# 10 - Santee River 1
Wilson's Landing to HWY 52
Rated: Very Strenuous
25 miles
Wilson's Landing is located on the tailrace of the Lake
Marion Dam. This is the longest paddle in the Berkeley
Blueways program. This 25-mile section of the Santee
River is best attempted by camping overnight and
making two days of the adventures. During most water
levels, there are many sandbars along the trip. There
-is an abundance of wildlife and very little sign of human
-habitation. Once on this trip, there no exit points until
-you reach HWY-52 twenty-five miles down river!
Difficulty: Very strenuous, due to distance and the potential of Class 1 riffles. Tenured paddlers only!
Distance: 25 miles. NOTE: once on the river from Wilson's Landing, there are no exit points until you reach HWY 52, twenty-five miles later!
Time: 9 - 12 hours of paddling.
Crowds: None. You'll be alone. Most of the water in this section is too shallow for boats for most of the year.
IMPORTANT: Requires staging 2 vehicles or arranging pickup.
Put In: Wilson’s Landing, 1541 Wilson Landing Road, Pineville, SC 29468.GPS: 33.448418, -80.158270 or 33°26’54.3”N, 80°09’29.8”W. PHOTO of BOAT RAMP.
Take Out: HWY 52/Santee River Bridge, 15 US 52, Salters, SC 29590. GPS: 33.497546, -79.959332 or 33°29’50.8”N, 79°57’33.7”W. PHOTO of BOAT RAMP.
Fees/Permits: None.
Current: Flows downriver in an east direction.
Tidal Influence: Extremely negligible this far up river.
Precautions: While normally not a problem for paddlers, dam water releases could inundate campsites. Call 800-925-2537 for scheduled releases.
Water Level: For this Blueway paddle trail, the Lake Marion Tailrace gauge height should be less than 32.00 with a discharge rate of less than 2,000 cubic feet per second. For gauge height, click HERE. For discharge rate, click HERE.
Weather on the Trail: Click HERE
Paddling Through History: The river was named by early English settlers after the Santee tribe, which inhabited areas of the middle part of the river. The first European contact was by a Spanish part led by Lucas Vázquez Ayllón in 1526.
So Much History Nearby: Did you know Berkeley County has more than 110 historical markers and historical points of interest? CLICK HERE to find your Adventures in History!
