Photo By: Jacob Lips
The Congaree National Park is 26,276 acres of preserved land in South Carolina. More than half of the area has been designated as a wilderness area, which means a diverse ecosystem. According to records, the park owns the largest tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in America. Bottomland hardwood forest is composed of evergreen trees, usually found in lowlands and along large rivers and lakes.
The park was visited by over 145,000 people in 2018.
History
The Congaree National Park is a product of over 50 years of lobbying to protect the old-growth bottomland hardwood forest. Conservation became a central issue at Congaree National Park, because it was a popular venue for evergreen logging, in as early as 1898, from the Santee River Cypress Logging Company. The activity went on until 1914.
Journalist Harry Rutledge Elliott Hampton started advocating for the preservation of the Congaree floodplain, in the 1950s. As a result of that campaign, the Beidler Forest Preservation Association was formed in 1961. No action was taken, and logging resumed in 1969. In 1972, the Congaree Swamp National Preserve Association was formed. It joined other groups in lobbying for the preservation of the Congaree area.
On Oct. 18, 1976, the Congaree Swamp National Monument was passed. On Oct. 24, 1988, over two-thirds of the national monument was designated into a wilderness area. Then on July 26, 2001, it became an Important Bird Area. Finally, on Nov. 10, 2003, the monument officially became the Congaree National Park.
Photo By: Jacob Lips
Things to do
Hiking
The park offers over 25 miles of hiking trails with the backdrop of the hardwood forest. There is also 2.4 miles of boardwalk to enjoy the park vista. There are choices of easy, moderate and strenuous trails, as well as specific nature sceneries.
Some hikes are guided by park rangers, which is a great way to know more about Congaree including its history and environmental significance. There is the Nature Discovery Walk, where the park ranger tells visitors about the plant and animal life present in the park. The Big Tree Hike is a three-hour hike that showcases the park’s biggest trees.
Canoeing & kayaking
Visitors have two options in exploring the park: on foot and water. Cedar Creek also has its marked canoe and kayak trails for visitors, so that they can enjoy great views of the park while doing something they love: paddling.
Visitors who explore through Cedar Creek will enjoy sightseeing among the old-growth forest, which is home to some of the tallest trees in the U.S. There are also arching trees, which offer shade and also a magnificent view. Some visitors might also get lucky and spot some deer in the forest or river otters, turtles and wading birds in the creek. There were also reported rare sightings of alligators.
Camping
There are two campgrounds in the park: Longleaf and Bluff. There is also a backcountry, but as with any other backcountry, campers would need a permit for this. Of course, the backcountry is the perfect way to be amidst the wilderness.
Fishing
Fishing is allowed in most areas of the park except the Weston Lake. South Carolina regulations apply, so visitors should check out the fishing guidelines first. The different species of fish in the area include bream, catfish, crappie and striped bass.
Catch the display of synchronous fireflies (seasonal)
Every summer, fireflies flock the park and make a majestic display of synchronized flashes of their “fire”. The astonishing display is their way of searching for their mate.
Trees
The Congaree National Park has been designated as an old-growth forest, which means that the area is a virginal forest that has not been disturbed. It has one of the largest populations of champion trees and the largest concentration. Champion trees are those that are recorded in the National Register of Champion Trees, a list of the largest living trees in the U.S.—every tree on the list is an American native or naturalized ones. There are 15 champion trees at Congaree.
Among the noted champion trees that call Congaree home are loblolly pine (167 feet), sweetgum (157 feet), cherrybark oak (154 feet), American elm (135 feet), swamp chestnut oak (133 feet), overcup oak (131 feet) and common persimmon (127 feet).
Some of the animals that live in the forest are armadillos, bobcats, coyotes, deer, feral dogs, feral pigs, otters, and turkeys.
Photo By: Jacob Lips