Santee Coastal Reserve SC Boardwalk info, photos, and video from near McClellanville

Santee Coastal Reserve boardwalk SC

Santee Coastal Reserve boardwalk SC
Santee Coastal Reserve in South Carolina is comprised of a 25,000-acre Wildlife Management Area reserve that features trails and a wooden boardwalk that goes out into a freshwater swamp for viewing. It also includes two barrier islands that are accessible only by watercraft. There are no fees to enter the SCDNR controlled area.

Santee Coastal Reserve SC swamp small
This is the view from the end of the boardwalk overlooking the swamp. There is bench seating at the end to kick back and take it all in. This is a great place for birding early in the mornings if you are one to venture out that time of day.

Great egret swamp tree small

I have personally have spotted Wood storks, Tricolored Heron, Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Black-Necked Stilts, Anhinga and many more at this location.

Warning!! In the summer mosquitoes are DEET resistant so cover up. Also there are plenty of snakes around the trails and alligators in the swamp.

gator head green marsh SC
This alligator, along with 5 of his buddies, were floating just below the boardwalk.

Santee Coastal Reserve Fees: None

Directions:
From Georgetown SC, go south on US 17 for 15 miles (one mile after the second bridge which is the South Santee River) and take the left onto Santee Road (S-857). Travel 1.3 miles and turn left onto Santee Gun Club Road just after Lillypond Mission Baptist Church. The trailhead with map stand is 3 miles down Santee Gun Club Road on the right.

Days and Hours of Operation:
7 days a week daylight to dusk. A few areas are closed during a few hunting seasons.

Camping:
Camping in a few areas is allowed in the Santee Coastal Reserve with a permit from the reserve office.

More Information: Santee Coastal Reserve, P.O. Box 37, McClellanville, SC 29458, Telephone: 1-843-546-8665.


The video above was taken at the end of the Santee Coastal Reserve boardwalk trail on the opening end of the swamp in September 2015.

One thought on “Santee Coastal Reserve SC Boardwalk info, photos, and video from near McClellanville

  1. The Santee Coastal Reserve is beautiful but in the Summer but the bugs are viscous. Use the strongest DEET you can buy. Watch out for all the snakes as I stepped on a Copperhead when there with my daughter last year. It bit my pants leg. Totally my fault as I was looking out for birds.

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