Access & Boating Edisto River

Recreational Boating

The Edisto River Basin supports a variety of recreational boating opportunities. These range from paddling the narrow, winding, tree-clogged upper reaches to motoring the intracoastal waterway and sea kayaking the salt marshes. In between, one can find canoes, kayaks, small and large fishing boats, ski boats, and jet skis. Over 250 miles of the Edisto River system were classified as superior resources of statewide or greater significance for flatwater boating and backcountry boating in the 1988 South Carolina Rivers Assessment.

Edisto Access Sites -- See below, scroll down for a list of boat landings and other access sites by county and river sections. The list provides river mileage to help with trip planning. A large map shows geographic details and locations.

Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail(link is external) is a 56-mile trail on the main stem of the Edisto River. Found along the trail are two of South Carolina's state parks: Colleton and Givhan's Ferry. Both offer camping and picnicking. The Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Trail Commission (ERCK) has information about the trail on line at - http://www.edistoriver.org/. See also SCTrails.net(link is external).

Aiken State Park - Natural Area(link is external) has a canoe trail on the South Fork of the Edisto River near Aiken. For more information go to SCTrails.net(link is external).

North Fork Edisto Blueway is a 34-mile water trail in Orangeburg County and online information can be found at SCTrails.net(link is external).

SCTrails.net(link is external) - See this website for information about the water trails listed in this section - http://www.sctrails.net/trails/ALLTRAILS/WaterTrails/WATERTRAILS.html

Francis Beidler Forest(link is external) is a National Audubon Society Sanctuary in Four Hole Swamp with a braided-riverine bottomland-hardwood swamp reported to contain the largest old-growth stand of tupelo-cypress in the United States. The 15,000-acre sanctuary supports a large variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians and many rare plants. Call them at (843) 462-2150 or go to their web site - http://beidlerforest.audubon.org/

ACE Basin(link is external) is a region of exceptional natural diversity within the coastal areas of the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Rivers of South Carolina. The Nature Conservancy has called the ACE Basin one of the "last great places.” See SCTrails.net for water trails in Colleton County/ACE Basin(link is external). See ACE Basin Visit(link is external) - http://www.acebasin.net/visit.html

Edisto Access Sites

Below is a list of places (landings, parks, and preserves) that provide access to the waters of the Edisto River Basin. Two lists are provided to describe the location of access sites to waters of the Edisto River system, which are used by the public. Many sites on the list are public boat landings free for public use. There are several sites listed here that are parks or private-access areas where user/entrance fees may be required.

The first list presents access sites by their county and river locations.

The second list presents the access sites by river systems, listing the sites from upstream to downstream locations with river mileage (RM) figures provided for most sites; also described are the upstream and downstream river endings.

Click here to see Map of Edisto River Access Sites - (Map is very large be patient)

Edisto Access Sites by County and River ~ ~ ~ ~

Aiken County - South Fork Edisto River

Highway 21 Landing (at Road 21 bridge, east of Aiken)
Aiken State Park / Natural Area (at Road 53 bridge)
Road 53 Landing (bridge at Aiken State Park)
Keadle Bridge Landing (at Road 22 bridge, near Barnwell Cnty line)
Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve (off Road 22)
Harrison High Pond Heritage Preserve (on Hwy 39, near Monetta)

Bamberg County - South Fork Edisto River

Claude’s Landing (end of Road 365 off Road 49, near Sweden)
Bobcat Landing (at Hwy 301/601 bridge, north of Bamberg)
Brabham’s Landing at Cannon Bridge (Road 20/39 bridge, east of Bamberg)

Bamberg County - Edisto River, main stem

Zig Zag Landing (end of Road 434 off Hwy 61 near Farrell Crossroads)
Hwy 21 (private landing at Hwy 21, Sandy Island Bridge)
Highway 39 Landing (at Hwy 39 bridge, near Springfield)

Charleston County - Edisto River, main stem

Martin’s Landing (off Road 38, north of Parkers Ferry)
Penny Creek Landing (2.5 miles up creek, east from Edisto R; at end of Road 1448)
Willtown Bluff Landing (end of Road 55, west of Adams Run)

