The Sims Trail to Wise Lake in Congaree National Park is a fantastic route for hikers looking to explore the park’s unique floodplain forest.
Sims Trail to Wise Lake Basics
Under 1 Hour
1.4 Miles Roundtrip
Out-and-Back
3 Feet
Duration: Under 1 Hour
When you start on the Sims Trail from the Lower Boardwalk Loop, walk to Wise Lake, and walk back to the boardwalk, you should be on the path for under one hour.
Distance: 1.4 Miles Roundtrip
From the boardwalk, it is about 0.7 miles to get to Wise Lake, an oxbow lake in the middle of old-growth forests.
Type: Out-and-Back Trail
After leaving the elevated boardwalk trail, the hike on the Sims Trail is an out-and-back trail. However, if you prefer, you can loop back along the Weston Lake Trail, making this into a loop.
Elevation Change: 3 Feet
The Sims Trail, in this section, is a relatively flat trail on an old gravel road.
Season: Spring, Fall
Even though Congaree National Park is open year-round, the best time to visit is in the spring or fall. You avoid the warmer summer months and the barren landscape of the winter.
Time of Day: Any
If it’s warm outside, consider taking this trail early in the morning or late in the evening. This is also going to be the best time for wildlife viewing. In the summer, avoid sunset, though, as that’s typically when the mosquitos swarm.
Amount of Shade: Mostly Shaded
Since you are walking through giant trees, and a variety of trees, the boardwalk is mostly shaded throughout the day.
Difficulty: Easy
The trail used to be a hunting road used by Harry Hampton to get to Cedar Creek. Since it was once used for vehicles, the path is well-worn, mostly flat, and a decent width.
What Makes Sims Trail to Wise Lake a Great Hike?
The Sims Trail is an alternate route to some of the longer trails in the parks, wish as the Weston Lake Loop Trail, Oakridge Trail, and the River Trail. It can also be used as a shortcut to make the popular Boardwalk Trail a shorter hike. When taking it south from the lower boardwalk trail, you can walk to Wise Lake and back without missing any of the points in the self-guided boardwalk tour brochure. Take a walk through the old-growth bottomland forest on the Sims Trail.
The Sims Trail winds past towering loblolly pines, some of the giants that helped inspire preservation efforts at Congaree National Park. Dead standing pines, or snags, serve as prime habitats for woodpeckers, including the Red-headed and Pileated Woodpeckers. The trail also crosses several wetlands, offering excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, with Red-shouldered Hawks and Barred Owls often seen lying in wait to catch crayfish and salamanders. Due to both natural and manmade disturbances, the trail features more open sky than most areas of the park, making it a great spot to see Chimney Swifts and Mississippi Kites in the summer, as well as Red-shouldered Hawks and vultures throughout the year.
Scenery on the Sims Trail
Start of the Trail
When you turn right onto the Sims Trail from the boardwalk, you’ll pass through a narrow stretch of muck or peat swamp that hugs the edge of the bluff.
As you continue along the Sims Trail, you’ll encounter stands of towering Loblolly Pines, an unusual sight in Congaree National Park’s bottomland hardwood forest. Most pine species struggle to survive in wetlands due to their inability to tolerate the anaerobic conditions caused by periodic flooding. However, the loblolly pine is an exception, thriving in wet environments—its name, fittingly, means “muddy puddle.” These pines are among the tallest trees you’ll find in the park. Although loblolly pines typically grow to heights of 50 to 80 feet, they can reach much greater sizes. In fact, the world’s tallest known loblolly pine, standing at 169 feet, resides in Congaree National Park. Interestingly, you’ll notice few young pines in the floodplain today; the open conditions that allowed these giants to flourish in the 19th century are no longer present.
The dirt path of the Sims Trail
Fallen trees along the path
On the Trail
The trail crosses Weston Gut, a small waterway that channels overflow from Cedar Creek into Weston Lake slough. These waterways meander across the floodplain, connecting different creeks or oxbow lakes. They play a crucial role during floods, transporting water from the Congaree River and facilitating its return as floodwaters recede. In this area, the dominant tree is Baldcypress, an iconic species of Southern wetlands. Recognizable by its straight trunk, cypress knees, and feathery needles, Baldcypress is known for its slow decay, leading to its nickname, “the wood eternal.” Historically prized for roofing shingles, many of these trees were logged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, the bald cypress trees in Congaree National Park are among the last remaining old-growth specimens in the U.S.
