Tim and I canoed downstream on the creek, silently drifting past tupelos and bald cypress trees. looking up at the old-growth forest canopy in Congaree National Park Photo: scgerding/iStock via Getty Images. Congaree National Park is a 27,000-acre park in Hopkins, South Carolina. Watch out for snakes and spiders - Review of Congaree National Park Below are a few things you should know before hiking at Congaree: The Ten Essentials are a collection of first aid and emergency items that can help you in the event of minor injuries, sudden weather changes, or unexpected delays. Large snake tries and fails to blend in at SC swamp park | The State Cedar Creek to Route 601 Landing. Since this park is so small, you only need a half to a full day to see the highlights. Congaree: Chasing Pure Solitude in One of the East's Least-Visited National Parks Marvel at tall trees, flooded forest, and rare birds at one of the nation's lesser-known destinations. Congaree National Park South Carolina Info Alerts Maps Calendar Fees Boardwalk Loop Ranger-led program on boardwalk NPS Photo/jt-fineart.com The 2.4 mile boardwalk is an excellent introduction to the park.The flat surface is accessible and provides a leisurely way to experience the Congaree wilderness. It proceeded to spread its wings to dry them and we got a couple great photos of it while it did. Harry Hampton Visitor Center is located at 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC 29061. When fully operational, the park may have about 19 or 20 employees. As you drive south on Highway 601, the turn off for the trailhead is located just past the bridge that crosses Bates Old River. Cedar Creek flows west to east through the center of the park. Whether youre herping, birding, or simply hiking, the parks 26,276 acres of land and water make it a terrific destination for outdoor activities of all kinds. Paddlers can travel as far as 15 miles along this route for a single or multi-day adventure. Once the trail turns to the left, look for cypress trees standing in water off on the right side of the trail. Native Land Digital is a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization with the goal to creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together. This is a long hike. Cheers, Julie. We also had a very nice dinner at Saludas. 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. Congaree National Park is a place of tremendous ecological diversity. Boardwalk Loop - Congaree National Park (U.S. National Park Service) This green frog was hanging out on a plant above the flood waters when we spotted it from the boardwalk. The swamp is the ideal dwelling for frogs, salamanders . Congaree National Park - South Carolina - WildlifeSouth The Kingsnake Trail passes through sloughs of tupelo and cypress trees and runs along part of Cedar Creek. Visit NPSpecies for more comprehensive information and advanced search capability. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. And those who are particularly adventurous can also take advantage of the parks dispersed camping, or kayak and canoe off of the creek. The Congaree River Blue Trail is a 50-mile paddling trail on the Congaree River that starts in Columbia and ends in Congaree National Park. Tim and I were not fans of this hike, but Im listing it as a thing to do in Congaree National Park in order to provide some information about it. Daytime highs were in the high 60s to mid-70s and at night it got down into the 40s. 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. Cedar Creek is a very slow moving creek. 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Part of Sims Trail bisects the Boardwalk Loop Trail and this part of Sims trail is not worth it, since you miss seeing the bottomland forests. Curious what species of plants and animals can be found at Congaree National Park? The Harry Hampton Visitor Center is the main hub for the park. Paste in a bunch of names, 1 per line, and hit the button! At 26,000 acres, it is the 7th smallest park. Proper clothing is essential. 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It is the largest bald cypress in Congaree National Park with a circumference of 30 feet. Today, Congaree National Park helps preserve examples of these now uncommon natural landscapes and the diverse plant and animal life they support, as well as allowing visitors to experience and learn about what makes them so unique, as well as why they are worth saving. and all of Eastern Europe. Do you think this fall (2022) they will have any floods? At the next trail junction, go left to continue on the Weston Lake Loop Trail and head back towards the Visitor Center. This past year we broke a record for our visitation. Adding on the Weston Lake Trail and Wise Lake is great for those who want to go a little deeper into the park. If theyre selected as a participant, the remaining fee is $19. 