The stretch of river between Bates Bridge Landing (at the intersection of Hwy 601 and the Congaree River) and Lake Marion is one of our favorites and our most frequently traveled. Even with the bridge construction at the put-in dragging on, there is plenty of room to park and set your boat in the water. This is a popular boat launch for small motor boats, so it is usually kept in good working shape. Do be careful if you park here because the entire parking area is low-lying and prone to flooding when the Congaree runs high.
Once you get on the water, you will slip under the Hwy 601 bridge.
After about 10 miles, the current starts to die down as you enter the swamp and mouth of Lake Marion. You can look on either side of the river and see the river turning into a swamp. From here on out, if you want to move, you have to paddle. The train bridge across the northeast tip of Lake Marion comes at around mile 13.
There are three excellent take-outs for this run down the river. The first landing is Low Falls Landing, which is the landing we used for this specific trip (because it was pouring rain!). From the water, you have to be on the lookout, or you can miss this one. After you pass under the train bridge, keep your eyes on the right side of the river. There is a cut-through that you will need to take to get off of the river and over to the landing. If you miss it, your day just got a lot longer!
Here is a map of the route
The second takeout is known as Stumphole Landing. It is probably four miles downstream from Low Falls on the right side of the lake. It is easy to see and has good parking.
The last takeout we recommend is Poplar Creek. This landing is in the same cove as the state park with a total trip distance of about 22 miles. This is definitely our favorite take-out. Poplar Creek is a privately owned landing and you have to pay $3 to park, but it does have some conveniences like a bathroom and a small store to refuel after a long day of paddling. From the water, you will see the state park cabins on the water. Pull into that cove and keep curling around to the right and you will find Poplar Creek Landing. We will get a map to Poplar Creek soon.
***You can also take a left just before the train bridge (there is a channel that runs parallel to the bridge) and takeout or camp at Elliott’s Landing. It is a decent campground with a store and showers. The people there are very nice.
After 3 hours of paddling through several downpours, we were glad we chose the shortest route for this trip. I don’t recommend any paddling trip in the rain, but on a good day this is a great trip for anyone looking for a very manageable distance and effort level. With three different distance options, you can decide how hard you want to work. If you choose either of the longer trips, keep in mind that you will be on the lake and the waters can get a bit choppy, but are usually manageable.
Name: Congaree / Santee River - 2/1/2014
Activity type: Canoe
Description: 601 to Low Falls Landing
Total distance: 24.76 km (15.4 mi)
Total time: 3:02:40
Moving time: 2:57:20
Average speed: 8.13 km/h (5.1 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 8.38 km/h (5.2 mi/h)
Max speed: 10.91 km/h (6.8 mi/h)
Average pace: 7:23 min/km (11:53 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 7:10 min/km (11:32 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 5:30 min/km (8:51 min/mi)
Activity type: Canoe
Description: 601 to Low Falls Landing
Total distance: 24.76 km (15.4 mi)
Total time: 3:02:40
Moving time: 2:57:20
Average speed: 8.13 km/h (5.1 mi/h)
Average moving speed: 8.38 km/h (5.2 mi/h)
Max speed: 10.91 km/h (6.8 mi/h)
Average pace: 7:23 min/km (11:53 min/mi)
Average moving pace: 7:10 min/km (11:32 min/mi)
Fastest pace: 5:30 min/km (8:51 min/mi)
