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Congaree National Park
Guided Canoe Tours
Canoeing on Cedar Creek

NPS Photo

Park visitors enjoy a leisurely paddle down Cedar Creek

Park rangers provide a limited number of free guided canoe tours along Cedar Creek throughout the year, as staffing permits.

Paddlers 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.

The park provides canoes, life jackets and paddles for up to 16 participants per tour. Be sure to bring 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. 

Guided canoes tours will be cancelled if the air temperature is 45 degrees F or below, if the water level on Cedar Creek is 10 ft or above, if wind speed is 30 mph or greater, or if the heat index exceeds 103 degrees. Park staff reserve the right to cancel a canoe tour for any reason.


Individual Guided Canoe Tours:
Reservations will be taken quarterly for individual canoe tours, consisiting of no more than 6 individuals per reservation.

Reservations will be taken until all tours are filled to capacity.

Individuals may make only one reservation per quarter.

Individual Canoe Tour 2012 Quarterly Reservation Dates
1st Quarter: January 1-March 31
Reservations begin: December 15, 2011
(ALL 1st QUARTER DATES ARE FULL)

2nd Quarter: April 1- June 30
Reservations begin: March 15, 2012

3rd Quarter: July 1-September 30
Reservations begin: June 15, 2012

4th Quarter: October 1- December 31
Reservations begin: September 15, 2012

Canoe tour reservations may only be made by phone. Call the Harry Hampton Visitor Center, 803 776-4396 ext. 0 to make your reservation. Please speak with a park ranger. Reservations via voicemail or email are not accepted.

Organized Group Guided Canoe Tours:
A limited number of group canoe tour reservations, for organized groups consisting of 10-16, will be taken on a rolling basis throughout the year, as staffing and scheduling allows.

Call or email Chief of Interpretation Lauren Gurniewicz, 803 647-3969 for group tour availability.

Group size must be between 10 and 16 people, and be members of an organized group, club, or common affiliation.

Each group may make only one reservation per quarter.

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Learning Center Entrance

Did You Know?
Congaree National Park hosts the Old-Growth Bottomland Forest Research and Education Center. Research Learning Centers function as scientific laboratories and research libraries that enhance learning opportunities within our National Parks.
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Last Updated: January 31, 2012 at 10:39 MST