Is there an entrance fee at Congaree National Park?

NPS lists Congaree as a fee-free park, so there is no entrance fee.

Can I bring my dog to Congaree National Park?

Where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than six feet. Each park can close more areas to pets.

How many campgrounds are there at Congaree?

NPS and Recreation.gov list 2 campgrounds, Longleaf Campground and Bluff Hike In Camping.

All parks › Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): May^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 287,833^[3]
Campgrounds: 2^[4]

Congaree National Park is a National Park in South Carolina^[5]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park, so there is no entrance fee^[1].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Congaree National Park^[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

NPS says the park is generally accessible around the clock all year, though operations or weather may sometimes cause short temporary closures^[6]. The visitor center keeps daytime hours every day and closes on some holidays^[6]. In 2025 the busiest month was May with 33,957 recreation visits, and the quietest was January with 15,129^[2]. NPS warns that conditions can change quickly and floods can strike with almost no notice^[7]. Look up the current water level on Cedar Creek and the Congaree River before you go^[7].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, May, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	15,129
February	17,865
March	33,391
April	33,238
May	33,957
June	24,877
July	22,633
August	20,223
September	19,436
October	22,673
November	24,099
December	20,312

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	215,181
2022^[3]	204,522
2023^[3]	250,114
2024^[3]	242,049
2025^[3]	287,833

Camping

NPS and Recreation.gov list 2 campgrounds here^[4]. Longleaf Campground has 16 sites and Bluff Hike In Camping has 6 sites^[4]. Nightly individual-site fees listed by NPS range from $10 to $15^[4].

Longleaf Campground, 16 sites^[4]
Bluff Hike In Camping, 6 sites

Pets and dogs

Under the national NPS pet rule, pets must be kept in a crate or cage, or on a leash of six feet or less, whenever they are in areas where pets are allowed^[8]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings or on public transportation, though service animals are excepted^[8]. Each park can close more areas to pets, so check with the park^[8].

Before you go

NPS lists no entrance fee, but fees and hours can change, so confirm on the official park page before your trip^[1]^[6].
Check the forecast and the creek and river water levels first^[7].
Camping fees listed by NPS range from $10 to $15 a night^[4].
Keep pets on a leash no longer than six feet^[8].

Questions people ask

Is there an entrance fee at Congaree National Park?: NPS lists Congaree as a fee-free park, so there is no entrance fee^[1].
What is the busiest month at Congaree?: In 2025 the busiest month was May with 33,957 recreation visits^[2].
Can I bring my dog to Congaree National Park?: Where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than six feet^[8]. Each park can close more areas to pets^[8].
How many campgrounds are there at Congaree?: NPS and Recreation.gov list 2 campgrounds, Longleaf Campground and Bluff Hike In Camping^[4].

Facts and sources

NPS lists Congaree National Park as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 215,181, 2022: 204,522, 2023: 250,114, 2024: 242,049, 2025: 287,833. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Campgrounds in Congaree National Park (list on this page). National Park Service
Congaree National Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Park) in South Carolina. National Park Service
Operating hours, Congaree Operating Hours (Not Visitor Center Hours): Congaree National Park is generally open 24 hours a day year-round. For visitor and staff safety, park operations and/or weather conditions may occasionally result in short term,... National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Congaree National Park. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.