About this guide

Dear Traveler,

Welcome to the Wateree River Blue Trail. South Carolina has been shaped by its rivers. So dominant are rivers to its history, economy, and health that entire regions of South Carolina are known by the rivers that course through them. Today, South Carolina’s rivers remain a vital resource.

The Wateree River is one the state's most precious resources. This guide will help you explore this gem and the area’s unique history, rich wildlife, and special natural and cultural places. It also provides important information on safety that should be reviewed before your adventure and used along with the Wateree River Blue Trail Map.

There is much to discover along the Wateree River Blue Trail. Starting near Camden, the oldest inland city in South Carolina, the blue trail offers paddlers opportunities to learn about the area’s rich history along its rocky shoals.

Continuing downstream, paddlers cross the fall line and enter the coastal plain known for its countless sandbars, high bluffs, and extensive floodplain. The Wateree River Blue Trail offers one of the best opportunities for multiple overnight trips east of the Mississippi River. Due to its extensive floodplain there is little development in the river corridor. It’s possible to paddle for days without seeing a soul.

Congaree National Park, a protected wilderness that’s home to the largest continuous tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in the U.S. The park boasts 90 tree species, roughly half the number found in Europe. The section along the Wateree River Blue Trail is the newest addition to Congaree National Park and offers paddlers opportunities to discover State and National Champion Trees.

The Wateree River Blue Trail is in an early stage of development. As support for this blue trail grows so too will recreational opportunities and a strong conservation ethic among its visitors. By connecting South Carolina communities with their rivers, blue trails enable residents and visitors to rediscover the benefits of their rivers. Blue trails like the Wateree will help ignite recognition that these rivers not only provide a great place for recreation, but are places worth protecting.

Sincerely,

Partners of the Wateree River Blue Trail:

American Rivers
City of Camden
Congaree Land Trust
Congaree National Park
Friends of Congaree Swamp
Kershaw County
Richland County Conservation Commission
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Sumter County
Kershaw County Historical Society
Kershaw Conservation District