Santee State Park

Cost: Adults – $3.00
SC Seniors – $1.50
Children ages 5 to 15 – $1.00
Children under 5 – Free

Note: Due to COVID-19, masks must be worn inside all buildings and restrooms.

One of the most unique settings for a state park, Santee State Park offers a variety of activities and facilities for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. The Park is located on State Park Rd off Highway #6W. The scenic road draws you into the 2,500-acre park which opened in 1949.

Santee State Park is situated on the shores of beautiful Lake Marion that has over 110,000 acres of water and has been a favorite spot for anglers from all over the United States and Canada. The catfish are trophy size and the striped bass are favorite catches in the lake. Lake Marion and its sister, Lake Moultrie, are the birthplaces for the striped bass. Other sports enthusiasts enjoy bird watching, swamp explorations, and other boating opportunities.

The Park includes a fishing pier, boat ramps, hiking trails, playgrounds, combination biking and hiking trails, launch ramps, primitive campsites,10 pier based rental cabins, 20 lakeside cabins (all with electricity and running water), a meeting facility, Wi-Fi lounge, Park store, and shelters / pavilions for picnics and family gatherings. Fisheagle Nature Adventures Boat Tours & Rental offers seasonal tours of cypress swamps with a guide for further explanations of the flora and fauna. Canoes, kayaks, and SUPs (which are, for those of us not involved in the sport, Stand Up Paddleboards) are also available for rent.

Directions to Santee State Park
Mailing Address:
251 State Park Rd
Santee, SC 29142

We will meet at the extreme west end of the park (see the map on the next page).
West Entrance Road (take to meeting location)
Latitude 33.5216, Longitude -80.5019

Meeting Location (picnic shelter area parking)
Latitude 33.5509, Longitude -80.5010

Park Office (to pay entry fee and get auto tag)
Latitude 33.5521, Longitude -80.5030

From I-95, use exit 98 (Hwy 6 / Old Number Six Hwy): Turn west onto Hwy 6 toward Elloree. After about 1.3 miles, turn right, north, onto State Park Rd (State Rd S-38-105). Continue travel to the meeting location by following the “** On State Park Rd” directions below.

From I-26, use exit 136 (Hwy 6 / Caw Caw Hwy): Turn east onto Hwy 6 toward St Matthews. Follow Hwy 6 through the towns of St Matthews (about 7.4 miles from I-26) and Elloree (about 15.3 miles from St Matthews). After about 26.3 total miles from I-26, turn left, north, onto State Park Rd (State Rd S-38-105). Continue travel to the meeting location by following the “** On State Park Rd” directions below.

** On State Park Rd: Note that State Park Rd becomes State Rd S-38-82 after the intersection with Cleveland St (which is at the park entrance). Follow State Park Rd north for a total of about 4.5 miles to the meeting location (picnic shelters on the left) or about 4.7 miles to the park office (on the right) where you can pay your entry fee and obtain your vehicle tag.

Description of Trails

Yellow Trail – Oak Pinolly Trail – 0.75 miles, rated easy
Description: This is an easy-to-walk and easy-to-follow yellow blazed loop trail through a pine forest and into a small cypress wetland. In a nice touch, however, it maintains a remote feel despite crossing directly through the park’s most heavily used area. Basically an out-and-back trail, it has a small loop at the far end that’s a great area to spot deer and an occasional fox. One point midway through the trail brims with switchcanes, ostrich ferns, and wild azaleas.

Location: On the west side of the park behind picnic shelter one (which is very close to our meeting area).

Blue Loop – Bike Trail – 7.3 miles, rated moderate (due to the length)
Description: This broad, mostly level, pine needle-covered path passes through a mixed pine and hardwood forest draped with Spanish moss and it also traverses a few upland wetlands. On the northern part of the trail (towards the lake), in several places, you will be able to glimpse the lake and its numerous cypress trees. There will be some offshoot paths that go into the woods toward the lake but follow the blue blazes to stay on the main trail. On the southern part of the trail (away from the lake), you will bike/hike over stretches of boardwalk through a thick forest. This entire trail offers a beautiful representation of the park’s flora. There are also two “shortcut” trails (the White Trail to the west and Red Trail to the east) described below that make shorter loops instead of following the full Blue Loop / Bike Trail.

Location: Begin this trail at either the west trailhead, located before the entrance to Cypress View campground on the west side of Santee State Park (near our meeting area) or at the east trailhead located across from the Limestone Trail on the east side of Santee State Park near the old swimming area on Cleveland Street.

