Just twenty miles from Columbia, SC, Congaree National Park is an ancient wilderness filled with enormous trees and such diverse wildlife as alligators, black bears and feral pigs. But don’t be intimidated! This floodplain forest haven is a fascinating place to visit, even with the family.
We’d love to help you select just the right RV rental to start your vacation right. With several quality RV campgrounds nearby, visiting Congaree will be both comfortable and affordable.
Your First Visit to Congaree National Park
This Park is the largest bottom-land old growth forest in the United States, and environmentalist groups such as Sierra Club worked hard to finally have it preserved as a National Park in 2003.
Whether you love hiking, birdwatching or observing wildlife, Congaree National Park is an ideal destination. That’s also true for RV campers who love to paddle a canoe through peaceful waterways. The area is dotted with small lakes as well as numerous creeks and the Congaree River.
That abundance of water means a rich variety of wild life, birds, insects and plants. Here’s your chance to teach your kids about protected plant and animal species; it’s made easier by Ranger-led programs throughout the year.
And here’s another plus for families traveling to the Congaree – there’s no admission fee! With an economical motorhome rental, that makes it a great choice for any family vacation.
What to Do While You’re There
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Harry
Hampton Visitors Center
: Be sure to visit this world-class Visitors Center to learn the history of the floodplain. Harry Hampton was an early champion of wilderness preservation who fought to keep the floodplain undeveloped. There’s also an enormous bald cypress tree within the Park named in his honor.
*
Boardwalk Loop
: The National Parks Service has created the perfect way for any visitor to enjoy the diverse plant and animal life in the Park. A boardwalk stands above the water and lets visitors safely experience cypress wetlands and scenic forests on a two and a half mile loop. You’ll be overwhelmed by the number of gigantic trees you’ll see, some of them the largest of their kind in the U.S. At the end of the boardwalk you can stop at Westin Lake for even more glimpses of wildlife.
* Cedar Creek
: To really enjoy the mystery of Congaree National Park, see it from the water. There’s a clearly marked canoe trail on the Creek that allows you to paddle twenty miles on placid water with trees arching overhead much of the way. One note: canoes and kayaks must be brought into the Park; there are no rentals available onsite.
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Congaree River Blue Trail
: For a real paddling challenge, why not try the Congaree River Blue Trail, which runs from the South Caroline state capitol of Columbia fifty miles down the Congaree River to the National Park?
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Tree Treks and Owl Prowls:
Park Rangers lead free guided tours in Congaree National Park to teach about the trees, animals and birds that live there. If you’re at Congaree in spring or summer, be sure to save a Friday evening to prowl through the trees on a flashlight tour looking for barred owls and flying squirrels!
Where to Find More Information
The National Parks Service
website
will help you get started planning your trip.
For a helpful fact sheet on Congaree National Park, visit
Wilderness.net
.
To read a wonderful description of the main attractions and the history of the Park, visit its page on the
How Things Work
site.
El Monte
RV Locations Near Congaree National Park
Fly into either Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) or Charleston International Airport (CHS) and visit our
Myrtle Beach location
to collect your RV rental. The half-day trip to Congaree is through some of the prettiest country South Carolina’s got to offer!
El Monte RV wants to help make your trip to Congaree National Park the first of many. Call us soon at (888) 337-2214; we’ve got the tools you need to plan the perfect RV camping trip.