Trails in Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park’s 11 hiking trails range from an easy, highly accessible introduction to the forest to longer, quieter routes that push deep into designated wilderness. The essential first hike is the Boardwalk Loop Trail, an elevated route that brings visitors into the heart of the old-growth bottomland forest without requiring a rugged backcountry outing. It is the park’s signature walk and the best choice for first-time visitors, families, and anyone hoping to see towering hardwoods, bald cypress, tupelo, and the shadowy sloughs that define Congaree’s landscape. Beyond the boardwalk, trails lead farther into the floodplain toward oxbow lakes, forest interior, and the Congaree River. The River Trail offers a long, flat backcountry trek for hikers seeking solitude and a full day in the woods, while the shorter Bates Ferry Trail provides a more efficient route toward river views. Other paths branch through the park’s swamp forest, where the reward is less about elevation or sweeping overlooks than immersion: enormous trees, birdsong, water-stained ground, and a sense of moving through one of the East’s last great wild forests. Hiking here is generally gentle underfoot, but Congaree is never entirely predictable. This is a living floodplain, and high water can close trails or turn familiar paths muddy and wet. Mosquitoes, humidity, and changing conditions are part of the experience, especially in warmer months. Come prepared, check trail conditions before setting out, and embrace the park on its own terms: Congaree is not a summit-chasing destination, but a place to slow down and explore an extraordinary forest at ground level.