Weston Lake Trail in Congaree National Park

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See the Hiking Trails web page for a trail map, tips on hiking in Congaree National Park, and a link to reviews of the other trails in the park.

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Length:  2.1 miles, one way
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy

The Weston Lake Trail in Congaree National Park runs south from the southeastern corner of the Boardwalk Trail to Cedar Creek, then follows the creek west to the intersection with the Sims Trail. Ironically, the only way to see Weston Lake is by taking a detour on an elevated boardwalk to an observation deck. There are no views of the lake from the trail, at least not when the leaves are still on the trees.

The trail is two miles long, but you can’t start out on it. From the Harry Hampton Visitor Center it is a one-mile hike along the Boardwalk Trail to the Weston Lake trailhead (at the actual Weston Lake), or a 1.4-mile hike along the Firefly and Sims Trail to the western trailhead. I began my hike at the Sims Trail intersection, and this report is written from that perspective.

Weston Lake Trail map (click to enlarge)

The National Park Service rates trails at Congaree National Park as EASY, MODERATE, and DIFFICULT. However, these ratings have nothing to do with how much huffing and puffing you’ll be doing, which is typically how trail difficulty is rated. All of the trails in the park cover flat terrain and are easy to hike, cardovascular-wise. What the National Park Service is referring to is how difficult it is to navigate the trails due to downed trees, mud holes, and other obstacles. EASY means the trail is well maintained while DIFFICULT means there may be a lot of obstacles, and you’ll need more navigational sense to find your way. The Weston Lake Trail gets a MODERATE rating, but I found it to be as easy as walking around the neighborhood, at least when the trail was dry during my mid-October visit.

If you are hiking down the Sims Trail, just before the end is a fork with no directional signage. This is nothing but a triangular intersection, so both paths will take you to the Weston Lake Trail. The official way to go is to the right / straight, as this comes out at the start of the Weston Lake Trail at Bridge B (see map—major bridges in Congaree National Park are identified by a letter). A left, which is a trail with tire tracks worn into the ground, just cuts the corner and comes out a little farther down from the bridge. I went right to the official trailhead. Once there, take a left to begin the hike. A sign points the way.

Fork in the Sims Trail just before the intersection with the Weston Lake Trail in Congaree National Park

Intersection of the Sims and Weston Lake trails in Congaree National Park

Keep in mind that if you are hiking the trail in the opposite direction, from Weston Lake, you will come to the other end of the triangle, and again there is no signage. The dirt road cuts the corner to the Sims Trail, while a left leads to Bridge B.

Fork in the Weston Lake Trail just before the Sims Trail intersection when hiking west from Weston Lake, Congaree National Park

Nearly all visitors to Congaree National Park walk the Boardwalk Trail and not much else. If they do another hike, it is usually the Weston Lake Trail (30% of visitors according to a 2011 survey). Starting at the Sims Trail, the path is wide and largely free of rocks and roots. In fact, the lower 1.2 mile between bridges B and C is nothing but an old dirt road. It is the easiest of the dirt trails south of the Visitor Center.

Typical terrain on the Weston Lake Trail between Bridges B and C, Congaree National Park

The lower 1.2 mile of the trail runs along Cedar Creek. You can’t see it at all times, but there are a few spots where you could run and jump right in.

The Weston Lake Trail in Congaree National Park runs along Cedar Creek on its southern end

Bridge C is the last bridge before the Weston Lake Trail turns north towards the Visitor Center. If you are planning to paddle down Cedar Creek, do not be alarmed because what you see when crossing the bridge, a non-navigable body of water, is not the creek. This is Running Gut, a small channel that connects to Weston Lake.

View of Running Gut from Bridge C on the Weston Lake Trail in Congaree National Park

Once across the bridge, the Weston Lake Trail makes a left turn. If you wish to get to the Kingsnake Trail or the Oakridge Trail, stay straight.

Turn on the Weston Lake Trail on the east side of Bridge C, Congaree National Park

The last leg of the Weston Lake Trail runs .8 mile from Bridge C to Bridge M at Weston Lake. As with the rest of the trail, it covers level terrain and is easy to hike. There are, however, more roots on this section, so watch your step to keep from tripping.

Rooty trail surface on the eastern side of the Weston Lake Trail at Congaree National Park

As the Weston Lake Trail heads north, it follows closely to Running Gut. This is a swampy area, though much of it was dry when I did the hike in mid-October.

The eastern side of the Weston Lake Trail follows Running Gut, Congaree National Park

Dry area of the swamp along the Weston Lake Trail in Congaree National Park

Cypress and tupelo trees grow in the swamps at Congaree National Park, with the cypress being the more prominent. Both grow in waterlogged soil and are characterized by swollen bases, which give the trees a broader footprint needed to stabilize them in the wet soil. To tell the two apart, look at the bases. Tupelos are smooth while the cypress bases are rough looking, as if somebody took a pilar of clay and raked their fingers down it. Cypress are also identifiable by their roots that stick out of the ground called cypress knees. For people who have never seen this type of environment, the Weston Lake Trail is a pretty neat trail to hike.

Cypress trees in the swamp along the Weston Lake Trail in Congaree National Park

The swamp is not all dry, and a boardwalk carries hikers through the wetter areas.

Boardwalk section on the eastern side of the Weston Lake Trail keeps hikers out of the swamp at Congaree National Park

Swamp along the eastern section of the Weston Lake Trail in Congaree National Park

Not long after crossing Bridge M is an elevated walkway, and the Weston Lake Trail passes under it. I thought this was the Boardwalk Trail and was wondering how in the world I was supposed to get onto it, but this is actually the walkway that leads to the overlook platform on Weston Lake.

The Weston Lake Trail passes under an elevated walkway to an overlook platform on Weston Lake in Congaree National Park

Just a stone’s throw past the walkway is the Boardwalk Trail where the Weston Lake Trail comes to an end for those hiking from the west.

Intersection of the Weston Lake and Boardwalk trails in Congaree National Park

To see Weston Lake, take a right on the Boardwalk Trail. The walkway forks off to the right within sight distance. If you couldn’t care less about the lake and just want to get back to the Visitor Center, take a left on the Boardwalk Trail. Walking around in the clockwise direction is actually a little quicker than taking a right.

Weston Lake in Congaree National Park

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