Congaree National Park attracted over 204,000 visitors in 2022, generating approximately $11.8 million in local spending and supporting 138 jobs, according to a recent National Park Service (NPS) report. This is the second year in a row that Congaree has attracted over 200,000 visitors.
That translates to an economic impact of over $14.2 million for the Columbia metro area.
Located about 30 minutes from the heart of downtown Columbia, Congaree National Park is home to the largest remaining old-growth bottomland forest in the US, and the biggest tree east of the Mississippi.
The national data shows park visitors spent $23.9 billion within 60 miles of a national park, bolstering the US economy by $50.3 billion.
