I was there in the fall so I am not qualified to answer that question. Strongly suggest that you phone the visitor center directly and speak with a park ranger. They will gladly answer a multitude of questions for you.

It will be very hot 🥵 July is probably one of our hottest months here. Bring lots of water. The good thing is that the trails are along a route with lots of trees that will protect you from direct sunlight. With the high humidity we have wear loose clothes that can breathe or you’ll sweat right through them. Also take into mind when they say temperature mid 90’s, That means the heat index with humidity put the feel like temperatures in the low 100’s. If you can beat the heat, come out have fun and enjoy the Congaree Trail and remember they have a really nice visitor center with air conditioning to cool off.

Hello! Congaree National Park will be an enjoyable visit for you. Make sure you spend time in the visitor Center. In regards to bugs, an insect repellent with 20 - 30% Deet should work fine and wearing long-sleeved shirts will be helpful. The park will be more humid at that time; however, still enjoyable. Time you visit for the morning hours and check to see if they have a Ranger Program planned for the day.

Cedar Creek is a marked paddling trail but it is easy to get lost when water levels are above about 7 feet. Go to the park's website and check out the information on the canoe trail page. You can access water level charts as well as a guide that tells you what you can expect at different water levels.

Horses are not allowed on the trails at Congaree National Park.

River Runner Outdoor Center is an approved guide service that operates tours within the park boundaries. I have used their guide services and rentals and recommend them highly. You can find them on the web or on Facebook or reach them at (803) 771-0353.

The tickets literally sell out within a few minutes. You need to be logged on to your recreation.gov account, have your credit card right in front of you, and rush like a crazy person to complete your transaction—it’s your only hope! If you have more than one person in your party who can try for tickets, that improves your chances. We did the trip today, and it was worth all the effort! Good luck!

We visited in late January. The weather was wonderful. The park is pretty shaded and it is not that big. We probably spent a little over an hour because the guide was very interested in telling us about the plants and the geology.

I would advise you to contact the park headquarters. There is a place on the website to contact the staff. They responded to my questions promptly and efficiently.

There are no rentals available in the park, but there are outfitters in Columbia where you can rent the type of watercraft you prefer. They can also offer advice on timing, best places to put in, etc... The full Cedar Creek Canoe Trail is 15 miles, so you would have to determine how much you wanted to kayak to get an idea for timing your adventure. If you go on a free ranger-led canoe tour, the canoe is provided in that scenario, but is also a much shorter experience. Hope this helps and you enjoy the park!