Parking
Use the Harry Hampton Visitor Center lot. Start at the breezeway and follow the marked Boardwalk connection to Sims Trail; park entry is free.
Overview
About Weston Lake Trail
Why go
- The route shifts from creek openings to cypress-tupelo swamp and a lake overlook.
- Mostly level terrain makes this a manageable longer walk when conditions are dry.
Heads up
- The full outing is 4.5 miles; the named Weston Lake section is only about 2 miles one way, with connectors adding the rest.
On the eastern stretch, the path enters old-growth cypress-tupelo swamp. Cypress knees rise from the wet ground, and raised boardwalk sections carry the route over wetter patches. A short boardwalk spur reaches the Weston Lake overlook; this is the clearest lake view, since leaves can screen the water along the rest of the trail.
Parkwolf’s verdictThe slough is the payoffMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Congaree map
Full mapElevation94–121 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Congaree alerts
- CautionDowned trees obstruct Cedar Creek paddling routeMentions Cedar Creek, referenced in this guideExpect 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 Weston Lake 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
Harry Hampton Visitor Center and Boardwalk0:00 / 0:36
“You're approaching the Harry Hampton Visitor Center, where exhibits introduce the forest and the people who lived and worked here. Look for the wooden mosquito meter before heading out.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Congaree Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Longleaf and Bluff Campgrounds
- A Plant That Lives in the Air
- The Pine That Starts as Grass
- What the Flood Leaves Behind
- 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 Weston Lake Trail
The full visitor-center loopWeston Lake Trail 3 is a 4.5-mile loop from the Harry Hampton Visitor Center.
Weston Lake Trail #3 is a 4.5-mile loop from the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. That total includes the Boardwalk and Sims Trail approaches, the Weston Lake section, and the boardwalk return. Allow about 2 to 3 hours. It’s a longer walk through flat, flood-prone forest, not a short stroll around a lake.
How the loop runsFrom the visitor-center breezeway, follow the marked Boardwalk connection to Sims Trail (2),…
From the visitor-center breezeway, follow the marked Boardwalk connection to Sims Trail (#2), then continue about 1.1 miles to the Weston Lake junction by Cedar Creek. Follow the numbered #3 route along the creek and through the slough; it returns toward the visitor center by the Elevated Boardwalk system. The named Weston Lake section is about 2 miles one way between the Sims approach and the boardwalk, so the connectors account for much of the full outing.
Cedar Creek and an old clearingCedar Creek appears through breaks in the trees rather than beside the trail the whole way.
Cedar Creek appears through breaks in the trees rather than beside the trail the whole way. The open clearing at the creek junction is the former Cedar Creek Hunt Club site; sweetgum, loblolly pine, blackberry and grapevine are gradually filling it back in. It’s a useful place to pause and look for birds over the opening.
Flat walking, tricky conditionsThere’s little climbing, but NPS rates the trail moderate because low ground can be muddy or…
There’s little climbing, but NPS rates the trail moderate because low ground can be muddy or under standing water and the route can be hard to follow. Floods periodically close backcountry trails and parts of the boardwalk, and storms can leave trees across the path. Watch for the numbered blazes; some include GPS coordinates used for rescue calls.
Wildlife and a shorter choiceOtters and wading birds are often seen along Cedar Creek, though sightings are never guaranteed.
Otters and wading birds are often seen along Cedar Creek, though sightings are never guaranteed. Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet; bicycles and other mechanical devices aren’t allowed on park trails. If 4.5 miles feels like too much, the 2.6-mile Boardwalk Trail is an easier way to spend time in the old-growth forest.
Where to pause for a photoAt the Weston Lake platform, frame the water through the cypress and tupelo trunks for a sense…
At the Weston Lake platform, frame the water through the cypress and tupelo trunks for a sense of the slough’s depth. Cedar Creek offers a second worthwhile water view from its bridge; the creek winding through the floodplain is the better choice when the lake is hidden by summer foliage.
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.
