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. If you are bitten by a snake, try to get a picture of it and then head for the nearest hospital. Congaree National Park Length: 7.6 mi Est. Required fields are marked *. Congaree National Park is open year-round. Each of us plays a vital role in protecting our national parks. Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park. Having the canoe delivered to Cedar Creek made the logistics super easy. The current total is somewhere around 206 species that have been seen at the park. By comparison, there are slightly more than 1,107 species of birds known to science across the U.S., meaning that nearly 20% of the countrys birds have been spotted in Congaree. This is perfect to help us plan our itinerary! View all alerts In Congaree, you need to think on a smaller scale. Bates Ferry Trail | Best Things to do in Congaree National Park, Congaree River | Best Things to do in Congaree National Park. Congaree National Park is part of the UNESCO Congaree Biosphere Reserve. In the spring, the park expects to resume ranger-led canoe tours. Congaree National Park is a place of tremendous ecological diversity. Located in the Five Points neighborhood, this restaurant serves southern fare with a twist. Visit in the fall for optimal leaf-peeping opportunities. Where most deciduous trees in the United States grow to be somewhere between 50-80 feet tall, Congarees tree canopy has an average height of 100 feet, the tallest in the eastern U.S. and higher than many other old-growth forests. We prefer this one on all of our travels. Congaree National Park South Carolina Hiking Safety On This Page The Unprepared 0:00 / 9:24 Loaded Progress Duration: 9 minutes, 24 seconds "The Unprepared" is a short film made by Congaree National Park staff, with help from park volunteers and Eastern National staff. It may also deter fireflies from getting too close to the wrong species, some of which are cannibalistic. There are several other trees which are South Carolina campion trees. Check conditions here! GETTING TO THE BATES FERRY TRAILHEAD: This trail is located in the far eastern section of Congaree National Park on Highway 601. Although the park is still relatively unfamiliar to many hikers, it is still growing. There are numerous hotels in Columbia to choose from. Fish, amphibians, deer, raccoon, feral pigs, bobcats, and numerous species of snakes and birds all find refuge inside this park. Dekay's Brownsnake (Storeria . 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 160,000 people visited the park over the course of the year. 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. Check out our park calendar to see what's coming up! To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to Your Places, click Maps, and you will see this map on your list. Were a globally important bird area, says Ranger Jon Manchester. You can also spend a half day to a full day on Cedar Creek. Since this park is so small, you only need a half to a full day to see the highlights. Step onto (or paddle through) Congaree, and the first thing youll notice is just how tall the trees are. The highest temperature recorded at Congaree National Park was 104 degrees F in 1999. Thank you for sharing and being so thorough with everything! This small park is quick and easy to visit. Here is an interactive map where we have labeled things to do in Congaree National Park. It is open year-round. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value. Learn more here. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. one day itinerary for Congaree National Park. We also had a very nice dinner at Saludas. Their function is not totally understood but these knees are thought to give the trees extra support. Out of the mainland USs national parks, its the third-least-visited east of the Mississippi, after Dry Tortugas and Isle Royale. Following the Leave No Trace Seven Principles can help us minimize those impacts. This park sits inside the Congaree River floodplain. Congarees waterways expand and contract with the seasons, often covering the ground with several inches or even feet of water. One of the birds that weve seen in the park thats more elusive is the limpkin, a long-legged bird that eats snails, Manchester says. Temperatures can be chilly but snow is unusual. This off-the-beaten-path hike is worth it if you want to hike a quieter trail, see the Congaree River, and search for one of the oldest, grandest trees in the park. What is a bottomland forest? For more restrictions and information, visit the NPS website. Fun Facts about Denali National Park and Preserve, When to Visit Denali National Park and Preserve, How to Get to Denali National Park and Preserve. Congaree National Park is located in South Carolina. Motor Supply Company Bistro offers farm-to-table fare for lunch and dinner and the menu changes daily. It isnt uncommon for Congaree visitors to spot a few snakes hanging from trees as they canoe down the river. For more ideas on canoe trips, visit the National Park Service website. 