Weston Lake Loop: A Short Intro to Congaree NP
- Stephen Warner
- Oct 18
- 4 min read
Congaree National Park is unlike any other place I’ve hiked. It’s not about dramatic mountain peaks or endless ridgelines. Instead, it’s a park defined by stillness, trees, and water — a swampy lowland forest filled with some of the tallest trees in the eastern U.S., including towering loblolly pines and bald cypress rising out of standing water.
And while Congaree isn’t known as a “hiker’s park,” it still offers a unique kind of beauty for those who slow down and look around, especially on a walk like the Weston Lake Loop, which mixes boardwalk ease with short stints of forest trail and some unexpected wildlife along the way.
Trail Info
Trailhead Name | Boardwalk Trail |
Distance | 4.5 miles / 7.2 km (loop) |
Estimated time | 2-3 hours |
Elevation gain | Negligible |
Highest point | N/A (essentially flat) |
Permits / fees | None |
Parking | Paved lot |
Toilets? | Yes |
Dog friendly? | Yes |
Know before you go
Mosquitoes can be brutal, especially in late spring through early fall. There’s a “Mosquito Meter” at the visitor center, and yes, it’s both hilarious (and absolutely necessary).
Flooding is common, especially in the wet season (summertime). Many trails (including parts of the boardwalk) may be submerged, so check conditions before you go.
There are multiple junctions throughout the trail system. Trails are signed, but a downloaded map helps.
Alternate trails
Distance: 2.4 miles (3.4 km) loop
Elevation gain: Negligible
Details: A flat, elevated loop that gives a great intro to the swampy, hardwood landscape. If you're short on time or avoiding muddy trails, this is the most accessible option.
Distance: 6.3 miles (10.1 km) loop
Elevation gain: Negligible
Details:A quieter, more immersive dirt trail that winds deeper into the old-growth forest. Less traveled, and a good chance for solitude and potential wildlife sightings.
Distance: 10.4 miles (16.7 km) lollipop loop
Elevation gain: Negligible
Details: The longest trail in the park. If you're trying to “hike” Congaree in the traditional sense, this is your best bet — though it’s often muddy and partially flooded.
The Trail
After parking and checking out the visitor center (always a worthwhile stop), it was time to hit the trail. The Mosquito Meter out front made me laugh... until I remembered how serious they can be here. Fortunately, we visited on a cool mid-November day, and bugs weren’t a factor.
The Weston Lake Loop starts by following the Boardwalk Trail, which is the most well-known and well-maintained path in the park. We hiked counterclockwise, with elevated walkways keeping our feet dry above the waterlogged forest floor.
It doesn’t take long before the boardwalk shows its worth. In several places, the ground was underwater.
Soon, you’ll hit a junction. If you're loving the boardwalk and want to stick to drier trail, go straight. But we opted to go right, following the River and Oakridge Trails (which make up part of the Weston Lake Loop) to get a bit more intimate with the terrain.
This stretch gives a more raw feel for the swamp — tall bald cypress trees, thick undergrowth, and occasional exposed roots and stumps. Some of these odd-looking stubs are cypress knees, thought to help with gas exchange in the flooded soil. They’re weird, otherworldly, and honestly kind of cool.
Then came the unexpected highlight: feral pigs. A small group trotted across the trail ahead of us, snorting and rustling through the underbrush. They're non-native and considered invasive here, much like the wild boars I often saw while hiking in Hawaiʻi. But unlike the scrappy, muscular boars that dart through dense undergrowth on Oʻahu, these pigs felt slower, more docile — almost like farm animals that had wandered off into the swamp. It added an oddly surreal element to the otherwise quiet trail.
Eventually, the loop reconnects with the boardwalk. Before heading straight back to the visitor center, we took a quick detour left to the Weston Lake Overlook. It's a must-do if you're on this trail.
This was, for me, the most romantic moment of the hike. A quiet lake surrounded by towering trees, mirrored on the water’s surface. Not dramatic — just still and beautiful in a way that felt ancient and untouched.
From there, it’s a peaceful boardwalk stroll back through the forest to the visitor center. One last chance to take in the swamp before returning to the paved world.
SS Reflections
This wasn’t the most awe-inspiring landscape I’ve ever hiked through. It was flat, subtle, and occasionally muddy. But I still found myself glad to have walked it.
In many ways, Congaree felt like a box I needed to check, but what I found was something quieter: a reminder that not every park needs to blow your mind to leave an impression. Sometimes, a slow walk through old trees and shallow waters is enough — especially when it includes cypress knees, a mirror-flat lake, and the surprise of wild pigs trotting through the trees.