Congaree National Park Camping - South Carolina

Congaree National Park camping includes two small front-country campgrounds and backcountry camping with a permit.

Congaree National Park Camping

What makes Congaree National Park special is that the park protects the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States.

The campgrounds provide easy access to the park. The Longleaf Campground parking lot is on the park entrance road between the park's entrance and the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. The Longleaf Trail can be accessed near campsite #1 in the Longleaf Campground to the visitor center.

Primitive is the best way to describe camping at this park, which offers tent camping only. The park does not have RV Parking sites and no running water, but make sure to stay alert, as an occasional southern fox squirrel may just appear!

The bathrooms in the Longleaf Campground are vault toilets, and there are no restrooms in the Bluff Campground. There is an excellent open field between the campsites and the parking area in the middle of the Campground.

Campfires are permitted in the designated fire rings in the Longleaf and Bluff Campgrounds.

• You can collect dead wood in the campgrounds and surrounding area
• Do not cut live trees for firewood.
• Firewood is not allowed to be brought into the park unless it has been either
  • purchased from a local supplier and has proof of purchase along with the packaging material
  • Certified by  the USDA as pest free and the user has the packaging material

Please practice leave-no-trace principles when camping here.

Congaree National Park Entrance Fee

Congaree National Park does not charge an entrance fee!

Longleaf Campground

Longleaf Campground Map

Longleaf Campground Camping Fees:

Campsite Cost: $15.00 per night for a regular tent site; $25.00 per night for a group site.

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

Campground Reservations

Are Campground Reservations Available: Yes

Phone Number? 1-877-444-6777

Online? Click here to book your stay at Longleaf Campground.

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

Campground Information

Season: Open year-round

Number of Sites: 10 individual and 4 group camping sites

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

Latitude/Longitude:

Accessible Sites: No

Pets Allowed: Pets are allowed in the campground, but they must 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 Amenities

Potable Water? The campground does not have water. However, water is available 24 hours a day at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center.

Bear Box in site/area? No

Flush Toilets: No, Two vault toilets

Showers: No

Payphone: No

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

Is Cellular Phone Service Available? Yes

Is a camp host available on-site? No

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

Amphitheater: No

Amenities at each campsite:

Fire pit in the site? Yes

Picnic Table in the site? Yes

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.

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 Camping Fees:

Campsite Cost: $10.00

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

Campground Reservations

Are Campground Reservations Available: Yes

Phone Number? 1-877-444-6777

Online? Click here to book your stay at Bluff Campground.

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

 

Campground Information

This is a hike-in campground located on the Bluff and Firefly Trails. It is approximately one mile from both the Longleaf Campground and the Harry Hampton Visitor Center.

The campground is at a higher elevation than the floodplain and is not subject to flooding events that occur in other areas of the park.

There is no trash or recycling available in the campground, and everything is pack-in, pack-out.

Season: Open year-round

Number of Sites: 10 individual and 4 group camping sites

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

Latitude/Longitude:

Accessible Sites: No

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

Campground Amenities

Potable Water? The campground does not have water. However, water is available 24 hours a day at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center.

Bear Box in site/area? No

Flush Toilets: No, Two vault toilets are available at Longleaf Campground

Showers: No

Payphone: No

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

Is Cellular Phone Service Available? Yes

Is a camp host available on-site? No

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

Amphitheater: No

Amenities at each campsite:

Fire pit in the site? Yes

Picnic Table in the site? Yes

Campground Regulations

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

The number of cars per campsite: All vehicles must park in the gravel parking lot. Cars are not 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.

 

Congaree National Park things to do and area Attractions

Hiking - There are over 25 miles of hiking trails in Congaree, and the 2.4-mile boardwalk loop trail behind the park's visitor center is the visitors favorite.

Canoeing/Kayaking - Take a canoe or kayak on the 15-mile Cedar Creek Canoe Trail from Bannister's Bridge through the Congaree wilderness to the Congaree River.  You paddle through a primeval old-growth forest and pass by some of the tallest trees in the Southeastern United States.

Fishing - Fishing is allowed in all areas of Congaree National Park. The only places where fishing is not permitted are within 25 feet of any man-made structure, including bridges, boardwalks, and overlooks. Remember to have a valid South Carolina fishing license and follow all rules and limits.

Wildlife Viewing—Congaree is an excellent place for bird-watching. Of course, the synchronous fireflies steal the show when they are in season! Several species are also in the park, like river otters, deer, newts, spiders, turtles, and occasional alligators.

The city of Columbia is a half-hour away and has many activities, including museums, city parks, shopping, restaurants, breweries, and more!

Camping near Congaree National Park

There are two great South Carolina State Parks nearby, both with camping, including RV camping. I visited Sesquicentennial State Park, and it was very nice! The grounds were very well kept up, and the front country campground looked very nice. It has several RV sites with options.

Poinsett State Park is 35 miles, 47 minutes from Congaree National Park. It has 5 cabins available, both one- and two-bedroom cabins. The campground has 24 RV sites with individual water and electrical hookups and 26 tent sites with individual water.

Reservations can be made by calling 1-866-345-PARK or online.

Sesquicentennial State Park is 28 miles and 43 minutes from Congaree National Park, near the city of Columbia. It has 9 full hookup sites with electricity, sewer, and water and another 69 sites with electricity and water.

Reservations can be made by calling 1-866-345-PARK or online.

Additional RV Parks in the area include Big Rig Friendly RV Resort, open year-round and is 21 miles and 25 minutes from Congaree National Park and 3 miles from the I 77 and I 26 Interchange and offers RV Camping near Congaree National Park. They have large 70 to 120-foot RV Sites, mostly pull-throughs and all hookups. They have lots of amenities, including a clubhouse, laundry room, dog park, playground, gym, 4 pickleball courts, and a swimming pool.

Reservations can be made by calling (803)708-5122 or online.

Don't Forget to Pack

Insect Repellent - Nothing ruins a good day outdoors like mosquitoes and other biting insects! and Congaree has more than enough of them! In fact, make sure to check the mosquito meter on the restroom just outside the visitor center.

Sunscreen - I choose environmentally friendly sunscreen because you always end up at a beach with it eventually, and the sun can get quite intense, especially if you plan on spending time on the water.

Congaree Lodging Options

There are no National Park Lodges, cabins, or glamping tents available inside Congaree National Park. Camping is also extremely limited, but there are plenty of great lodging options in Columbia, South Carolina (approximately 15-30 minutes away).

Hotel Trundle—I stayed at Hotel Trundle and loved it! It is a fun, quirky hotel with nice rooms and amenities. It is located in downtown Columbia, a beautiful college town with numerous incredible restaurants, breweries, museums, and more! This made a great combination with Congaree National Park!

You can also click on the map below for additional hotels in the area.

Congaree National Park Articles

Complete Guide to Congaree National Park

Things to do in Congaree NP

Longleaf Campground Photos

Columbia, South Carolina, and areas surrounding Congaree National Park

Pimento Cheese Recipe - You will find Pimento Cheese everywhere in Columbia, SC. It is something not to miss if you travel to Congaree!

Additional South Carolina Travel Articles

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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.