Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park

Awesome trail with a wild surprise! Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park is one of my favorite spots to run. The trail is smooth, scenic, and perfect for a peaceful workout or walk. You get a mix of nature, water views, and history all in one place. What made my last visit unforgettable? I spotted a real alligator swimming along the canal! Totally unexpected and a reminder that you’re in nature’s backyard. Don’t worry—it kept its distance, but it definitely made the experience exciting! Highly recommend this park if you’re in Columbia—whether you’re a runner, a walker, or just looking to enjoy a bit of wildlife in the city. 📍Trail: Clean & wide 🌳 Scenery: Green, peaceful, with water views 🐊 Bonus: Surprise gator sighting!

This is a beautiful spot to get outside and enjoy some fresh air! Whether you’re walking along the Congaree River or riding bikes, the path offers stunning views as it runs between the river and the canal. The towering trees and peaceful scenery make it a really enjoyable place to spend time. We visited in the evening and noticed it can get a bit busy with families, but there’s still plenty of space to spread out. There’s also a small workout area for adults if you want to add a little exercise to your walk, and bathrooms are conveniently located before you cross the bridge to the main path. It’s a well-maintained park with plenty to offer, and we’d highly recommend it if you’re looking for a relaxing walk, bike ride, or just a quiet spot to enjoy nature.

Nice place to stop by good for a walk , bike or a run. The view on both sides is peaceful with water flowing on its way. Lots of benches to relax or read a book. They have hammock stand just bring you hammock and enjoy the water sound or take a nap. They have clean restrooms available. Plenty of parking space.

Its a beautiful peaceful walk along the river. We saw Blue herons, turtles and the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily ( a rare species not to be picked). Beautiful and relaxing.

Fanatics place for walking, jogging or leisurely sitting by the river. May hear water flowing through the river. Can enjoy serenity and beauty of nature. If lucky, you may see gators as well. You can even have your meal there. Must visit place if you live nearby.

My family is new-ish to Columbia, from Charleston SC & my youngest son & I love to discover new places outdoors & basically any outdoors activities as well. We have been adventuring & discovering Columbia & just stumbled onto Columbia Canal & Riverfront Park. What a GEM!!! The pictures we saw on Google, gave the park no justice! Now I know to look for photos in the reviews. It was so refreshing to see the photos everyone posted! So I came to share the ones I snapped Sunday evening. I hope you enjoy! And if you've never been to this park, I guarantee you will LOVE its charm. I also met the park ranger, who was very kind!

I absolutely love Riverfront Park, it's arguably my favorite non-sports related attraction in Columbia. I've ben coming to Riverfront Park since I was a high schooler going to cross country practice, and now that I'm an "adult," I come here to walk my dog and partake in a nice "Sunday stroll." It's a great place to catch up with friends, or spend some much-needed alone time in nature. There's so many great views of the river, and if you're lucky, you might even see an alligator lazing on the riverbed. All-in-all, 5/5 stars for Riverfront Park, a timeless jewel on the banks of the Congaree River!

Beautiful park. Love the water house, since my nephew is into Mario Brothers, he enjoyed the waterwork pipes with all the dials and keys.