out to the viewpoint of Weston Lake. Here visitors can experience both a unique old-growth bottomland hardwood forest, home to numerous national and state champion trees and one of the most biodiverse forests in the nation, as well as an upland pine forest where fire plays a key role in its health and survival. We love bourbon and this is our favorite restaurant in Columbia. Paddling upstream is not problem at all and really not any harder than going downstream, at least when we did this. The typical tour costs $70 per person, and takes participants through some of the parks most active waterways. When fully operational, the park may have about 19 or 20 employees. Those who want to rough it can find a great camping experience in the wilderness. Occurrence values are defined below. Congaree National Park is a 27,000-acre park in Hopkins, South Carolina. Park History: Congaree National Park | National Parks Traveler Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Learn more about prescribed burns, and how fire can be an essential tool in both preventing wildfires and helping certain ecosystems thrive. You can either pick up the canoe from their office in Columbia, or for an additional fee, have them deliver it right to the canoe launch. Lots of it. You can canoe part or all of this trail. Local. There are around 75 types of trees, nearly 200 species of birds, 75 species of reptiles/amphibians, and more than 50 species of fish and butterflies. 4 more non-emergency alert notifications. In total, there are around 21 varieties of snakes that live here. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. At the midpoint of the hike, you get a view of the Congaree River, but its not worth it, not for an 11 mile round trip hike (if you want a view of the Congaree River from a hiking trail, do the 2.2 mile Bates Ferry Trail instead). Music by David Fesliyan at Fesliyanstudios.com. At the next trail junction, go left to continue on the Weston Lake Loop Trail and head back towards the Visitor Center. The NPS website warns that it this hike is difficult, since flooding and downed trees can make hiking challenging. Hiking with a partner increases your chances of survival in an emergency situation. The tree is named for Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Congaree National Park South Carolina Hiking Safety On This Page The Unprepared 0:00 / 9:24 Loaded Progress Duration: 9 minutes, 24 seconds "The Unprepared" is a short film made by Congaree National Park staff, with help from park volunteers and Eastern National staff. NPS Photo. These trees have been known to grow as tall as 120 feet, and their trunks can be as large as six feet in diameter. Having the canoe delivered to Cedar Creek made the logistics super easy. Cedar Creek flows west to east through the center of the park. (3.37 mi) Cottage Tree House B&B (3.50 mi) Gypsy camper (6.27 mi) A Charming Country Cottage Nestled in the Woods (8.95 mi) B & B Kampground; View all hotels near Congaree National Park on Tripadvisor General Greene Tree | Best Things to do in Congaree National Park. 2h 10m This trail gets washed out from flooding rivers and experiences blow-down regularly. Canoeing and Kayaking - Congaree National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Sunscreen Use it. If you are a birdwatcher, this is the best trail in the park. SC Park visitors can camp at the parks campgrounds year round. Do you have any questions about Congaree National Park, let us know in the comments below or need help planning your National Park trips. Daytime highs were in the high 60s to mid-70s and at night it got down into the 40s. It is the best way to experience this park. Congaree National Park is located in South Carolina. From these hotels, you can easily walk or Uber to some great restaurants. This small park is quick and easy to visit. Congaree National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Before planning your trip, and just before your visit, visit the National Park Service website for updates on park conditions to avoid any unfortunate surprises. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! NEARBY PARKS: Great Smoky Mountains, Mammoth Cave, New River Gorge, and Shenandoah. Cherrybark Oak (Quercus pagoda) 162 ft tall, Firefly Festival (only found during the Firefly Festival). If theyre selected as a participant, the remaining fee is $19. About a mile into our hike, I finally found what I was looking for: There was a black rat snake wiggling his way through the mud, clearly curious about something. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Longleaf Campground is located right off of the entrance road, and it is home to both individual sites (for 1-8 people) ,and group sites (for 9-24 people). Located just outside of Columbia, SC, Congaree National Park provides visitors with an opportunity to enjoy the beauty and wonder of the natural world in a largely untouched setting. One of the birds that weve seen in the park thats more elusive is the limpkin, a long-legged bird that eats snails, Manchester says. There is a 15 mile trail called the Cedar Creek Canoe Trail, that starts at Bannisters Bridge and ends at the Congaree River. My herpetologist boyfriend had guided us through dozens of swamps in wet conditions before, explaining that pit vipers are more likely to be active in the rain because it allows them to more effectively sense heat variations in their environment, and non-venomous snakes tend to join them because prey is more active in the rain. The food is very good (Cajun and Creole) but the main reason to put this restaurant on your list is for the bourbon. Nature & Parks, National Parks. You may need additional items depending on current conditions and the activity in which you participate (e.g. We were on the observation deck at the end of the boardwalk. Entrance Fee: There is no fee to enter Congaree National Park. These trees have been known to grow as tall as 120 feet, and their trunks can be as large as six feet in diameter. Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous. If you continue past the General Greene Tree, in about 0.1 miles you reach another unmaintained road to the right. I get why this park often makes peoples worst national parks or they ask why Congaree is a National Park. If your visit is part of a bigger road trip, here are the driving distances and times to nearby destinations: Inside of Congaree National Park, your only option is tent camping. If you have one day in Congaree National Park. Congaree National Park - South Carolina - WildlifeSouth In 2003, Congress officially designated the monument a National Park, and today, the parks 26,276 acres of land and water make it a terrific destination for outdoor activities of all kinds. If you have additional information on the Indigenous nations boundaries, please let them know. As water levels change, you could have obstacles along the creek that impede your progress. Learn how to become a Congaree Volunteer! If you have a half day in Congaree National Park, walk the Boardwalk Loop Trail and consider adding on the Weston Lake Trail with the detour to Wise Lake. Hopkins, We saw a Snowy Owl outside Sault Ste. Here visitors can experience both a unique old-growth bottomland hardwood forest, home to numerous national and state champion trees and one of the most biodiverse forests in the nation, as well as an upland pine forest where fire plays a key role in its . Since this park is so small, you only need a half to a full day to see the highlights. Personally, I think they have missed the point on Congaree, but I get where they are coming from. Dress in layers that can be easily removed depending on conditions, and carry a rain jacket, even if the forecast is calling for sun. Fall colors peak here in late . It has an onsite restaurant and it is 10 minutes closer to Congaree than the hotels in downtown Columbia. After a heavy flooding, the Boardwalk Loop Trail, and other trails on this list, can temporarily close. There are four venomous snakes that live in the park. Its well worth it, as it points out both natural and historical sights along the trail. The park has about 16 full-time permanent staff, and a number of seasonal staff members that come and go. If you just hike the Bates Ferry Trail, it is a 2.2 mile out-and-back hike that is completely flat and takes about an hour. The dynamic and diverse natural landscape that makes up Congaree National Park is defined by the presence of both flood and flame. It might an otter swimming in the river. Distance: 2.6 mile loop | Difficulty: Easy | Time: 1 to 2 hours. February 18, 2022 Mary Beth "Mouse" Skylis Heading out the door? Of the roughly 125 species of fireflies in the U.S., only a small number of them exhibit this kind of synchronicity. Carry a flashlight, even if you are only planning for a day hike. The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park.

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