Congaree National Park Camping - South Carolina

Congaree National Park camping options include the Longleaf campground with 10 campsites and 4 group sites, the Bluff Campground with 6 hike-in campsites, and the opportunity for backcountry camping with a permit. The easiest campground to access is the Longleaf Campground and will be the focus of this article 

Congaree National Park Camping 

Camping at Congaree is an easy way to get around the park. The Longleaf Campground parking lot is located between the entrance of the park and the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. Park trails can be accessed from the campground to the visitor center at to the boardwalks the park is known for. 

Primitive is the best way to describe camp at this park and is offered to tents only.  The park does not have any RV Parking sites and no running water. The bathrooms in the Longleaf campground are vault toilets and there are no restrooms in the Bluff Campground. Please practice leave no trace principles when camping here. 

Longleaf Campground 

Number of Sites: 10 individual and 4 group camping sites

Location in the park: Between the park's entrance and the visitor center.  

Campsite Cost: $10 per night for a regular tent site; $20 per night for a group site.

Senior/Access Camping Fee: Senior and Access Pass holders receive a 50% discount on the above fees 

Reservations: Yes, See below for how to make a reservation 

Latitude/Longitude:

Accessible Sites: No

Pets Allowed: Pets are allowed in the campground but need to be on a leash less than 6 feet long. 

Parking: All campers must park in the gravel parking lot and walk into their campsites with their gear. No vehicles are allowed into the campground. 

Campground Reservations 

Are campground Reservations Available? Yes

Phone Number? 1-877-444-6777

Online? Reservations for the front country campgrounds must be made through Recreation.gov 

How Far Ahead can you make a reservation? 6 months for individual sites, 12 months for group sites. 

Campground Amenities

Dump Station: No

Bear Boxes: No

Flush Toilets: No, Two vault toilets

Payphone: No

Firewood: There is no firewood for sale in the campground. 

Is wifi available? Yes, Free Wi-Fi is available inside and immediately outside of the Harry Hampton Visitor Center.

Is cellular Phone Service Available? Unknown

Is camp host available on site? No

 

Amenities at each campsite: 

Fire pit in the site? Yes

Picnic Table in the site? Yes

Bear Box in site/area? No

Potable Water? There is no water in the campground. Water is available 24 hours a day at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center.

RV Camping at Longleaf Campground

There is no RV Camping in Congaree NP. There are South Carolina State Parks close by that offer RV camping.

Campground Regulations

The maximum number of people in a campsite: 8 people, 3 tents per individual site

The number of cars per campsite: All cars must park in the gravel parking lot. There are no cars allowed within the campground. 

Check-in time: 12 pm

Checkout time: 11 am

Camping Limits: No more than 14 consecutive days, or for more than 28 days in a six month period.

Longleaf Campground Group Campsites

Group sites must have a minimum of 9 individuals and no more than 24, with a maximum of 10 tents per site.

Longleaf Campground Map

Photos of Longleaf Campground 

 

Directions to Longleaf Campground

From Spartanburg - Follow Interstate 26 east towards Charleston for 92 miles and then take Exit 116 for Interstate 77 north towards Charlotte (on the left). Follow Interstate 77 for approximately five miles to Exit 5, Bluff Road. Follow directions below from I 77, Exit 5.
(Approximate travel time: 2 hours) 

From Charleston - Follow Interstate 26 west (towards Columbia) for approximately 75 miles. Take Exit 145, US 601 north towards St. Matthews. Follow US 601 for 23 miles. Turn left onto Route 48 (Bluff Road) and follow for 11 miles to Mt. View Road. Turn left and follow Mt. View Road to Old Bluff Road. Turn right on Old Bluff Road for half a mile to the park entrance, which will be on your left. (Approximate travel time: 2 hours) 

From Charlotte - Take Interstate 77 south towards Columbia for approximately 95 miles to Exit 5, Bluff Road. Follow directions below from Interstate 77, Exit 5.
(Approximate travel time: 2 hours) 

From Augusta, GA - Follow Interstate 20 east towards Columbia for 65 miles to Exit 64B. Merge onto Interstate 26 and follow for 8 miles to Exit 116, Interstate 77 north towards Charlotte (on the left). Follow Interstate 77 for 5 miles to Exit 5, Bluff Road. Follow directions below from Interstate 77, Exit 5.(Approximate travel time: 1 hour 45 minutes)

From Interstate 77, Exit 5 At Exit 5 turn onto SC Hwy 48 East/Bluff Road. Following the brown and white "Congaree National Park" directional signs, travel approximately 8 miles on and then take a slight right onto Old Bluff Road. Follow Old Bluff Road for 4.5 miles to the park entrance sign, which will be on the right. Proceed one mile to the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. Parking lots will be on the right.

Bluff Campground

Bluff Campground is a hike-in campground located on the Bluff Trail approximately one mile from the Longleaf Campground.

This campground has 6 individual campsites that have hold a maximum of 8 individuals and 3 tents. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table.

There are no restroom facilities at this site, nor any running water at this campground.

Campsites are $5

Additional Congaree National Park Articles

Top things to do in Congaree NP

Additional South Carolina Travel Articles

Ninety-Six National Historic Site

Charles Pickney National Historic Site

Reconstruction Era National Historical Park

Fort Pulaski National Monument

Check out more articles on South Carolina National Parks, Tennessee National Parks, Georgia National Parks, and North Carolina National Parks.