Trips and launch sites

The Wateree River Blue Trail offers excellent paddling opportunities for day and overnight trips. A trip starting below Lake Wateree Dam at the Lugoff Landing to the Highway 1 Landing will take 2 to 5 hours depending on your ability level, water levels, weather conditions, and other activities you may enjoy such as swimming, picnicking, or fishing.

Warning! The Highway 1 Landing is the last public landing before the Highway 378 Landing, 44 miles downstream. If you continue past the Highway 1 Landing be prepared to camp at least one night. The following is a brief description of the 2 public landings you can use for day trips near Camden on the Wateree River Blue Trail

Lugoff Landing: Located immediatly below Lake Wateree Dam. The landing is maintained by Duke Power Company and is located in close proximity to the City of Camden. This landing is the reccomended starting point on the Wateree River Blue Trail. It is an easy day trip to the Highway 1 Landing and is suitable beginners.

Highway 1 Landing: Located on river right at the Highway 1/601 bridge, this is the reccomended takeout for paddlers enjoying a day trip on the Wateree River Blue Trail. This is the last public landing or takeout for 44 miles.

Overnight trips are popular on the Wateree River Blue Trail. Below the Highway 1 Landing paddlers will enjoy a true wilderness experience. Most paddlers can make the trip from Camden to the 378 bridge in 2 days of hard paddling, but the trip can be extended to 3 to 4 days. Paddlers often use the numerous sandbars to camp below Camden, but beware of fluctuating river levels due to precipitation and upstream hydropower operations. If you camp on a sandbar, camp as high on the sandbar as possible and tie down your boat.

The reccomended last takeout on the Wateree River Blue Trail is located at the Highway 601 Landing on the Congaree River. The 601 Landing is also the end of the Congaree River Blue Trail. Warning! the 601 Landing is approximately 2 miles upstream of the Wateree River and Congaree River confluence. After the confluence, paddlers must head upstream for 2 miles to the takeout. There are several other takeout options below the confluence including Pack's Landing on the Santee River and Low Falls landing in the headwaters of Lake Marion. These takeouts are only reccomended for paddlers familar with the area or for those with advanced skills with GPS.