4338. Go to the Congaree National Park in Hopkins

We wanted to avoid Atlanta on the way home so we decided to go through North and South Carolina. The hubby wanted to see the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum in Greenville, SC and I wanted to go to Congaree National Park and the state capitol. The Shoeless Joe Jackson, which is normally only open 10-2 on Saturdays was going to be open to 5 the day we were going to through South Carolina. The hubby wins. However, I figured I could squeeze in a quick visit to Congaree on the way.

Congaree is located in Hopkins, SC. It is open 24 hours and the visitor center is open 9-5. There is no entrance or parking fee. 

The speed limit into the park was amusing -- 27 mph or 13 mph. However the parking lot is small and when we got there around 2 it was quite full. The hubby dropped me off and attempted to park. He actually never left the parking lot.

The visitor center is small and the gift shop was sparse. I did get my stamp. I was disappointed they didn't have a magnet for us that I saw. Well it was probably for the best since I left my purse in the car. 

Congaree preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest. Much of it is surrounded by water. You can explore the park by canoe, kayak, or walk the boardwalk. There are also some backcountry trails that could potentially be underwater due to the water levels in the park. Due to the amount of water, there is a mosquito thermometer to warn visitors how bad the mosquitos are. Since it was early in March, the mosquitos were non-existent. 

Due to the time crunch, I only got to walk a small portion of the 2 mile boardwalk. I didn't see any of the really big trees but saw a few big trees. There were a lot people and dogs since it is a dog friendly part. 

Congaree is worth visiting. Get there early and make sure you have plenty of time to explore. It may not be the majestic parks of the west but Congaree has it's own unique features. It is also very non-hiker friendly with an easy boardwalk to explore. 

Hopefully we will get back to Congaree but due to how much the hubby loves to drive in South Carolina, I don't see that happening any time soon. We actually never made it to Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum because traffic was a nightmare in South Carolina.