Boardwalk Loop Trail

From the Harry Hampton Visitor Center, the boardwalk loops through the floodplain, split into an upper and a lower section. The elevated portion keeps you above the wet ground, while the lower boardwalk brings you closer to the sloughs and, when the river is high, can be flooded and closed.

Along the way, giant bald cypress rise with their buttressed trunks and knobby knees poking from the water, alongside towering loblolly pines and other hardwoods. The forest is quiet and cathedral-like, and interpretive signs help visitors understand the flooding cycle that makes this one of the tallest deciduous forests on Earth.

The full loop is about 2.4 miles and mostly flat, making it manageable for most visitors, and shorter options are possible by turning back. The upper boardwalk is generally accessible, while the lower boardwalk sits closer to the water and floods more often, so conditions vary with the river.

Insect repellent is important in the warm months, when mosquitoes can be abundant in the swamp. It is worth checking current boardwalk and flooding conditions before a visit, since high water can close sections. Early morning is a wonderful time to walk, when birds are active and the light filters through the canopy.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Boardwalk Loop Trail is the signature walk at Congaree National Park, South Carolina, a 2.4-mile elevated wooden boardwalk that lets visitors explore the old-growth floodplain forest without wading through the swamp. Starting at the visitor center, it winds among towering bald cypress, loblolly pines, and tupelo trees, past quiet sloughs and the Weston Lake Overlook, through one of the largest tracts of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the country. Interpretive signs explain the flooding cycle that feeds these giant trees. Mostly flat and largely accessible, the loop is an easy, self-guided way to experience the heart of the park and stand among some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States.

The Boardwalk Loop Trail is about 2.4 miles for the full loop, and it is mostly flat, so it takes most visitors roughly one to two hours at a relaxed pace with stops to look at the trees and wildlife. The boardwalk is divided into an upper section, which is elevated and generally accessible, and a lower section, which sits closer to the water and can be flooded and closed when the Congaree River is high. You can shorten the walk by turning back rather than doing the full loop. Because conditions change with the river level, it is a good idea to check current boardwalk and flooding information before your visit, and to bring insect repellent in the warmer months.

The upper portion of the Congaree Boardwalk Loop is elevated and generally wheelchair and stroller accessible, allowing many visitors to experience the old-growth forest with relative ease. The lower boardwalk section sits closer to the swamp and the water and floods more frequently, so it can be wet, closed, or less accessible depending on river conditions. Because flooding varies throughout the year, accessibility can change, so it is best to check current conditions with the park before visiting if accessibility is a concern. Even a short out-and-back on the accessible upper boardwalk lets visitors stand among the towering cypress and pines and get a real sense of this remarkable floodplain forest.

Yes, insect repellent is strongly recommended at Congaree National Park, especially from late spring through early fall. As a floodplain swamp forest, Congaree is famously home to mosquitoes, and the park even has a lighthearted 'mosquito meter' at the visitor center that rates the daily bug level from mild to war zone. During the buggiest times, repellent, long sleeves, and long pants make a walk far more enjoyable. In the cooler months, mosquitoes are much less of an issue. Regardless of season, it is worth checking the current mosquito meter and conditions when you arrive, and coming prepared, so that the bugs do not distract from the beauty of the old-growth forest and the boardwalk.