A fallen cypress tree spans Cedar Creek in Congaree National Park
A hiker in the cypress forest of Congaree National Park
The endless wet terrain and wide Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) trees  in Congaree National Park.
The boardwalk through Congaree National Park
Hikers with a park ranger beneath fall colors at Congaree National Park

Featured amenities

Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
Fire Pit Fire Pit

Available sites

6 total sites

About Bluff Hike in Camping

This is a hike-in campground that is located at the intersection of the Bluff and Firefly Trails, approximately 1 mi from both the Harry Hampton Visitor Center and the Longleaf Campground. It is surrounded by a mixed pine/hardwood upland forest. This campground is located at a higher elevation than the floodplain and is not subject to the flooding events that occur regularly in other parts of the park.

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Open year round

This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.

365 Days

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Picnic Table Picnic Table
Restrooms Restrooms
Fire Pit Fire Pit
Site Setup and Access

Site Setup and Access

  • Shaded Site
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Potable Water
  • Restrooms
Cooking and Fire

Cooking and Fire

  • Picnic Table
  • Fire Pit
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

6 Sites Available

Site
Price
⛺ 01, Loop: Bluff Hike-in Tent
⛺ 02, Loop: Bluff Hike-in Tent
⛺ 03, Loop: Bluff Hike-in Tent
⛺ 04, Loop: Bluff HIke-in Tent
⛺ 05, Loop: Bluff Hike-in Tent
⛺ 06, Loop: Bluff Hike-in Tent

Reviews (38)

What Guests Are Saying

Bluff Hike offers a peaceful and well-maintained camping experience with spacious, shaded sites and easy access to trails and the visitor center. Campers appreciate the cleanliness, quiet atmosphere, and wildlife, including birds and owls, making it ideal for relaxation and stargazing. Some minor drawbacks include occasional noise from other campers and a lack of nearby water sources, but overall, visitors express a strong desire to return.

Review Summary

4.7
38 reviews
5
81.6%
31
4
13.2%
5
3
2.6%
1
2
0.0%
0
1
2.6%
1

Ciera L

Verified

August 12, 2026 • Stayed at: 06, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Great site. Decent hike in, and sites are not right on top of each other.

Tyler B

Verified

August 6, 2026 • Stayed at: 06, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Great camp spot! Love the park

Colette B

Verified

June 17, 2026 • Stayed at: 05, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

The campground is quiet and secluded yet doesn't feel as far from the visitor center as it is with the boardwalk connector. The trails leading in are maintained. A large informational sign indicating the Leave no Trace principles encourages campers to comply and also provides a teaching tool for children. We stayed in site 5 which had two picnic tables and three nice spots to choose from for a tent site.

Nicholas D

Verified

June 14, 2026 • Stayed at: 02, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Great flat spots with plenty of shade cover.

Robert C

Verified

May 10, 2026 • Stayed at: 02, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Great campsite.

One of the other groups here was unfortunately very loud and playing music until around 2-3 am, which kind of dampened our otherwise peaceful experience on the second night. But that, of course, isn't the park's fault.

Lothar D

Verified

May 6, 2026 • Stayed at: 03, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

1

I accidently booked a site at this campground confusing it with the Longleaf site. It is about half a mile to get there from the parkinglot of the isitor center, but it is near the ranger residence, thus not secluded. It has no facilities and no water. i.e. all the challenges of wilderness camping, without being a wilderness camp. .... We weren't the only ones making that error. Fortunately we were able to book a site at longleaf campground, but we forfitted our registration money.

Lee A

Verified

April 11, 2026 • Stayed at: 05, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Easy hike quiet campsite. Lots of birds wood peckets and owls.

Mark B

Verified

April 5, 2026 • Stayed at: 04, Loop: Bluff HIke-in

5

Bluff campground has 6 campsites available, all with a picnic table and fire pit. Most of the sites were shaded for most of the day, with an open area in the middle for stargazing, if you're into that, which I am. I was the only person there for 2 nights, absolutely loved it! The sounds of all different kinds of birds during the day and the sounds of the night birds, especially owls, was amazing!!

Rachel B

Verified

February 28, 2026 • Stayed at: 06, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Super cool spot. Lacks privacy but the meadow clearing is so pretty and the woods around are so fun to explore. We were there Thursday-Saturday and had the place mostly to ourselves. Great little spot for a day or two camping experience.

John Dawson Simmons J

Verified

February 22, 2026 • Stayed at: 05, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

4

Needs Closer water source. Needs Dig out fire pits.
Campsites Nicely spread out.
Picnic table.

Location & Directions for Bluff Hike in Camping

100 National Park Road, Hopkins, SC 29061 United States

Elevation: 35 ft

Nearest town

Hopkins, SC - 7.8 mi

About 15 min to downtown

Highway access

Bluff Hike in Camping is accessible via US Highway 378, which is approximately 10 miles to the north.

Nearby National Park

Congaree National Park

In Congaree National Park

Approximate driving time: 1 min

Policies & Rules

Arrival & departure

Check in time

12PM

Check out time

11AM

General

  • All campsites are available for reservation on a first-come, first-serve basis and must be reserved prior to setting up camp. • Site must be occupied by the individual listed on the reservation. • Campers may register for no more than 14 consecutive days, and no more than 28 days within a 6-month period. 
  • Campsite Access, Occupation, and Use • This is a hike-in campground only and cannot be accessed by vehicle. Those reserving a site in this campground must park at either the Longleaf Campground (hiking on the Bluff and Longleaf Trails) or the Harry Hampton Visitor Center (hiking on the Firefly Trail) to reach this campground, a hike of approximately 1 mile one-way from either starting location. • Camping at Congaree National Park is tent only. Campers with reservations must be set up on and physically occupy a designated camp site.  • Each site may have up to 8 campers and no more than 3 tents and/or structures (e.g., pop-up canopy) per site. • Use of hammocks is permitted and they do not count against a site's tent/structure limit. Hammocks may only be put up using straps and cannot be put up using nails, screws, etc. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  • Vehicles • Staying overnight in a vehicle (i.e., car, trailer/RV, camper van, etc.) is not permitted. • Please remember to lock your vehicle and take all valuables with you to your site if possible. If an item must be left in a vehicle, please remember to place it in a location where it is not visible.  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  • Camp Fires • Fires may only be made within established fire rings and must be fully extinguished (cool to the touch) when leaving your campsite or checking out at the end of your stay.  • Campers may only gather and use dead or downed branches already on the ground for building a fire.  • The only outside firewood that can be brought into the park is that which has been purchased locally and/or has been certified as pest free. You must have the receipt/proof of purchase and/or wrapper with pest free certification to present if requested. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  • Food Storage and Disposing of Trash • Remember to properly store all food within sealed containers to prevent access by wild animals such as racoons. • Please properly dispose of all uneaten food and trash. This campground does not have any trash or recycling bins, and campers are require to pack out what they packed in.   • Please do not burn trash or uneaten food in fire rings, as this can attract wildlife and leave a mess for other campers. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  • Potable Water and Restrooms • No restroom facilities are available at this campground and campers are asked to practice the Leave No Trace principles for disposal of human waste. If needed, restrooms are available daily between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center, and vault toilets are available at the Longleaf Campground 24/7. • There is no running water available at this campground. Campers should pack in enough potable water for each member of their group, plus enough to fully extinguish their fire when leaving the campsite. Potable water is available at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center 24 hours a day. 

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Last updated: October 19, 2026

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