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. How high is the water, ranger? and is subject to periodic flooding which occurs approximately ten times each year. IMPORTANT: Do NOT stamp your government issued passport. When alligators are seen, they are usually found at the southern end of the park along the river. more information on current conditions Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details. (3.37 mi) Cottage Tree House B&B (3.50 mi) Gypsy camper (6.27 mi) A Charming Country Cottage Nestled in the Woods (8.95 mi) B & B Kampground; View all hotels near Congaree National Park on Tripadvisor We will be traveling through on Oct 12 & 21. The summers see temperatures in the up 90s degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity making it seem much hotter. I slipped the dog leashes around my wrist, and began the hunt. Cedar Creek is a very slow moving creek. The dynamic and diverse natural landscape that makes up Congaree National Park is defined by the presence of both flood and flame. "The Unprepared" is a short film made by Congaree National Park staff, with help from park volunteers and Eastern National staff. It was named a national park in 2003. The 2.4 mile boardwalk loop originating from the visitor center is a popular place to start. We didnt get to see any knees since they were all under water. Along the trail are numbers that correspond to the Self-Guided Boardwalk Trail brochure that you can pick up at the Visitor Center before you start this walk. The Complete Guide to the US National Parks, Complete List of the US National Parks (+ FREE Printable Checklist), A Weekend in Gatlinburg & Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 10 Great Hikes in Shenandoah National Park, One Perfect Day in Everglades National Park, Top 10 Things to Do in Biscayne National Park, 20 Amazing Things to Do in New River Gorge National Park, 14 Best Things to Do in Acadia National Park, How to Plan the Perfect Rocky Mountain Itinerary, One Perfect Day in Bryce Canyon National Park, The Best of Big Bend: 10 Things to Do in Big Bend National Park, 17 Great Hikes to Do in Olympic National Park, One Perfect Day in Congaree National Park, 10 Best National Parks to Visit in March 2023 (USA), 15 Best National Parks to Visit in May 2023 (USA), 12 Best National Parks to Visit in November 2023 (USA). A few of the snakes we saw today on Cedar Creek in Congaree National Park One of our favorite things to do on this visit was go out to dinner. Birds are also prey to some Congaree snakesblack rat snakes, for example, are known to eat birds, lizards, rats, and sometimes even other serpents. Travel with a friend! Copperhead, canebrake rattlesnake, cottonmouth and the rare coral snake. If you use an outfitter like River Runner, they can drop your canoe or kayak at the starting point and pick you up at the endpoint. File should be in the following format: taxon name, description, occurrence status, establishment means. Congaree National Park does not charge an entrance fee. Daytime highs were in the high 60s to mid-70s and at night it got down into the 40s. It is a unique place and one of the last of its kind in the US. The Sims Trail is an old gravel road. Bald cypress trees produce knees like the ones in the photo above. Now dominated by loblolly pines, remnants of the once abundant longleaf pines that covered this upland region have managed to hold on and can still be seen. Below is a pileated woodpecker that we saw while on the low boardwalk (west side). Its the most upscale restaurant listed here and a nice option if you are looking for a fine dining experience. While its still not understood exactly what the purpose of the behavior is, many scientists believe that the male fireflies light up in unison to attract females. Of the estimated 30 million acres of bottomland forests that once covered the USA, only 40% remains. 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. It has an onsite restaurant and it is 10 minutes closer to Congaree than the hotels in downtown Columbia. It is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Download the app. Adding on the Weston Lake Trail and Wise Lake is great for those who want to go a little deeper into the park. Select stock photography provided depositphotos. Its more typical in Florida, and its expanding its range.. "Birds of Congaree National Park". 