Santee Coastal Reserve

Historic Charleston & Resort Islands

This 24,000-acre reserve is a Wildlife Management Area that includes two barrier islands accessible only by boat, several marked trails and a boardwalk into a freshwater swamp. Free daily use cards are required and can be picked up at the entrance to the Reserve.

All service roads can be used for hiking and biking. Some trails have been marked with colored trail markers. The Cape Trail (yellow) is a 4.7 mile trail through old rice field impoundments. The Marshland Trail (orange) consists of a 1.9-mile trail with an 800-foot boardwalk into a freshwater cypress swamp. The Woodland Trail (blue) is a 2.3-mile trail through pine forests. The Eldorado Trail (purple) is a 1.6-mile trail through pine forests leading past the old Eldorado plantation ruins. The Ormand Hall Trail (red) is a 6.2 mile trail leading through all of the habitats mentioned above. The Big Well trail (green) is a 1.7 mile trail starting at the boat dock leading through marshland at the South Santee River.

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