End of the Trail
Sims Trail leads to Wise Lake, a scenic water feature that fills during periods of high rainfall. Surrounded by a dense forest of bald cypress and water tupelo, the lake’s fluctuating water levels reflect the park’s dynamic floodplain ecosystem. Wise Lake is an excellent spot for bird watching, where you might see many bird species including egrets, herons, and Prothonotary Warblers during migration. Red-shouldered Hawks often soar overhead, while river otters and white-tailed deer are commonly seen along the water’s edge. During warmer months, alligators may also be spotted basking or gliding through the water. The area’s changing water levels create a diverse habitat for both aquatic and terrestrial species, making it a peaceful place to observe the balance of nature in Congaree National Park.
Notable Places on the Hike
Just before getting to Wise Lake, the trail opens up to the site of the former Cedar Creek Hunt Club cabin, a raised structure that once stood along with other hunt club buildings in the clearing. This cabin replaced an earlier one built by the United States Hunt Club, which was named to deter poaching. Open areas like this can be found throughout the park, remnants of past feed plots for game, old logging decks, or agricultural fields. As these areas undergo forest succession, they evolve into “old field” habitats dominated by fast-growing, sun-loving trees like Sweetgum and Loblolly Pine, competing with blackberries and grapevines. This transformation into a dense forest will eventually obscure the clearing’s history. Enjoy the open sky as you look for soaring birds such as the Mississippi Kite in summer and Red-shouldered Hawks year-round.
Small bridge over the Weston Gut
Trail signs on the Sims Trail
Sims Trail to Wise Lake Trailhead Information
Park Name: Congaree National Park
Congaree National Park is located in central South Carolina, just outside of the state's capital city of Columbia. There's only one main entrance that can be reached via National Park Road off of Old Bluff Road. Congaree is one of the newest national parks in the United States.
Finding the Trailhead
If you plan to hike to Wise Lake along the Sims Trail from the lower boardwalk, you must first start on the boardwalk trail. This leaves from the Harry Hampton Visitor Center on the southwest corner of the complex. Walk along the boardwalk, staying to the right at the fork, and make the first bend until you are walking east. About 0.25 miles from there, you'll come to a place where the boardwalk gives way to a gravel path. This is the Sims Trail, so turn to your right to head south along the pathway towards Wise Lake.
Markers Along the Trail
As you walk along the Sims Trail, there are brown and white reflective markers on the trees about every 10-15 yards. They are marked with the number 2 and some have coordinates in case of emergencies.
Nearest Restrooms
The only restrooms in the park that are open to the public are the restrooms found at the visitor center. When you walk through the breezeway, they are on your right-hand side. These are fully operational flushing toilets and sinks. Longleaf Campground has a set of vault toilets for campers.
Parking Area
The parking lot for the Boardwalk Trail, which takes you to the Sims Trail, is the same lot used for the visitor's center and the two frontcountry campgrounds in the park.
Other Trails at this Trailhead
- Boardwalk Loop Trail
- Picnic Trail
- Firefly Trail
- Bluff Trail
- Longleaf Trail
- Weston Lake Trail
- Oak Ridge Trail
- River Trail
- Kingsnake Trail
Tips for Sims Trail to Wise Lake
- There are many wild hogs in the area. At times, all trails south of the boardwalk may close for feral hog management work.
- Insect repellent may only be used in the parking area. Make sure to check the Mosquito Meter above the restrooms and plan accordingly.
- Always check the trail conditions and weather with the rangers before setting out on the trails. The park is known for flooding and you don't want to get caught in a flash flood, especially on the low boardwalk areas.
- Since this trail goes off of the boardwalk, watch out for poison ivy along the way.
Accessibility Information for Sims Trail to Wise Lake
Dirt
Paved
Trail Type: Dirt
Most of the Sims Trail is a dirt path that leads through the old-growth trees. It’s relatively flat but could be difficult to navigate for those with mobility issues. During the rainy season, when the floodplain has been covered with water, the swampy areas may prove muddy and harder to traverse.
Parking: Paved
The parking area for the Harry Hampton Visitor Center serves as the main access point for most of Congaree National Park’s trailheads. It is a well-maintained, paved lot designed to accommodate a variety of vehicles, including cars, RVs, and buses. The parking lot features multiple handicap-accessible spaces close to the entrance of the visitor center, ensuring easy access for all visitors.