Dedicated on June 2nd, 2007, the 50 mile Congaree River Blue Trail (CRBT) starts near Columbia and runs to Hwy 601 near St. Matthews. Paddlers will pass through the Fall Line and enter the Coastal Plain known for its countless sandbars, high bluffs, and extensive floodplains. The highlight of the trail is the section along the Congaree National park, a protected wilderness that is home to the largest tract of old growth bottom-land hardwood forests in the U.S.
The Congaree River is vibrant corridor for wildlife and provides excellent opportunities to view common and not so common wildlife anywhere along the river. This includes deer, raccoons, snakes, wild pigs, turtles, turkeys and more. It is home to endangered species including the shortnose sturgeon, a fish that migrates from coastal waters to spawn in the Congaree near Columbia. Bald Eagles often visit the river as well.