White Trail (located inside the Blue Trail loop) – 0.33 miles, rated easy

Description: “Shortcut” when starting at the west trailhead of the Blue Loop / Bike Trail. The habitat will be the same as on the Blue Loop / Bike Trail described above. The total “shorter” loop distance is approximately 3.3 miles. To use the White Trail, from the west trailhead of the Blue Loop / Bike Trail, head eastward on either leg of the western Blue Trail to the markers for the White Trail. Turn onto and follow the White Trail until it tees into the Blue Trail and return to the west trailhead by heading westward on the Blue Trail.

Location: The White Trail is approximately 1.5 miles from the west trailhead of the Blue Loop / Bike Trail on the west side of the park. The White Trail creates a “shorter” loop when starting at the west trailhead of the Blue / Bike Trail.

Red Trail (located inside the Blue Trail loop) – 0.19 miles, rated easy

Description: “Shortcut” when starting at the east trailhead of the Blue Loop / Bike Trail. The habitat will be the same as on the Blue Loop / Bike Trail described above. The total “shorter” loop distance is approximately 3.2 miles. To use the Red Trail, from the east trailhead of the Blue Loop / Bike Trail, head westward on either leg of the eastern Blue Trail to the markers for the Red Trail. Turn onto and follow the Red Trail until it tees into the Blue Trail and return to the east trailhead by heading eastward on the Blue Trail.

Location: The Red Trail is approximately 1.5 miles from the east trailhead of the Blue Loop / Bike Trail on the east side of the park. The Red Trail creates a “shorter” loop when starting at the east trailhead of the Blue / Bike Trail.

Orange Trail – Sinkhole Pond Nature Trail – 0.75 miles, rated easy

Description: The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and fishing. The habitat is varied, from a pine forest to a swampy area and then to a near-desert area around the highlight of this trail, a limestone sinkhole pond. The pond may not be visible during dry seasons or can appear as two ponds in wet periods. A sign at the pond explains how sinkholes in the area form. There are deer trails and random footpaths, but it is recommended to stay on the main trail. Also, the elevated road just before the parking area overlooks an open and easily accessible grassy area with a small wetland and stream that empties into a small sinkhole. Many interesting plants are present, both along the road and in the lower area.

Location: On the east side of the park. Take Cleveland Street from the park entrance. Where the road splits, take Fox Squirrel Drive (the road to the right) and look for the Sinkhole Pond Nature Trail sign on the right.

Green Trail – Limestone Nature Trail – 0.75 miles, rated easy

Description: This loop trail is a sandy path passing through a mixed pine and hardwood forest that crosses and then runs adjacent to a secluded cove away from the main stem of the lake. The thick forest cover and terrain of this scenic, twisting trail may make you feel like you’re in the mountains. Take time to enjoy the wildflowers, buckeye, papaw, and wildlife including deer, rabbits, and snakes. Near the trail along the water, there are many logs and branches, waiting for someone to “roll” them to uncover the critters underneath.

Location: On the east side of the park. Take Cleveland Street from the park entrance. Where the road splits, continue on Cleveland Street (the road to the left) and look for the Limestone Nature Trail sign on the right by a picnic shelter.

Short beach on the lake near the east Boat Ramp (at the end of Fox Squirrel Drive)

Description: This short beach on the lake is composed of rocky sand and it leads to a levee that creates a small lake that drains into Lake Marion. Follow a trail across the levee to see a variety of water-side plants and walk to an open area on the opposite side of the small lake. This open area, which has picnic tables and restrooms, can also be reached by driving back to the split at Cleveland Street and taking Cleveland Street to its northern end.

Location: On the east side of the park. Take Cleveland Street from the park entrance. Where the road splits, take Fox Squirrel Drive (the road to the right) past the Primitive Camping Area. Where the road splits again, keep to the left until you reach the boat ramp. The short beach is to the west (left side when facing Lake Marion) of the boat ramp.

Dinner Suggestion:
Lone Star BBQ & Mercantile
2212 State Park Rd
Santee, SC 29142
GPS Location: Latitude 33.4957, Longitude -80.4917
Phone: (803) 854-2000

Lone Star BBQ is a buffet-style all-you-can-eat restaurant with a typical Southern barbeque menu. There is no “formal” seating and patrons just grab a place to sit at any available table.
Please note that no arrangements have currently been made for a group reservation but for those wanting to eat after our outing, there should be no problem getting in. Please let me (Dave) know if you want to try to eat there as a group. If members express enough interest, I will call to see whether Lone Star BBQ can accommodate us as a group and whether it’s possible to reserve a couple of tables for us.

Directions to Lone Star BBQ & Mercantile
From the intersection of State Park Rd and Cleveland St at the park entrance, head Southeast on State Park Rd (which will be State Rd S-38-105). After about 2.0 miles, Lone Star BBQ & Mercantile will be the group of 4 buildings on the right.