Visit Congaree National Park in S.C., this month's National Park Getaway

By Jonathan Manchester, Park Ranger, Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park, 20 minutes southeast of Columbia, S.C., ranks among the most diverse forest communities in North America. It contains the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States.

Old growth forest

Imagine a time when the United States was still largely untamed, primitive wilderness. Congaree National Park, with more than 26,000 acres of near-virgin forest, is a portal to the past, to a time when millions of acres of old-growth bottomland hardwood forests towered along the banks of southeastern rivers. Congaree National Park protects an active floodplain ecosystem and preserves a large area of federally designated wilderness close to a major city.

Guided canoe tours

Wilderness activities such as hiking, canoeing and camping allow visitors to experience the park up close. Walking through the stands of old-growth trees, you can observe wildlife such as red-shouldered hawks, wild turkeys and white-tail deer. There are more than 150 species of birds in the park.

Canoe and kayak routes along Cedar Creek take visitors through a tunnel of green leaves in the spring and summer. Whether you plan your own trip or take part in a ranger-guided tour, keep your eyes open–there’s good chance that you’ll see river otter, heron or maybe even an alligator.

Educational tours on boardwalk

The 2.4-mile boardwalk trail from the visitor center makes the floodplain accessible to all visitors and shares the big picture in a small frame.

Yearly floods may cover the trails and parts of the boardwalk, bringing in necessary nutrients that help create the thick green canopy high overhead during the summer. These yearly floods are part of what makes this forest one of the tallest deciduous forests in the United States. Check here for more info and possible park alerts in effect.

Whether you’re seeking solitude, spiritual connections, wildlife viewing, or recreation, Congaree has an abundance of ways to get closer to nature. Congaree National Park does not charge entrance or tour fees. Click here for more park information.

All photos National Park Service