Kingsnake Trail
Hiking Trail
Moderate
7.6 mi
33 ft
One of the park’s longest and most remote hikes, granting especially diverse forest communities and bird life.
Kingsnake Trail is one of Congaree’s more remote trails, which makes it especially good for birdwatching and wildlife viewing. There are also impressive trees, of course, and the forest hosts greater diversity than what’s found along the shorter loop trails. It is a longer hike than most others in the park, and there are various ways to approach it. The route mapped here is an out-and-back from South Cedar Creek trailhead to the junction with Weston Lake Trail, for a roundtrip of 7.5 miles. If you start from the visitor center trailhead, however, it’s a longer journey. You must hike portions of Boardwalk, Weston Lake, and Oak Ridge trails just to get to Kingsnake. By that route, you can hike more than 12 miles out and back from the visitor center. Either way, you will enter seldom-traveled depths of the forest on Kingsnake Trail. Because it’s so remote, this trail is not usually prioritized for maintenance. Expect obstacles like downed trees, damaged bridges, and muddy and/or flooded sections. It's a good idea to check with the rangers about trail conditions before you go. Kingsnake Trail is for those who relish wilderness and solitude, and you may find bonus rewards in rare birds, outsized trees, and other surprises that most park visitors never see. Sources: Written by Jesse Weber
Kingsnake Trail is one of Congaree’s more remote trails, which makes it especially good for birdwatching and wildlife viewing. There are also impressive trees, of course, and the forest hosts greater diversity than what’s found along the shorter loop trails. It is a longer hike than most others in the park, and there are various ways to approach it. The route mapped here is an out-and-back from South Cedar Creek trailhead to the junction with Weston Lake Trail, for a roundtrip of 7.5 miles. If you start from the visitor center trailhead, however, it’s a longer journey. You must hike portions of Boardwalk, Weston Lake, and Oak Ridge trails just to get to Kingsnake. By that route, you can hike more than 12 miles out and back from the visitor center. Either way, you will enter seldom-traveled depths of the forest on Kingsnake Trail. Because it’s so remote, this trail is not usually prioritized for maintenance. Expect obstacles like downed trees, damaged bridges, and muddy and/or flooded sections. It's a good idea to check with the rangers about trail conditions before you go. Kingsnake Trail is for those who relish wilderness and solitude, and you may find bonus rewards in rare birds, outsized trees, and other surprises that most park visitors never see. Sources: Written by Jesse Weber
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