Congaree protects the largest intact stand of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. Bald cypress, water tupelo, loblolly pine and sweetgum tower above the floodplain, and the average canopy height here is one of the tallest in the eastern half of the country.
The classic walk is the Boardwalk Loop, a 2.6 mile elevated walkway that starts at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center and threads through cypress knees, oxbow lakes and slow-moving creeks. For a longer trip, paddle the Cedar Creek Canoe Trail — a quiet, winding waterway through cathedral-tall trees, best done in your own boat or with one of the outfitters in Columbia. The park is also famous for synchronous fireflies in late May and early June, when thousands flash in unison through the forest.