Congaree Kayak Tours with JK Adventure Guides in Gadsden

Gadsden, South Carolina, is home to one of the East Coast’s most distinctive paddling adventures—JK Adventure Guides’ Guided Kayak Tours through Congaree National Park. This unique park covers nearly 27,000 acres and features one of the largest intact old-growth bottomland hardwood forests in the United States. Here, waterways wind through towering loblolly pines and massive cypress knees protrude from the swampy floor, creating a landscape unlike any other in the region.

JK Adventure Guides offers immersive kayaking trips that navigate the Congaree River and its tributaries. These guided tours provide access to quiet channels and secluded groves that are difficult to reach by foot or on larger boats. Along the way, paddlers glide past ancient trees draped with Spanish moss and frequently spot wildlife such as great blue herons, river otters, and even the elusive barred owl.

What sets JK Adventure Guides apart is their deep local knowledge and commitment to safe, environmentally respectful trips. Their guides understand Congaree’s sensitive ecosystem, ensuring minimal impact while sharing insights into the forest’s history and ecology. Congaree National Park was designated a national monument in 1976 and later a national park in 2003, preserving one of the Southeast’s last major hardwood floodplain habitats.

Whether you’re a casual paddler or an outdoor enthusiast seeking a different kind of river adventure, JK Adventure Guides offers an accessible, engaging way to engage with this rare wilderness. Their guided river trips also emphasize skills development and water safety, making it an excellent option for those new to kayaking or unfamiliar with this wetland environment.

For anyone based near Columbia, or passing through South Carolina, these kayak tours are a standout way to experience a river ecosystem shaped by seasonal flooding and rich biodiversity. JK Adventure Guides brings Congaree’s towering trees and slow-moving rivers to life with every paddle stroke—making the trip more than a tour, but a passage into one of the Southeast’s hidden natural treasures.