Parking
The campground end meets the gravel lot at Longleaf Campground; the other end joins the Boardwalk near the Harry Hampton Visitor Center lot. Arrange a return plan for a one-way walk.
Overview
About Longleaf Trail
Why go
- Direct connection between Longleaf Campground and the Boardwalk network
- Level forest tread with numbered trail markers
Heads up
- Short connector rather than a destination hike
- Exposed roots make the otherwise easy tread uneven
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Congaree map
Full mapElevation161–180 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Congaree alerts
- CautionDowned trees obstruct Cedar Creek paddling routeExpect significant portages and carry-overs of logs and other obstacles on Cedar Creek between Bannister’s Bridge and South Cedar Creek because trees are down across the creek.Official details
- CautionNavigation hazards on backcountry trailsOakridge, Boggy Gut, and Kingsnake trails are open but may be difficult to follow in some areas; carry GPS and use caution.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Congaree Tour Guide
Your drive to Longleaf Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Congaree National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Longleaf and Bluff Campgrounds0:00 / 0:25
“You're nearing Longleaf Campground, the practical tent-camping option if you want a short walk with your gear. Reserve ahead; vehicles stay in the parking lot, and the farthest sites are about a hundred yards away.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Congaree Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Harry Hampton Visitor Center and Boardwalk
- The Pine That Starts as Grass
- A Plant That Lives in the Air
- Bannister Bridge Canoe Landing
- 13 audio storiesacross Congaree’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Alligator, Wild Boar, Barred Owl, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 9 trails, 14 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Longleaf Trail
A short point-to-point linkLongleaf Trail 8 is a nearly level forest connector from Longleaf Campground to the Boardwalk…
Longleaf Trail #8 is a nearly level forest connector from Longleaf Campground to the Boardwalk junction, about 0.6 mile one way by the mapped route. Continue about 0.1 mile on the Boardwalk to reach the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. If you walk back along the same path, plan on roughly 1.2 miles to the Boardwalk junction. This is a handy link to the visitor-area trails, not much of a stand-alone hike.
There is a real mileage mismatch: the current trail listing says 1.3 miles one way, while the park map, the route geometry and an on-trail walk report support about 0.6 mile to the Boardwalk. We use the mapped corridor here. Check the park's latest map if the exact distance matters.
Follow the #8 markersAt the Bluff Trail junction, the directional sign may not mention the Visitor Center; the…
At the Bluff Trail junction, the directional sign may not mention the Visitor Center; the numbered #8 blazes confirm the Longleaf continuation. Near the Boardwalk end, the trail crosses the park road and reaches a fork: keep right for the Boardwalk and Visitor Center, or left for the picnic area and parking.
Flat, but rootedThe trail stays level through the forest and is rated easy, but exposed roots interrupt the…
The trail stays level through the forest and is rated easy, but exposed roots interrupt the tread. A few narrow stretches brush the surrounding vegetation, so watch your footing and check yourself and your dog for ticks afterward.
Parking, water, and petsThe campground end meets Longleaf Campground's gravel parking lot; the other end joins the…
The campground end meets Longleaf Campground's gravel parking lot; the other end joins the Boardwalk near the Harry Hampton Visitor Center lot. The campground has two vault toilets but no running water; fountains and a spigot are at the Visitor Center. Pets are allowed on the park's trails on a leash no longer than six feet.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Congaree
146 sightingsAlligatorMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
237 sightingsWild BoarMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
289 sightingsBarred OwlMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
246 sightingsCottonmouthMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
12 sightingsWood StorkMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
61 sightingsGreat Blue HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Congaree. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
