NPS Photo

Park visitors enjoy a leisurely paddle down Cedar Creek

On weekends, rangers provide free guided canoe tours along Cedar Creek. You will experience this unique old-growth bottomland forest while paddling through large bald cypress and water tupelo trees draped with Spanish Moss. You will be surrounded with the sounds of songbirds, owls, and woodpeckers as you paddle through Congaree’s wilderness. White-tailed deer, otters, and raccoons may also be spotted along the banks of Cedar Creek.

To attend a ranger guided canoe tour, a phone reservation is required. Please call the park at 803-776-4396 ext. 0 to make a reservation. Reservations begin 2 weeks before the scheduled program. The park provides canoes, life jackets and paddles. Be sure to bring your snacks, water, insect repellent, a change of clothes, and wear shoes that attach to your feet (no flip-flops). Children must be at least 5 years old to attend. 

This ranger guided canoe experience is ideal for beginners, and is an exciting way to experience the floodplain forest of Congaree National Park.