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. Congaree National Park is part of the UNESCO Congaree Biosphere Reserve. If you have two days in Congaree National Park, spend one day canoeing or kayaking on Cedar Creek and one day hiking the trails (we recommend the Boardwalk Loop Trail, Weston Lake Trail, and the Bates Ferry/General Greene Tree hike). The park features large expanses of pristine floodplain forest, unbroken by roads or railroads, where one can walk in solitude and observe wildlife. It gets its name since this is a good place to see the synchronous fireflies in May and June. There are signs here that direct you to Wise Lake. Comparatively, the Grand Canyon has about 500 staff members during the peak season. Plus, wed had the park almost entirely to ourselves. Weston Lake Loop Trail | Best Things to do in Congaree National Park, Weston Lake Overlook | Best Things to do in Congaree National Park. But they can just as easily be found at the ground level. GETTING TO THE BATES FERRY TRAILHEAD: This trail is located in the far eastern section of Congaree National Park on Highway 601. Best National Parks Month-by-Month Guide. Seeing this fallen tree was one of the most memorable parts of this hike. The dynamic and diverse natural landscape that makes up Congaree National Park is defined by the presence of both flood and flame. It is just a 30-minute drive to get between Columbia and Congaree National Park. I can only find reports of one venomous snakebite in the park and that was to a poacher who was handing a copperhead. 100 National Park Road It is a special place and worthy of being a National Park. Where the cypress trees grow, cypress kneesvertical outgrowths of the cypress rootscan also be found protruding from the surface of the water. SC They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. Occurrence values are defined below. The Weston Lake Loop Trail loops through old growth forest, where you can see more tupelo and bald cypress trees. This trail starts at the Cedar Creek Canoe Launch and ends at the junction with the Weston Lake Trail and Oakridge Trail. You can also spend a half day to a full day on Cedar Creek. These trees have been known to grow as tall as 120 feet, and their trunks can be as large as six feet in diameter. We had bright sunny skies each of the three days that we were here. It is mistakenly referred to as a swamp. Congaree has one of the tallest temperate deciduous forests in the world -- it's taller than the old-growth forests found in Japan, the Himalayas, southern South America. 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. An Insider's Guide to Congaree National Park - RootsRated Most hikers get into trouble on the trail because of improper preparation. Snakes of Congaree National Park - YouTube As we spend time outdoors, in the natural world and in wilderness, its important to be conscious of the effects our actions may have on plants, animals, other people, and even entire ecosystems. We were visiting Congaree National Park, confident that a magnificent snake was waiting to be spotted nearby. Birds are also prey to some Congaree snakesblack rat snakes, for example, are known to eat birds, lizards, rats, and sometimes even other serpents. 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. GETTING HERE: On Google Maps, the trailhead is labeled Fork Swamp Trailhead. It is located on an access road on Highway 601. There are 2 official stamps in Congaree National Park. The Congaree River forms the southern border and out to the east there are a few short trails to hike. The species is abundant in 27,000-acre Congaree National Park, about 15 miles southeast of Columbia. You can sample a wide range of bourbon or have one (or more) of their crafted cocktails. Congaree National Park is a wonderful place to visit. The vast majority of the park is lying within an area that, on an average year, will be underwater, explains Congaree National Park Ranger Jon Manchester, who has been with the park for 8 years. Map of Congaree National Park | Best Things to do in Congaree National Park. It might be a snake slithering up a tree. It is 168 ft tall and has a circumference of 181 inches. More Information on the US National Parks: Read all of our articles about the United States in our. Congaree National Park South Carolina Info Alerts 5 Maps Calendar Fees Alerts In Effect Park Closures Standing Water on Trails Due to recent high-water levels, many trails currently have areas of standing water. Canoeing and Kayaking Canoeing and Kayaking Canoeing Cedar Creek NPS Photo Planning Your Congaree Canoe Adventure! There are several ways to do this, depending on how much time you have and how much you like canoeing or kayaking. In 2003, it was designated an Important Bird Area. Snake released in Conagree National Park may not survive | The State Numerous old roads exist in the park. At the visitor center, pick up a hiking trail guide and this lists each trail with its corresponding number. This blog post had me looking forward to visiting Conagree last month. Cypress trees feature a network of horizontal roots (pneumatophores) which are believed to aerate the trees swamp-covered roots. After a heavy flooding, the Boardwalk Loop Trail, and other trails on this list, can temporarily close. Although theyre often large, the black rat snake poses no threat to humans. It climbs to 167 feet and is almost 15 feet in circumference. Visitors can expect to spend about 3 hours on the water, paddling through about 4 miles of the river, and potentially encountering alligators along the way. Along the Boardwalk Loop Trail in Congaree National Park, At a time when most National Parks are overflowing with activity, Congaree National Parks biggest selling point might be its solitude: In 2019, just under.