# 1 Santee Canal: N. Lake Moultrie Trail — Rated: Moderate, 6.4 Miles

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Summary: With its inception in 1796, the Santee Canal offers a lot for the keen history buff. One of the engineers was none other than General George Washington! The original canal was 22 miles in length, but after Lake Moultrie was formed, there remains a beautiful 2.5-mile section of the canal.

Difficulty: Moderate, due to crossing open water

Distance: 6.4 miles, round-trip

Time: 3- 4 hours, minimum

Crowds: Very light; could see boaters/anglers. Almost guaranteed not to see anyone else in the canal.

Boat Type: Kayaks or canoes 12 feet or longer. Paddle boards are not recommended.

Put In / Take Out: Angel’s Landing Marina, 1556 Viper Road, Pineville, SC 29468, 800-315-3087. GPS: 33.381196, -80.091654 or 33°22’52.3”N, 80°05’30.0

Fees/Permits: $5.00 parking fee (as of late 2018)

Current: Negligible, generally south direction

Tidal Influence: None

Precautions: Winds above 10 MPH can be tough for a paddler on Lake Moultrie. There is a lot of open water for wind to intensify and cause waves/whitecaps. There are hundreds of tree stumps just inches below the water’s surface. These can flip a paddler if a boat gets wedged on top. Tip: these stumps can usually be seen with polarized sunglasses.