View Full Version : Congaree National Park
Since the high country winter is slow to start in NC/Tenn. and Ga., my after Christmas trip is being re-evaluated. We are considering Congaree Nation Park for a canoe or backpacking trip. I paddled Cedar Creek several years ago with an overnight stay when the water level was quite low, and I expect that it will be even lower this year. Anyone have any experience with overnight backpacking using the 20 miles of trails in the park? We will also consider canoe travel again and would welcome any alternatives to Cedar Creek.
Congaree is a really cool hike. No hills, huge trees, wild hogs and lots of deer. Expect to get your feet wet if it has rained recently. There's a car camping area at the gate, a group backpacking site about a mile from the parking area and some great areas to camp along the river.
I'm heading the opposite direction after Christmas with my scouts. We are doing 5 days on the Foothills Trail. I can't wait.
take-a-knee
12-19-2007, 22:49
Since the high country winter is slow to start in NC/Tenn. and Ga., my after Christmas trip is being re-evaluated. We are considering Congaree Nation Park for a canoe or backpacking trip. I paddled Cedar Creek several years ago with an overnight stay when the water level was quite low, and I expect that it will be even lower this year. Anyone have any experience with overnight backpacking using the 20 miles of trails in the park? We will also consider canoe travel again and would welcome any alternatives to Cedar Creek.
Did you do any smallmouth fishing in that creek?
rainmaker
12-20-2007, 23:02
Did you do any smallmouth fishing in that creek?
There is not likely to be small mouth bass in Cedar Creek of Congaree Nat. Park which is just a few mles south of Columbia. You are more likely to find large mouth, blue gills and catfish. There may be small mouth bass in the Saluda River just west of Columbia from the Riverbanks Zoological Park to the Lake Murray dam. It is basically a put and take fishery though some recent catches may indicate a breeding population.
Just Jeff
12-22-2007, 09:59
I took my 8 yo on an overnight in Congaree a couple weeks ago. Great trip, easy hiking through a few different habitat types, readily available water. Saw very few folks once I got away from the visitor center. We camped near the sandbars on the river and woke up to see all kinds of tracks in the morning.
A wild hog woke me up in the middle of the night, rototilling the soil probably 50' from our camp. I couldn't see it b/c of the brush but I could hear him for about an hour.
Definitely good for a 1-2 night trip...more if you want to hike slowly, really explore the area in detail, relax on the river, etc.
Thanks Jeff, that sounds like quite a good experience, especially for the young'un.:) We are narrowing down our options today and will probably decide tonight. Sounds like a good trip. I really enjoyed the canoe trip down Cedar Creek, but I'm worried that the water levels will be even lower now making the extra portages a real PITA. Backpacking seems like the best option at this point.
Just Jeff
12-22-2007, 10:52
Yep. Definitely a good trip.
I loved the Mountain Bridge Wilderness, too - that's in upstate SC like you, but it's pretty rugged. There's a pretty level area in Jones Gap State Park (Jones Gap Trail, IIRC) if you don't want the ruggedness for the family...still a beautiful area, but more people around.