Congaree National Park (redirected from Congaree Wilderness)

Congaree National Park, 21,888 acres (8,862 hectares), central S.C., est. as Congaree Swamp National Monument 1976, designated a national park and renamed 2003. Located along the north bank of the meandering Congaree River, the park contains the largest tract of old-growth floodplain forest in North America, a remnant of the southern bottomland forests once found in the SE United States. The diverse, episodically flooded wilderness contains more than 75 species of trees and a variety of animal life, including bobcats, white-tailed deer, wild pigs, flying squirrels, barred owls, eight woodpecker species, and many snake and turtle species. See also National Parks and Monuments (table).

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Congaree National Park

Natural area, central South Carolina, U.S. Authorized as a national monument in 1976 and as a national park in 2003, it covers 35 sq mi (90 sq km) of alluvial floodplain on the Congaree River. It contains the last significant tract of virgin Southern bottomland hardwoods in the southeastern U.S., including loblolly pine, water tupelo, hickory, and oak, some of record size.

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Congaree National Park

Parks Directory of the United States / US National Parks / National Parks

Address: 100 National Park Rd
Hopkins, SC 29061
Phone: 803-776-4396;
Fax: 803-783-4241;
Web: www.nps.gov/cosw/
Size: 21,890 acres.
Established: Authorized on October 18, 1976; wilderness designated on October 24, 1988. Designated a Biosphere Reserve in 1983. Status changed from Congaree Swamp National Monument to Congaree National Park in November of 2003.
Location: 20 miles southeast of Columbia, South Carolina. Take Exit 5 off I-77 and follow signs (15 miles).
Facilities: Campsites (é), rest rooms (é), visitor center, boardwalk (é), trails.
Activities: Camping, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, guided walks, canoe trips.
Special Features: Congaree Swamp preserves, in a wilderness state, the largest intact tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the United States as well as many other plant and animal species associated with an alluvial floodplain. It features some of the tallest trees in the East with one of the highest canopies in the world. Though not a true swamp, it is recognized as an International Biosphere Reserve and National Natural Landmark.

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See other parks in South Carolina.