It’s easy to miss paradise if you’re moving too fast. Kayak best way to see Edisto River

The Lowcountry is an extraordinary place, and it is filled with extraordinary places. There are beaches where children build sandcastles and the roots of sun-bleached driftwood trees hide seashell treasures. History-filled Sea Islands stretch like a necklace of emeralds surrounded by creeks where dolphins play, and a lacy spread of green marsh stretches to the horizon. Further inland, vast pinewoods hide plantation ruins, and small towns bring life to country crossroads.

Running through it all are Lowcountry rivers. From the muddy avenue of the Savannah to the slow-moving blackwater streams of the Edisto and PeeDee, they are the arteries of life and have been for millennia.

The Lowcountry can seem a true paradise on earth, but it can be easy to miss paradise if you are passing too quickly. The Edisto River is just such a place, and chances are you too have passed it by without much thought.

You may have crossed the Highway 17 bridge at Jacksonboro a hundred times, either slowing down to meet the sudden speed limit drop to 40 mph or speeding up to resume cruising north to Charleston without more than a glance at this ordinary, extraordinary river. If so, you do not know what you have been missing.

The Edisto River stretches from its headwaters near Aiken to meet the Atlantic at Edisto Island, for a waterway distance of over 300 unobstructed miles. A fallen tree or two may block passage for a kayak or jon boat near its source where springs rise from red clay uplands, but it is a river unblocked by dams or diversions.

Numerous private and state-managed boat ramps and landings offer access to adventurers along its length, including the 62-mile Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail. ERCK is a county- and volunteer-maintained passage that helps foster outdoor recreation and conserve the ecosystem of the Edisto as a valuable resource.

One of the best ways to experience this outdoor resource of the Edisto River is by canoe or kayak. The slow-moving river, with its beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife, make for a colorful palette with which to paint your own understanding of the Lowcountry. One such destination is to paddle the eight-mile stretch from T. Coke Weeks Landing near Colleton State Park near Canadys to Rumph Landing at Stokes Bridge above Ghivans Ferry State Park.

This stretch of the Edisto River is largely undeveloped and offers a generally wide passage free of fallen trees and bordered by deep swamps filled with sheltering cypress and tupelo trees. Fish jump in the river, bald eagles soar above, while songbirds fill the tree branches–especially the luminous yellow prothonotary warbler in spring. Golden sandbars provide places to take out and rest, where in summer months a nice soak in the cool river is good for the soul.

Recently, a group of friends and I kayaked this stretch of the Edisto River. Launching at the Weeks Landing on U.S. 15 across from Colleton State Park, we enjoyed a day of relaxing adventure on this most Lowcountry of rivers.

Rains had brought up the water levels to allow the occasional exploration of the swampy margins of the riverbank, and a small island about midway down provided the only choice of direction for navigation. Very few river homes line the banks of this portion of the Edisto, and aside from a few friendly anglers and a handful of other kayakers, we had the river to ourselves.

As distant clouds rumbled with late summer rain, we arrived at the take-out, refreshed, happy and thankful that such a place as the Edisto River exists and for the small army of citizens who work hard to keep it so.

Spending time on an ordinary, extraordinary river is not a bad way to spend a day.

Getting there

The Edisto River from T. Coke Weeks Landing and Rumph Landing is little more than an hour from the Beaufort County area. Weeks Landing is a public ramp managed by SCDNR and is open from sunrise to sunset all year.

To get there, take U.S. 17 north from Gardens Corner to S.C. 303 toward Walterboro. In Walterboro, turn right onto U.S. 15 north through town. At approximately 12 miles, you will arrive at Weeks Landing, where you will turn left. Rumph Landing at Stokes Bridge is approximately 10 minutes downstream by car, down S.C. 61.

Rumph Landing is privately owned but open to the public. Please respect the rules and property at both locations and show courtesy to others.

For this trip, multiple vehicles are required to shuttle between landings. For the best experience, you may wish to engage a local outfitter such as Carolina Heritage Outfitters or join in with one of several kayak and canoe clubs in the area. The river here is relatively easy to navigate, and paddlers of all skill-level will enjoy it.

For more information, go to dnr.sc.gov, southcarolinaparks.com, or the Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail site at ercktrail.org.