The park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. FAQ's Recycling Careers Volunteers Rules & Regulations. The South Carolina "Park Passport" entitles the owners to free and unlimited entry into all South Carolina State Parks that charge an entrance fee. Congaree National Park, South Carolina. ; Tennessee/North Carolina. Nearby are trailheads for several outstanding hikes, including the Foothills Trail, Big Bend Falls and Winding Staircase. We have pages on all sorts of things about Congaree National Park. We put together a list of all the best things to do here and our experiences with each. Why You’ll Love Dreher Island State Park. Congaree National Park is a 26,276-acre (41.1 sq mi; 106.3 km 2) American national park in central South Carolina, only 18 miles south-west of the state capital, Columbia.The park received its official designation in 2003 as the culmination of a grassroots campaign that began in 1969. 26 sprayers on our splash pad, the only one in the South Carolina State Park System! The National Park Service began to purchase abused land to “restore nature” and many of the great eastern national parks such as the Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks were developed at the same time and with the same guidelines as our early state parks. It doesn't disappoint when driving the 384 miles of scenic roadways and viewing stops. In Congaree National Park. Gov. York County, South Carolina, is in the north-central part of the state. The 26,000 acre National Park protects the largest intact tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the United States. Touted as one of the best national forest campgrounds in the Southern Appalachians, this backwoods retreat is nestled in the shallow upper valley of West Fork Creek beneath a canopy of towering hardwood and pine trees. 3 perfect picnic shelters and 4 picnic pads for your next family reunion or group outing. Photograph by Jeff Lepore, Alamy. Congaree National Park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The most-visited national park is Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee, with over 11.3 million visitors in 2017, followed by Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park, with over 6.2 million. Park visitors can follow a canoe trail down Cedar Creek, the preferred exploration method in Congaree. Shaped like an inverted triangle, it is bounded on the north by North Carolina, on the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the southwest by Georgia. With over 47 State Parks in South Carolina, there are many career possibilities with the State Park Service. The park was the first South Carolina State Park to open in 1936. More About Congaree. Hiking a Trail at Congaree National Park. In contrast, only 11,177 people visited the remote Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska in the same year. Congaree National Park is located at 100 National Park Rd., Hopkins, SC 29061. One of the better-known parks in the South is the Great Smoky National Park spreading over North Carolina and Tennessee. The park is also adjacent to Kings Mountain State Park in South Carolina, which in turn is adjacent to Kings Mountain National Military Park. Kings Mountain National Military Park in Blacksburg, South Carolina is included an “arc” of active volcanoes that still exist and are completely accessible for public exploration. 1. Dreher Island State Park is only 30 miles from Columbia, South Carolina. Marie McAden More from "Marie McAden" A former staffer with The Miami Herald, Marie moved to SC in 1992. South Carolina. Travel. Congaree National Park has the largest intact tract of old-growth floodplain forest in North America. South Carolina, constituent state of the U.S., one of the 13 original colonies. You also have access to 12 miles of Lake Murray shoreline. The pass can be bought online or by visiting a South Carolina state park office. We have sections on Weather, Getting to the Park, Lodging, Camping, Hiking Trails. By law, they are protected for public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment, while being maintained in an unimpaired state for future generations. Possessing or removing any natural resources from the park is a big no-no. The park will be open for extended hours until 10:00 p.m. during designated weeks as seen on the national park website. Nights at Congaree National Park are as inky black as any place in South Carolina. Detailed information on employment with the South Carolina State Park Service and other areas within SCPRT may be found by clicking here or visiting our agency website. Posted by South Carolina State Parks on Thursday, April 30, 2020 People poured into the South Carolina parks, such as Andrew Jackson State Park in Lancaster, all day Friday. Further directions and maps can be found at Getting to Congaree. We apologize for any inconvenience. The program was designed to provide employment during the Great Depression while addressing national needs in conservation and recreation. Numerous counties and cities, including Charleston and Columbia, have instituted mask mandates. But for a few weeks each year, the darkness is pierced by the synchronized flashing of tiny lightning bugs. If you’re visiting South Carolina or like exploring all the National Parks like us, you need to visit Congaree National Park. Our 41 state parks, 10 national park sites and four national forests offer a range of outdoor escapes where you can paddle, picnic, hike, bike, camp, ride, fish and swim. This national monument was established in 1936 and is located in St. Simon Islands, Georgia. About 9 a.m. Thursday, a tornado that had formed offshore as a waterspout destroyed or damaged an RV park, a camper storage area and a water park in Emerald Isle, North Carolina… You may do a self-guided tour of the State House, but guided State House tours are suspended until further notice. As one of the national park service sites in Georgia, it is governed by the US National Park Service to preserve the archaeological remains of a fort and town that was built for by James Oglethorpe in the early 18th century. It is 15 miles from the North Carolina border and a mere 25 minutes south of Charlotte, North Carolina. South Carolina State Parks Contact Us Journalists & Influencers. For more information, click here or call (803) 776-4396. A tentative plan is in place to open State Parks across South Carolina, which have been off limits to the public for more than a month during the coronavirus pandemic. The National Park Service is now 100 years old and the state of North Carolina has 14 NPS locations ranging from the birthplace of aviation to the first English colony in the New World. The likely increase in the use of these devices in units of the National Park System will undoubtedly impact park resources, staff, and visitors in ways that have yet to be identified. However, travelers should be aware that they must bring their own canoe or kayak, as the park does not rent or provide them. The park is situated about 20 miles southeast of Columbia Airport in central South Carolina and contains some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States. Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon National parks are a country-wide system of representative natural areas of Canadian significance. Rock Hill, which is the largest city in this county is also a common location to find gold nuggets. It was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a New Deal Program created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Few national parks are so close to an urban center of this size. Be sure to review firefly viewing etiquette and other important rules that apply for this special event. If you are considering a career with the State Park Service, check out the State Parks Career Opportunities page. The park has three boat ramps to provide private boat access to Lake Murray. 30 acre park lake for paddling around and fishing. 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