Catawba River in South Carolina

Trip Overview

My son and I started this trip at Landsford Canal State Park on a Saturday morning around 11:00 AM. Landsford is a day use park that opens at 9:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM. Keep the close time in mind if you are parking a vehicle while on the river. Landsford Canal is also know for the spectacular spider lilies that bloom in May and June.

Under river type, I chose "Quiet River", but the first mile or more can be very difficult because of the many rocks (this is where the spider lilies grow) that you are required to maneuver around. After getting past the rocks the river became slower and a little lazy with many islands.

The last mile of the paddle was somewhat more difficult due to the wind and the fact that the current was slower because we were interning the head waters of Fishing Creek Lake. When we arrived at the take out around 2:30 PM, there were a few fishermen on the banks of the river that we had to get around but this was no real problem.

The trip is best made with a water flow around 4000 CFPs. Check water flow at:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/sc/nwis/uv?site_no=02146000

Accommodations:

Day use state park at Landsford with nice restrooms.

Fees:

Landsford park charges $6.00 per day.

Directions:

Take Hwy 21 south from Rock Hill, SC. Turn right at sign for Landsford Canal State Park for the put in.

Follow Hwy 21 south from the park to the intersection of Hwy 9. Turn right on Hwy 9 and go over the bridge. Take out is on your left.