592 Reviews. But snakes also play a key role in Congarees ecosystems, helping to control pests and to keep disease at a minimum. The biggest threat they pose is to the ecosystem itself. The park has mild winters with warm, wet summers. On the outskirts of Columbia, the Courtyard by Marriott Columbia Cayce gets wonderful reviews. The Bluff Campground is also near the visitor center, but campers will have to hike at least a mile to get to their campsite. Comparatively, the Grand Canyon has about 500 staff members during the peak season. *** I have seen venomous coral snakes listed as possible in the park in other sources but they are not on NPSs official wildlife list so I dont think they are in the park. If it is on a trail, find a route around it or wait for it to move on its own. We didnt see much in the way of wildlife, but Cedar Creek is beautiful, and to drift along the water, listening to the birds and the crickets, and to see these majestic old trees, was a very memorable experience. Congaree National Park is in the Middle Atlantic coastal region and has a humid subtropical climate. The boardwalk trail is an elevated path through the bottomland, where you can see giant tupelos and bald cypress trees standing in the water. Below is a map from the National Park Service. Check lists for individual taxa that live here, e.g. If you plan to visit the park for the day, pack a picnic lunch. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your Google Maps account. Congaree National Park is a place of tremendous ecological diversity. The trailhead is also marked on our interactive map. But its going to be our highest visiting year ever, says Manchester. The General Greene tree is located here. It might be a snake slithering up a tree. Some of these are connector trails. It is 168 ft tall and has a circumference of 181 inches. The entire boardwalk trail is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Plain-bellied Water Snake swimming in small pool in Congaree, South Carolina, United States, One of Congarees arboreal snakes sunning itself on a tree branch, The animal that the park really worries about is the hog. Do not leave marked trails. Learn more about the CBR. 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. The Bluff Trail is located north of the Harry Hampton Visitor Center and passes through loblolly and longleaf pines. The trees that live here (usually bald cypress, oaks, gums, and tupelos), are able to survive these seasonal (and sometimes year-round) floods. Paddling upstream is not problem at all and really not any harder than going downstream, at least when we did this. Always plan ahead and prepare. The Kingsnake Trail passes through sloughs of tupelo and cypress trees and runs along part of Cedar Creek. Congaree National Park is a 27,000-acre park in Hopkins, South Carolina. Due to logging and the clearing of the landscape for farming and the building and expansion of cities and towns over the past 400 years, only a few scattered remnants of these once common ecosystems persist. At 2 pm, our canoe was delivered by Gus from River Runner Outdoor Center. The bottomland region that makes up much of Congaree National Park is regularly covered by floodwaters from the Congaree and Wateree Rivers. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence. and all of Eastern Europe. Cypress trees feature a network of horizontal roots (pneumatophores) which are believed to aerate the trees swamp-covered roots. Cherrybark Oak (Quercus pagoda) 162 ft tall, Firefly Festival (only found during the Firefly Festival). 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). In Congaree, you can see some of the tallest Loblolly pines still alive today as well as bald cypress trees that are over 500 years old. Allowed establish means values: native, endemic, introduced, Southern Toad from Congaree National Park, Hopkins, SC, US on April 15, 2023 at 10:53 PM by Ian Gourdin, Fowler's Toad from Congaree National Park, South Carolina, USA on August 05, 2010 by sea-kangaroo, Spring Peeper from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on March 17, 2022 at 07:33 PM by kfleenor, Pine Woods Tree Frog from Congaree National Park, Hopkins, SC, US on April 15, 2023 at 08:47 PM by Ian Gourdin, Squirrel Treefrog from Congaree National Park, Hopkins, SC, US on July 01, 2022 at 08:18 AM by charlotteandgranthaveseenit, Barking Treefrog from Congaree National Park, Hopkins, SC, US on May 22, 2021 at 09:25 PM by ac-soilgirl, Green Treefrog from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 15, 2023 at 02:51 PM by Ian Gourdin, Cope's Gray Treefrog from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 22, 2023 at 10:42 PM by Nicole Lowder, Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad from Congaree National Park, Hopkins, SC, US on April 16, 2023 at 09:37 AM by jennalollis, Southern