4 m away
River Trail
As a day trip or backpacking trip, hike through designated wilderness that’s rich in wildlife, and reach the shore of the Congaree River.
Moderate Hiking
- Distance
- 15 km
- Ascent
- 10 m
- Descent
- 10 m
Congaree's most popular trail, on a wooden path among giant trees.
Hiking Easy
Boardwalk is Congaree's most accessible and most popular trail, great for all ages and fully ADA accessible. It is 2.4 miles of constructed boardwalk, weaving through old-growth forest with trees of all shapes and sizes. Trees are so numerous that the true giants can be hard to pick out, so walk slowly and look closely to take it all in. You’ll see trunks towering out of sight into the canopy, sunlight refracting through layers of leaves, cypress knees studding the forest floor, and you’ll hear the songs of innumerable birds in the branches high above.
The wooden boardwalk is necessary because it’s on the floodplain of the Congaree River. When the heaviest rains happen in winter and spring, the forest can fill with water. During those times, the boardwalk may be the only trail in this part of the park that is passable. The loop is divided into roughly two halves, the low boardwalk and the elevated boardwalk. The low boardwalk, which is only about one foot above the forest floor, can get submerged completely, making the elevated portion the only option.
The big floods happen only a few times a year, but they change the environment of the park completely, from a mostly dry forest to a veritable swamp. These natural fluctuations make Congaree a rather extreme ecosystem, and one that you can’t visit just once to truly experience it. If you get the chance, hike the boardwalk during a drier time and again during a flooded time to see its different phases.
Source: https://www.nps.gov/cong/planyourvisit/trail-information.htm
Easy
Walking along a well-kept trail that’s mostly flat. No obstacles are present.
4 m away
As a day trip or backpacking trip, hike through designated wilderness that’s rich in wildlife, and reach the shore of the Congaree River.
Moderate Hiking
80 m away
A longer and wilder hike than the Boardwalk, finding more diverse forest and wildlife viewing opportunities.
Easy Hiking
3.6 km away
One of the park’s longest and most remote hikes, granting especially diverse forest communities and bird life.
Moderate Hiking
5 routes · Hiking
63 routes · Alpine Climbing · Hiking