News Release

Park Seeking Public Comment on Proposed Change to Park Policy Permitting Dogs on Boardwalk Trail

The park is looking at changes to the park policy that currently allows visitors to bring their pet dogs on the Boardwalk Trail, which currently permits all dogs on leashes no longer than 6 feet to use the trail with their owners.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: April 6, 2023

Contact: Jonathan Manchester, 803-647-3964

HOPKINS, SC - Congaree National Park is seeking public comment on potential changes to the park’s policy permitting dogs on the Boardwalk Loop Trail. Current regulations permit dog owners and their pets to use the park’s 2.6 mile boardwalk as long as dogs are kept on a leash no more than 6 feet in length and all pet waste is cleaned up. Proposed changes to current park policy are being considered for the protection of park visitors and resources in light of increased visitation to the park and instances of dogs off leash and pet waste being left behind on the Boardwalk Loop Trail.

Background
Since 2012 Congaree National Park has permitted dog owners to bring their pets to the park and use the Boardwalk Loop Trail. This was a change from previous years, when dogs on leashes were only permitted on the parks standard hiking trails, accessing the park trail system via the Bluff Trail at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. Over the past decade, the park has seen a dramatic increase in visitation, with the greatest increases occurring between 2017 and 2021. Since 2010 the park has seen previous annual visitation records broken three times, most recently in 2021 when the park saw 215,181 annual visitors, the first time that Congaree passed the 200,000-visitor mark. Since annual park visitation was first recorded in 1985, the top 5 highest visitation years have been between 2016 and 2021, with average visitation during this period standing at 157,216, well above the overall annual visitation average of the previous decade. With more visitors coming to the park there has also been a substantial increase in visitors bringing their dogs. While most pet owners visiting the park follow park regulations regarding dogs in the park, there has been an unfortunate increase in violations of established park rules, the most frequent consisting of dogs off leash, dogs on leashes longer than the permitted maximum length, and failure of owners to clean up pet waste. While violations of park regulations regarding dogs in the park have occurred in several areas of the park, they are most noticeable and problematic on the Boardwalk Loop Trail due to the limited area and enclosed space.Most visitors to Congaree National Park will spend time hiking on the Boardwalk Loop Trail. As the most accessible trail to visitors of all ages and abilities, this trail sees a large amount of visitor foot traffic, including those with dogs. Due to the nature of the Boardwalk and the environment that it takes visitors through, this trail often becomes crowded, and certain areas are more enclosed than others, leaving little or no possibility for either humans or dogs to avoid a possibly negative interaction. The proximity of visitors and dogs passing one another and the enclosed nature of the Boardwalk, combined with the increase in park visitation, has led to a rise in observed and reported negative interactions between dogs and humans and/or other dogs, some of which have resulted in minor injuries to either dogs or visitors.

Proposed Solutions Under Consideration
In light of the increasing frequency of these problems, park management is currently considering four possible solutions to address this issue. Solutions that would amend the current park policy regarding dogs being permitted on the Boardwalk Loop Trail are proposed in order to prevent the occurrence of injury to either visitors or their dogs in light of increased visitation, as well as to mitigate the potential resource damage and degradation that improper disposal of dog waste creates. Proposed solutions are as follows:

Proposed Solution #1 Closure of the Entire Boardwalk Loop to Dogs
This solution would result in the closure of the entirety of the Boardwalk Loop Trail to dogs, with the limited exception of those dogs that meet the specifications of a service animal as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Visitors seeking to hike park trails with their dogs would be able to access other non-boardwalk trails from the Harry Hampton Visitor Center via the Firefly Trail that connects to the Sims Trail. If put into effect, notice of this closure will be clearly posted on the park’s website and areas that are closed will be clearly marked during these times.

Proposed Solution #2 Closure of the Elevated Boardwalk to Dogs
This potential solution would see the sections of the Boardwalk Loop Trail between Weston Lake and Firefly Trail to Bluff Campground, as well as the section between the Firefly Trail to the Harry Hampton Visitor Center and where the boardwalk transition from elevated to low .2 miles from the visitor center. The boardwalk from the visitor center to its transition to the low boardwalk and then to the intersection of the boardwalk and the Weston Lake Trail near the Weston Lake overlook would remain accessible to those visitors with dogs. The elevated sections would be closed to dogs with the limited exception of those dogs that meet the specifications of a service animal as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If put into effect, notice of this closure will be clearly posted on the park’s website and areas that are closed will be clearly marked during these times.

Proposed Solution #3 Day or Season-Specific Closures
This potential solution would see park management determine either A) specific days of the week or B) certain periods of the year during which dogs would be either permitted or prohibited from all or certain portions of the Boardwalk Loop Trail. These closures would not apply to those visitors with dogs that meet the specifications of a service animal as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If this proposed solution is put into effect, closures to dogs will be posted on the park’s website and areas that are closed will be clearly marked during these times.

Proposed Solution #4 Maintain Current Park Policy Regarding Dogs on the Boardwalk Loop TrailThis solution would see the park make no changes to its policy allowing visitors with dogs to use the Boardwalk Loop Trail. Park rangers will continue to enforce park regulations, issuing warnings and/or citations for violations observed.

Public Comments
Public comments will be accepted between April 6 and May 21, 2023. Those wishing to comment on this proposed change to the park policy regarding dogs on the Boardwalk Loop Trail must submit their comments through PEPC or mail comments to:

Congaree National Park
ATTN: Superintendent Greg Hauburger
100 National Park Road
Hopkins, SC 29061

Comments will not be accepted verbally, social media, via fax or any format other than those specified above. Bulk comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.