National Parks Near Charleston
National Parks Near Charleston. There’s so much more to the Palmetto State than Congaree National Park.
In this article, we’ll familiarize you with the incredible national parks that are within a day’s drive of downtown Charleston including Congaree National Park. As a matter of fact, it’s less than two hours away!
To be clear, this list includes national park sites (as in sites managed by the National Park Service) as well as full-fledged national parks. To learn more about the difference between the various National Park Service designations check out our article that explains everything!
Now let’s go ahead with 5 reasons why you’ll want to hop in your car and make a day’s drive from Charleston to one of these truly amazing places.
Why Trust Us About National Parks Near Charleston?
You should probably know that we don’t just make this stuff up out of thin air. My sons have spent their entire adult lives exploring and filming America’s national parks and public lands.
As for me, I’m a retired lifelong educator and a proud dad of these two wonderful guys who are hopelessly obsessed with the national parks. I taught history for over a quarter of a century. Now I enjoy researching and writing articles for More Than Just Parks. I’m always on the hunt for topics where nature and history intersect so please feel free to share any ideas that you might have with me.
We’ve worked with the National Park Service, the Department of Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service for years creating films on important places and issues. Our work has been featured in leading publications all over the world and even some people outside of our immediate family call us experts on the national parks.
Meet The Parks Brothers
We’re Jim Pattiz and Will Pattiz, collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers (and sometimes the Parks Brothers) and we absolutely LOVE the national parks.
Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of America’s national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an effort to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
We hope you’ll follow our journey through the parks and help us to keep them the incredible places that they are. If you’re interested in joining the adventure then please sign up below!
Best National Parks Near Columbus
1. Congaree National Park
Distance From Charleston: One hour 50 minutes (105 miles) via I-26 W.
Visiting this national park is like going back in time. Here you’ll discover ancient cypress trees and waterways that once dominated the coastal southern United States but now are found only in a few pockets of protected land.
Congaree happens to be one of the more forgotten parks on the east coast which is great for those of us who like to avoid crowds!
Most people don’t think of South Carolina when they think of national parks, but you’ll definitely want to add this magical 26,000 acre park to your bucket list.
Things To Do At Congaree National Park
A great place to begin your visit is the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. Visitors can see exhibits on geology, animal life, and human history that are native to this part of South Carolina. There’s an 18-minute film to introduce you to the various natural wonders of the park.
Congaree National Park features over 25 miles of hiking trails and 2.4 miles of boardwalk. The Boardwalk Loop Trail provides access to Weston Lake and other trails that wind through the Congaree floodplain. Bring your camera as this trail is a great place to get that perfect shot.
You can go canoeing or kayaking at Congaree. Cedar Creek is one of the best places to launch your vessel into the water. It marks the start of thae managed Cedar Creek Canoe Trail. Keep an eye out for otters, turtles and the occasional alligator as you paddle along. And have fun!
Congaree is home to one of the largest loblolly pines in the whole world. You should definitely check it out while you’re there.
There Are Hiking Trails, Leaf Strewn Forests & Southern Plantations Too
Another wonderful stop is the Congaree Bluffs Heritage Preserve on the south side of the national park. It’s a magnificent maze of hiking paths and leaf-strewn forests.
It covers 201 acres, encompassing groups of hickory, oak, and tupelo tree, often clad in beautiful clusters of Spanish moss.
If you’re looking for a little history then you don’t have far to look. Near the park is the Millford Plantation Historic Site. You can explore a 19th century plantation household that was home to more than 600 slaves prior to the Civil War.
RELATED: 10 BEST Civil War Sites In America
2. Cowpens National Battlefield | National Parks Near Charleston
Distance From Charlotte: Three hours 26 minutes (223 miles) via I-26 W.
As a retired history teacher I understand that our national park sites have a story to tell about the history of our nation. It’s a story that goes beyond the textbooks by giving visitors the opportunity to see the places where our history happened. The Battle of Cowpens is a case in point.
It was fought as part of the American Revolution on January 17, 1781, near Thicketty Creek, South Carolina, on a 500 square yard grazing pasture. Brigadier General Daniel Morgan was being pursued by 1,100 British soldiers under the command of Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton.
Morgan picked his ground for what would be a defensive battle. The battle began shortly after dawn. It resulted in a devastating defeat for the British army, ending a brief string of victories for the Crown in the southern colonies.
The victory at Cowpens proved to be a massive morale booster for the Continental Army and a crucial step in securing the South for the Patriot cause.
Things To Do At Cowpens
I always recommend beginning at the visitors center if your a first-timer. There’s a fascinating eighteen-minute live-action theater film, “Cowpens: A Battle Remembered.”
There’s also a museum which combines exhibits with weaponry from the colonial period. The National Park Service operates a wonderful bookstore which offers visitors over 100 publications and theme-related items for sale on the battle and the Revolutionary War.
Depending on when you’re planning your trip, there are special programs including guided battlefield walks and weapons demonstrations.
Of course, you can walk the battlefield without a guide and see the Green River Road (Mills Gap Road) where armies not only traveled, but also fought each other.