Leopard Frog from Congaree National Park, South Carolina 29061, USA on February 20, 2023 at 03:10 PM by Maura, American Bullfrog from Richland County, SC, USA on August 14, 2022 at 02:30 PM by johngrego, Green Frog from Congaree National Park on April 22, 2023 at 11:01 AM by Valerie Hoyt-Parrish, Eastern Spadefoot from Richland County, SC, USA on June 16, 2018 at 11:21 PM by Kyle Finn, Marbled Salamander from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 22, 2023 at 07:05 PM by imlichenlucas, Atlantic Coast Slimy Salamander from Congaree National Park, Hopkins, SC, US on March 12, 2022 at 03:24 PM by pniebanck, Carolina Swamp Dusky Salamander from Congaree National Park, Richland, South Carolina, United States on May 15, 2022 at 10:52 AM by Brian White, Southern Two-lined Salamander from Richland County, SC, USA on December 07, 2019 at 03:35 PM by Ston Coles, Three-lined Salamander from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 22, 2023 at 11:38 PM by imlichenlucas, coastal plain dwarf salamander from Hopkins, SC 29061, USA on March 27, 2018 at 03:24 PM by Raina Eddy, Eastern Mud Salamander from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 17, 2021 at 02:19 PM by nathanc553, Greater Siren from Congaree National Park, Hopkins, SC, US on February 15, 2020 at 02:20 PM by johngrego, American Alligator from Weston Lake, Gadsden, SC, US on April 28, 2023 at 06:43 PM by lcarnley, Green Anole from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 22, 2023 at 05:15 PM by imlichenlucas, Eastern Slender Glass Lizard from 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC 29061, USA on October 24, 2015 at 12:44 PM by Jos Garrido, Eastern Fence Lizard from Gadsden, SC 29052, USA on May 05, 2018 at 03:00 PM by E.D. This makes visiting Congaree National Park a unique and fun opportunity. Cypress trees feature a network of horizontal roots (pneumatophores) which are. Champion trees are trees which are the tallest or largest in either the state or nation. 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. We saw the one pictured below making its way across Weston Lake from East to West. Plan your hike into the Congaree wilderness. In order to go fishing in the park, you must have a valid South Carolina fishing license. The Ten Essentials are only the basic items you should have with you. The tree is named for Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. We rented a canoe from River Runner Outdoor Center. Cook, Little Brown Skink from Congaree National Park, Hopkins, SC, US on May 05, 2021 at 03:36 PM by Richard Joyce, Common Five-lined Skink from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 28, 2023 at 12:12 PM by In the Blink of a Shutter, Broad-headed Skink from Congaree National Park, South Carolina 29061, USA on April 25, 2023 at 03:37 PM by Karli Sinclair, Common Garter Snake from Hopkins, SC 29061, USA on April 02, 2023 at 02:25 PM by Maggie Martin, Red-bellied Snake from Congaree National Park, Richland County, US-SC, US on August 11, 2021 at 01:57 PM by Richard Joyce, Dekay's Brownsnake from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 15, 2023 at 02:05 PM by Ian Gourdin, Brown Watersnake from Gadsden, SC 29052, USA on April 21, 2023 at 02:06 PM by logankparr, Common Watersnake from Richland County, SC, USA on May 20, 2022 at 11:52 AM by Will Kostick, Banded Watersnake from Richland County, SC, USA on April 15, 2023 at 07:57 AM by johngrego, Plain-bellied Watersnake from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 23, 2023 at 11:28 AM by Hannah, ring-necked snake from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 02, 2022 at 04:09 PM by dbryant21, Eastern Worm Snake from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on February 26, 2022 at 04:49 PM by Richard Joyce, Eastern Hognose Snake from Richland County, SC, USA on September 24, 2021 at 02:35 PM by johngrego, North American Racer from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 22, 2023 at 05:08 PM by Nicole Lowder, Scarletsnake from Congaree National Park, Hopkins, SC, US on May 27, 2022 at 10:11 PM by Richard Joyce, Rough Greensnake from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 15, 2023 at 03:39 PM by Juliana Smith, Eastern Kingsnake from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on May 01, 2021 at 05:09 PM by nathanc553, Eastern Ratsnake from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 22, 2023 at 10:15 AM by infinitesupernova, Northern Cottonmouth from Congaree National Park, Gadsden, SC, US on April 28, 2023 at 05:26 PM by lcarnley, Other Check Lists for Congaree National Park, Bird Check List for Congaree National Park, Create a new check list for Congaree National Park .

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