Charleston County – Coastal Waters, Edisto River watershed

Live Oak Landing (Big Bay Creek at Edisto Beach State Park)
Edisto Beach State Park at Atlantic Ocean (off Hwy 174)
Dawhoo River Landing (at Hwy 174 bridge, Edisto Isl.)
Steamboat Creek Landing (end of Road 968 off Hwy 174, Edisto Isl.)
Toogoodoo Creek Landing (end of Road 636 off Hwy 162, SW of Ravenel)
Cherry Point Landing (on Bohicket Creek at Rockville)
ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge (off Hwy 174, Edisto Isl.)
Dungannon Heritage Preserve (on Road 162, east of Hollywood)
Deveaux Bank Heritage Preserve (mouth of North Edisto)

Colleton County - Edisto River, main stem

Colleton State Park (at Hwy 15 bridge)
Mars Old Field Landing (off Hwy 61, west of Givhans Ferry State Park)
Good Hope Landing (off Road 91 east of Cottageville)
Long Creek Landing (off Road 91 just above Hwy 17-A, east of Cottageville)
Jellico’s Landing (private landing at Hwy 17-A bridge)
Sullivan’s Ferry Landing (just below Hwy 17-A, west bank of river)
Lowndes Landing (Lowndes Landing Rd, SE of Cottageville)
West Bank Landing (off Road 30, south of Jacksonboro/Hwy 17)
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area (off Road 26 near Bennetts Point)
ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve (at Bennetts Point)

Dorchester County - Edisto River, main stem

GP Landing (private dirt ramp off Road 695, Edisto River Rd)
Weeks Landing (at Hwy 15 bridge, near Canadys & Colleton State Park)
Givhans Ferry State Park (at Hwy 61 bridge)
Messervy Landing (off Road 162, below Givhans Ferry State Park)

Dorchester County - Four Hole Swamp

Francis Beidler Forest (on Road 28, Sanctuary Road, near Harleyville)

Orangeburg County - North Fork Edisto River

Pooles Mill Landing (at Hwy 3 bridge, near Lexington Cnty line)
Jones Bridge Landing (at Hwy 394 bridge, near North)
Carson Park Landing (at Hwy 321 bridge, near North)
Slab Landing (at Road 73 bridge, near Wolfton)
Baughman Landing at Schillings Bridge (Road 74 bridge, west of Orangeburg)
Edisto Memorial Gardens Park in Orangeburg
Orangeburg Landing (in park below Hwy 301/601 bridge)
Livingston Landing (off Road 49, south of Orangeburg near fish hatchery)
Pou’s Landing (off Road 49, south of Orangeburg beyond fish hatchery)
Rowe’s Bridge Landing (at Road 39 bridge, near Rowesville)
Kill Kare Landing (off Road 63, west of Branchville)

Orangeburg County - South Fork Edisto River

Hog Pen Landing (below Hwy 3 bridge, near Springfield)
Ness Bridge Landing (at Hwy 70 bridge, near Finland, west of Cope)

Access Sites by River with River Mileage ~ ~ ~ ~

(RM = River Miles (approximate) from mouth of river)

North Fork Edisto River

RM-86 – Upstream end of North Fork (near Steedman)
RM-62 -- Pooles Mill Landing (at Hwy 3 bridge, near Lexington Cnty line)
RM-55 -- Jones Bridge Landing (at Hwy 394 bridge, near North)
RM-52 -- Carson Park Landing (at Hwy 321 bridge, near North)
RM-46 -- Slab Landing (at Road 73 bridge, near Wolfton)
RM-36 -- Baughman Landing at Schillings Bridge (Road 74 bridge, west of Orangeburg)
RM-28 -- Edisto Memorial Gardens Park in Orangeburg
RM-27 -- Orangeburg Landing (in park below Hwy 301/601 bridge)
RM-18 -- Livingston Landing (off Road 49, south of Orangeburg near fish hatchery)
RM-15 -- Pou’s Landing (off Road 49, south of Orangeburg beyond fish hatchery)
RM-12 -- Rowe’s Bridge Landing (at Road 39 bridge, near Rowesville)
RM-1 -- Kill Kare Landing (off Road 63, west of Branchville)
RM-0 – End at confluence of North and South Forks near Branchville