RELATED: 10 BEST Revolutionary War Sites In America
3. Fort Sumter & Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
Distance From Charleston: Fort Sumter is in Charleston. Fort Moultrie is only 23 minutes away via SC-703 E..
If you want to stay close to Charleston, but experience some history than you can’t get much closer than Fort Sumter & Fort Moultrie.
We go from the American Revolution to the Civil War, but the good news is that you don’t have to travel far while we do it. Actually, when it comes to American history, this is a two-for-one special.
There are two forts at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Fort Moultrie, which had its humble beginnings as a palmetto log fort, was originally crafted by patriots in the days of the American Revolution. It later served a strategic role defeating the British Navy in 1776.
RELATED: 8 EPIC South Carolina National Parks
Tour Forts Sumter & Moultrie
Fort Sumter is only accessible by the concession-operated tour boats however. Fort Sumter Tours provides the only National Park Service authorized access to Fort Sumter. You have to purchase tickets for the tour boat, but the fort does not charge an admission fee.
As for Fort Moultrie, visitors are required to purchase an entrance pass at the Fort Moultrie Visitor Center upon entering the site.
A visit to Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park provides a window into the life and trials of America’s heroes, from the Civil War to today’s modern conflicts.
It’s a great way to walk in the footsteps of those who helped give birth to the new nation and those who fought to preserve it.
4. Kings Mountain National Military Park
Distance From Charlotte: Three hours 32 minutes (214 miles) via I-26 W & I-77 N.
Thomas Jefferson called it “The turn of the tide of success.” The Battle of Kings Mountain, which was fought on October 7th, 1780, was an important American victory during the Revolutionary War.
It was the first major patriot victory to occur after the British invasion of Charleston, South Carolina, in May of 1780. The Kings Mountain National Military Park preserves the site of this important battle.
It Was The Patriots Vs. The Tories At Kings Mountain
A force of 1,800 backcountry or “Overmountain” men defeated a force of 1,000 Tories at King’s Mountain on October 7, 1780.
According to British commander Henry Clinton, the American victory “proved the first Link of a Chain of Evils that followed each other in regular succession until they at last ended in the total loss of America.”
Kings Mountain marked the first major American victory following the British invasion in Charleston that took place 6 months earlier. This pivotal battle destroyed a significant section of Lord Cornwallis’ army and halted the British advance into North Carolina.
Things To See & Do At Kings Mountain
Believe it or not, most of the battles/skirmishes of the Revolutionary War actually took place in South Carolina. At Kings Mountain, you can learn about an hour-long battle which changed the course of the Revolutionary War.
I recommend beginning your adventure at the Visitor Center. There you will be treated to a 26-minute film, which provides a historical overview of the battle and its importance.
There’s also an exhibit area where you will learn more about why the battle happened, who the Overmountain Men were and how the outcome of this battle helped to change the course of the war.
Then, when you feel like you’ve had enough indoor history, there’s a 1.5 mile battlefield trail you can walk. It’s a beautiful path which takes you along the battlefield. Along the way, you’ll pass several markers for important figures from this battle.
RELATED: 12 EPIC North Carolina National Parks
Looking For More Exercise At Kings Mountain
If the battlefield trail is not a good enough workout for you then there are three backcountry hiking trails offering 16 additional miles of outdoor adventures.
- Park Loop Trail – This 16-mile loop trail goes through both parks. Plan on spending a full day hiking this trail.
- Browns Mountain Trail – This 2.5-mile trail leads from the visitor center to the top of Browns Mountain. This is not a loop trail. You must backtrack to get back to the visitor center. A total hike of 5 miles.
- Clarks Creek (Lake Crawford) – This 3-mile trail leads from the visitor center to Lake Crawford (located in the state park). This is not a loop trail. You must backtrack to get back to the visitor center. A total hike of 6 miles. (Source: NPS)
5. Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
Distance From Charleston: Three hours 27 minutes (212 miles) via I-26 W & I-77 N.
Stretching 330 miles through four states (Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina) the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail traces the route used by patriot militia during the pivotal Kings Mountain campaign of 1780.
You can follow the campaign by utilizing a Commemorative Motor Route which uses existing state highways marked with the distinctive trail logo, or 87 miles of walkable pathways. (Source: NPS)
Map Of National Parks Near Charleston
List Of National Parks Near Charleston
- Congaree National Park
- Cowpens National Battlefield
- Fort Sumter & Fort Moultrie National Historical Park
- Kings Mountain National Military Park
- Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
About the Folks Behind More Than Just Parks
You should probably know that we don’t just make this stuff up out of thin air. My sons have spent their entire adult lives exploring and filming America’s national parks and public lands.
As for me, I’m a retired lifelong educator and a proud dad of these two wonderful guys who are hopelessly obsessed with the national parks.
We’ve worked with the National Park Service, the Department of Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service for years creating films on important places and issues. Our work has been featured in leading publications all over the world and even some people outside of our immediate family call us experts on the national parks.
The Parks Brothers
We’re Jim Pattiz and Will Pattiz, collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers (and sometimes the Parks Brothers) and we absolutely LOVE the national parks.
Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of America’s national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an effort to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
We hope you’ll follow our journey through the parks and help us to keep them the incredible places that they are. If you’re interested in joining the adventure then sign up below!
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