OutReserve

Bluff Hike in Camping

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.

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 mile 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.

Number of accommodations: 6

Seasonal information

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

Sites & Availability

6 Sites Available

Site
Price
01, Loop: Bluff Hike-in
8 guests
Price not available
02, Loop: Bluff Hike-in
8 guests
Price not available
03, Loop: Bluff Hike-in
8 guests
Price not available
04, Loop: Bluff HIke-in
8 guests
Price not available
05, Loop: Bluff Hike-in
8 guests
Price not available
06, Loop: Bluff Hike-in
8 guests
Price not available

Reviews (32)

What Guests Are Saying

Bluff Hike in Camping offers a peaceful and secluded experience with well-spaced campsites, picnic tables, and fire pits, surrounded by nature and abundant birdlife. The campground is clean, well-maintained, and provides easy access to trails and facilities, making it ideal for a light backpacking trip. While some noted the lack of privacy and a closer water source, most enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere and the opportunity for stargazing and exploration.

Review Summary

4.8
32 reviews
5
81.3%
26
4
15.6%
5
3
3.1%
1
2
0.0%
0
1
0.0%
0

Narhari P

Verified

August 4, 2025 Stayed at: 01, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Best night spent camping

Craig K

Verified

June 30, 2025 Stayed at: 01, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Flat well maintained sites with easy access to fire wood. Saw bats and birds. Good place to throw a football.

Amaya L

Verified

February 19, 2025 Stayed at: 05, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Campsites were clean and well spaced apart, it was a very enjoyable experience

Amanda K

Verified

February 7, 2025 Stayed at: 01, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

I love Congaree! I've been there a couple times in the winter months and I expect that's the ideal time: few guests, cooler temps, low humidity, and no bugs. It can be very wet off the boardwalks, so I recommend checking conditions ahead of time and bringing xtratuffs. The Bluff campsite is a short walk from parking. Had a lovely evening listening to barred owls.

Jacqueline H

Verified

January 12, 2025 Stayed at: 02, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Love this campsite(bluff 2)!
2 picnic tables & a grate for the fire. Plenty of space for tents & hammocks. The family bathroom was open at the visitor center too. Can be nice to take dinner trash etc back to the car (avoid attracting animals) & use the warm bathroom during a cold winter evening.

It might be a Natl Park, but we are in the South so there’s plenty of trash left in/around the fire pit…
Bring an extra trash bag to help clean up & keep our parks pristine!

Holly M

Verified

January 2, 2025 Stayed at: 01, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Campground was clean. The hike in was nice. This was the first time taking my dog camping and hiking and it was the perfect TV trail for him as an older small dog.

Thomas L

Verified

December 22, 2024 Stayed at: 02, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Good location for camping

Lester W

Verified

December 22, 2024 Stayed at: 04, Loop: Bluff HIke-in

4

The park was well maintained, clean, and the staff was very helpful. I was hopeful I would be able to backpack and camp along the Oakridge trail, but the trail was closed the following morning due to flooding. I had a great time and throughly ejnoyed natural setting with very little development.
Les

Riley T

Verified

November 13, 2024 Stayed at: 05, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Awesome campground for a long weekend. 6 spots equally spaced out for privacy in a large clearing. So much firewood quickly sourceable. Only about a 10-15min hike from the Visitor Center (which has water fill ups). Great location to practice backpacking without being isolated. Cell reception is good, too. Easy trail access to hike to Weston and Wise Lake for fishing. I would 100% stay again.

Brionna B

Verified

September 20, 2024 Stayed at: 02, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

4

Great stay!

Location Bluff Hike in Camping

Address:
100 National Park Road
Hopkins, SC, 29061
United States

Latitude & Longitude: 33.8321 / -80.8155

Elevation: 35 feet

Policies & Rules

Category About
General

Reservations
• All campsites are available for reservation on a first-come, first-serve basis and must be reserved prior to setting up camp. 
• Check-in time is 12:00 p.m. on the day of arrival. 
• Check-out time is 11:00 a.m. on the day of departure.
• 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. 
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General

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.
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General

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. 
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General

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.
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General

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.
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General

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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