South Fork Edisto River

RM-104 – Upstream end of South Fork (near Johnston)
RM-78 -- Highway 21 Landing (at Road 21, Cooks Bridge, east of Aiken)
RM-68 -- Aiken State Park / Natural Area (at Road 53 bridge)
RM-68 -- Road 53 Landing (bridge at Aiken State Park)
RM-59 -- Keadle Bridge Landing (at Road 22 bridge, near Barnwell Cnty line)
RM-51 -- Highway 39 Landing (at Hwy 39 bridge, NE of Williston, near Springfield)
RM-47 -- Hog Pen Landing (below Hwy 3 bridge, near Springfield)
RM-30 -- Claude’s Landing (end of Road 365 off Road 49, near Sweden)
RM-27 -- Ness Bridge Landing (at Hwy 70 bridge, near Finland, west of Cope)
RM-19 -- Bobcat Landing (at Hwy 301/601 bridge, north of Bamberg)
RM-12 -- Brabham’s Landing (at Cannon Bridge, Road 20/39 east of Bamberg)
RM-0 – End at confluence of North and South Forks near Branchville

Four Hole Swamp (no river mileage)

Francis Beidler Forest (Sanctuary of the National Audubon Society)

Edisto River, main stem

RM-119 – Upstream end of Edisto (at confluence of North and South Forks, near Branchville)
RM-114 -- Zig Zag Landing (end of Road 434 off Hwy 61 near Farrell Crossroads)
RM-105 -- Hwy 21 (private landing at Hwy 21, Sandy Island Bridge)
RM-91 -- GP Landing (private dirt ramp off Road 695, Edisto River Rd)
RM-83 -- Colleton State Park (at Hwy 15 bridge)
RM-83 -- Weeks Landing (at Hwy 15 bridge, near Canadys & Colleton State Park)
RM-74 -- Stokes Bridge (private ramp at Road 21/29 bridge)
RM-66 -- Mars Old Field Landing (off Hwy 61, west of Givhans Ferry State Park)
RM-60 -- Givhans Ferry State Park (at Hwy 61 bridge)
RM-57 -- Messervy Landing (off Road 162, below Givhans Ferry State Park)
RM-53 -- Good Hope Landing (off Road 91 east of Cottageville)
RM-50 -- Long Creek Landing (off Road 91 just above Hwy 17-A, east of Cottageville)
RM-49 -- Jellico’s Landing (private landing at Hwy 17-A bridge)
RM-48 -- Sullivan’s Ferry Landing (just below Hwy 17-A, west bank of river)
RM-43 -- Lowndes Landing (Lowndes Landing Rd, SE of Cottageville)
RM-40 -- Martin’s Landing (off Road 38, north of Parkers Ferry)
RM-31 -- West Bank Landing (off Road 30, two miles south of Jacksonboro/Hwy 17)
RM-29 -- Penny Creek (landing is 2.5 miles up creek, east from Edisto R; at end of Road 1448)
RM-25 -- Willtown Bluff Landing (end of Road 55, west of Adams Run)
RM-0 – End at Atlantic Ocean at Edisto Beach

Coastal Waters, Edisto River watershed (no river mileage)

Live Oak Landing (Big Bay Creek at Edisto Beach State Park)
Edisto Beach State Park at Atlantic Ocean
Dawhoo River Landing (at Hwy 174 bridge, Edisto Isl.)
Steamboat Creek Landing (end of Road 968 off Hwy 174, Edisto Isl.)
Toogoodoo Creek Landing (end of Road 636 off Hwy 162, SW of Ravenel)
Cherry Point Landing (on Bohicket Creek at Rockville)