Congaree National Park with Kids
Congaree National Park is a small, unassuming national park tucked away in South Carolina. I’ll be honest- I wasn’t expecting much when we visited. But once you’re there- it is absolutely clear why this place deserves to be a national park. It’s underrated, but it has so much to offer. And Congaree is a great national park to visit with kids of all ages.
Why Congaree National Park is Worth Visiting with Kids
Although small, Congaree is a great place to explore with kids- especially kids that may not be excited about spending days at a time hiking and camping.
- It’s accessible for kids of all ages and abilities
- Much of the park can be seen by boardwalk, making it accessible for kids of all ages and abilities. Plus, it’s stroller friendly. There are benches along the way for little legs to rest.
- It’s a manageable size
- Unlike a park like Yellowstone where it can take HOURS to drive from one part of the park to another, you can see the highlights of the park from the boardwalk trail, which can all be done in half a morning.
- The ecoystem is unmatched
- This is such a diverse ecosystem. From all of the different species of animals that live here to the different plants and trees- it’s fascinating for young explorers. And these are some of the tallest trees east of the Mississippi- truly worth seeing.
- It’s centrally located
- Right near Columbia, SC, this park is easy to get to. Major roads will take you right to it and at no point did I ever think I was in an incredibly remote area without access to cell phone service or a gas station (looking at you- Glacier National Park).
- Honestly, it’s so centrally located I kept thinking “no way is there a national park near here”- until I got there and felt that national park magic immediately.
- With so many options to stay nearby, you can easily find budget-friendly options.
Short History of Congaree National Park
Congaree National Park is a relatively new national park. It offically became a national park in 2003, but the history of the land is so much more extensive than that.
These swamp lands have served as homelands for Native Americans, a place for early colonizers to attempt to grow a successful rice crop, and a refuge for enslaved persons seeking freedom. This is a great place for kids to see how land use changed over time and see concrete examples of key moments in American history.
Later, the massive trees became threatened by the growing lumber industry and the fight to save the land began.
In the 1900s, Harry Hampton started what was originally a one-man campaign to save the floodplain from logging and development. This effort grew until this section of the Congaree floodplain was finally under federal protection.
As you walk into the visitor center, you can read a brief history of Harry Hampton’s efforts. I loved reading this to my elementary school aged daughter as a way to emphasize the influence that one person can have.
Exploring Congaree National Park With Kids
What I love the most about Congaree National Park with kids is how accessible it is. The parking lot has plenty of room and is right by the visitor center. Definitely take the time to explore the visitor center- there are great exhibits about the ecosystem and all of the biodiversity that Congaree National Park holds.
Once you exit the visitor center, you’ll enter the boardwalk trail. The boardwalk trail takes you for several miles around the par, but if you don’t want to complete the whole loop, there are a few cut through trails you can take to shorten your walk.
Along the trail you’ll see different types of trees, hear woodpeckers throughout, and you’ll eventually reach the river and the floodplains.
I definitely recommend at least taking the boardwalk trail all the way back to the floodplains, as this is the most unique part of the park.
We were able to easily do this with our young daughters- including our toddler! The boardwalk made several miles of walking feel fun and exciting for them.
If you have older kids that are more adventerous, there are also guided kayak tours of the park.
Jr. Ranger Program
Absolutely take advantage of the Jr. Ranger Program here. It’s free and a great way to get kids engaged with learning more about the park.
With programs geared towards different ages, this is great for families.
In the visitor center, as a park ranger for the Jr. Ranger booklet before going out onto the boardwalk. As you walk along the boardwalk, have your kids complete the different activities in the booklet. We listened for woodpeckers, found different kinds of trees, learned about cypress knees- all of it. The booklet also really gave my kids goals to find while walking on the boardwalk.
After they complete the booklet, they can take it back to a park ranger to earn their badge.
My daughter absolutely loves collecting her Jr. Ranger badges.
Go During Winter
My biggest advice with Congaree National Park is to go during winter. With this being a swamp, the mosquitos during warm weather are absolutely insane- as noted by their famous “mosquito meter” outside of the visitor center.
We went on a particularly cold day and it was beuatiful to see the waters all frozen and shiny.
Even in the cold- there was still plenty of wildlife to see.
If you’re trying to avoid hearing kids complaining about being eaten alive- go during winter. It’ll be beautiful.
(But if you do go during other times of year- the fireflies here are supposed to be absolutely magical.)
And if you happen to be looking for some national park activities to do at home with your toddler, check out my post here.
