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
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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

Justin H

Verified

May 5, 2024 Stayed at: 01, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Very peaceful and quiet location to camp. Easy access to the park trails.

Kyare B

Verified

April 30, 2024 Stayed at: 05, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

It was a spectacular campsite with nature in every direction. I will say the "small" walk for the hike out sites was a bit farther than expected but we could do it with only mild difficulty with a 4 year old. It is a perfect camping area with super helpful and kind staff.

Jackson W

Verified

January 28, 2024 Stayed at: 02, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

4

The overall experience was pretty good and I only have a couple problems with the camp site. We stayed on site 2 and the grill was broken off the fire pit but we ended up not using it. Another thing was the posting listed on the website made the camp sites seem much further away from each other than they were. Also you couldn’t really tell by the posting that you were in a big open clearing. This wasn’t really a problem due to the fact that it was 17 degrees and there was not a soul in sight. The park is a very nice place to be and the nature is wonderful, we saw rabbits, deer, and where hogs had been. The trees are also amazing to see on the boardwalk. I would definitely go back.

jon e

Verified

October 16, 2023 Stayed at: 03, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

I love camping at the Bluff campsite. I like the fact that there is a hike into it so that you feel like you're actually camping instead of just sleeping next to your car. But the hike is so easy it's not a problem even if you need to make several trips. The sites are spread out nicely around the open field. It's just nice.

Margaret B

Verified

September 11, 2023 Stayed at: 06, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Me, my husband, and our dog stayed at the Bluff Campgrounds and had a really nice time. Be prepared to walk a little to the campsite (10-15mins).The campsite was quite and clean. No need to check in, so don't worry about making it to the site before the visitor center closes. We really enjoyed some of the longer trails in the area, as they are less traveled.

Karolina H

Verified

August 18, 2023 Stayed at: 01, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Grat peaceful place, 1 mil from visitor centre

Debra K

Verified

April 9, 2023 Stayed at: 06, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

4

Our trip was amazing! We’re from Ohio so the environment was definitely different than the parks we have, making it extra beautiful and breathtaking. Regardless of the flooding from the rain, we were able to enjoy the boardwalk 2 days in a row, we highly recommend crocs rather than skip the flooding! It was our favorite part by far. We also camped in the Bluff campground which was a mile hike in. We recommend parking by the welcome center rather than the long leaf campground parking lot as it was much easier and slightly shorter to get to camp. The campground was very clean and private enough that we felt comfortable using our pop up tent toilet. Although the welcome center was small, it was informative and the staff was so nice! We saw lots of creatures but not too many snakes as anticipated. It was such a beautiful area, don’t pass it up due to the few bad reviews who don’t appreciate the great outdoors. We highly recommend March/April as the night temperatures were cool and the days warm, meaning the bugs were low! The mosquito meter stayed at a 1 the entire 3 days we were there! Add it to your list, it’s worth it!

Ryan B

Verified

March 24, 2023 Stayed at: 01, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Great spot.

Greg G

Verified

March 5, 2023 Stayed at: 06, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

5

Well marked trail, nice campsites

Kevin T

Verified

February 5, 2023 Stayed at: 06, Loop: Bluff Hike-in

3

I really enjoyed camping at bluff campground, but when I left I found that someone had hit my truck in the parking lot. No cameras to watch parking lot now I have to pay to repair it. Be careful if camping. Vehicles not safe.

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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