Saluda River

2019 Hiking Week 21

Downtown Columbia from the Saluda

This week I wanted to feature a great way to cool off in the South Carolina summer. Columbia has three rivers - the Saluda, and the Broad rivers which merge to form the Congaree River. When the summer heat is too hot to handle, the Saluda River is my favorite place to cool off. The water in the river comes from the bottom of Lake Murray which keeps it pretty cold even in the hottest days.

There are many ways to access the river and cool off. The easiest is to visit Saluda Shoals Park and
either kayak or tube through them. It's easy to rent the kayaks or tubes and they'll set you up with all you need. You put in at the west side of the park and then they will come pick you up at the east side of the park. It's not a far distance but it's a nice section to float down. The time will depend on how fast the water is flowing.

If you want to create your own trip, there are a few boat ramps along the river that you can put in and take out. One is across from Saluda Shoals, Hope Ferry Landing. Another is on the Irmo side of the Saluda, called the Saluda Hydro Project. People also access the river near the Riverbanks Zoo, where there are lots of rocks in the river, during normal river levels. The access to this area of the river has changed over the years so I’m not sure how easy it is to park and get in the river here. Then there are various places to access the river in downtown Columbia/West Columbia.

A group I have used to rent kayaks and provide transportation is Canoeing for Kids. They’re a non-profit organization that provides river kayaking trips for inner city and low-income kids. They have many guides during the summer and will take large groups of people on kayak trips down the Saluda River. But, you can also rent kayaks from them and they will put you in the river at Hope Ferry Landing and then you can take out at their place, a couple of miles down the river. This section of the Saluda can be a nice kayak. It’s fairly wide and has few rocks or rapids. There are a couple of sections to navigate but it’s not too bad. The only time it gets a little more difficult is if there is a dry spell and there isn’t as much water in the river. Then the flow is slower and it can take longer.
This past spring, I got to participate in a fun, unique fundraiser for Canoeing for Kids. Each May, around mid-May, the Canoeing for Kids group organizes a rafting trip on the Saluda River from their headquarters in Lexington to downtown Columbia. The power company releases extra water from the dam and this creates rapids in various places along the river.

Riverbanks Zoo Bridge

It was such a fun trip. I was surprised at how much of the riverbanks were wooded and seemly undeveloped. Many places it took me a little while to figure out where I was along the river. Also, at one point, you float past the Riverbanks Zoo, which has a zipline that goes over the river. We saw a couple of people going overhead while we passed under. There were a few sections of rapids but all the guides were familiar with the sections and we had a number of people kayaking to help us out if we needed it. I sat at the front of the raft so there were a few times that I got a face full of water but it was a hot day so it felt good. No one in our boat fell out but there were a few sections where we could jump out to swim and cool off. But the water was pretty cold coming from the dam. You can definitely feel the difference when the Saluda River merges with the Broad River and warms up. It was such a fun trip and a neat perspective on the rivers of Columbia. I highly recommend it! Also, it helps that after the rafting trip, we went back to the headquarters for a good lunch. I was starving by the end! Sorry some of the pictures aren't the best, I used a disposable waterproof camera to take photos on the trip.

Zipliner over the Saluda

Under I-26

Update 7/1/19:
This past weekend I was able to tube with a friend from the Riverbanks Zoo area to downtown Columbia. It was fun but slow. We haven't had much rain in awhile so the water was not moving very fast. Some of the river outfitters run shuttles for this section. We had my husband drop us off on Candi Lane and we walked through some woods and over the railroad tracks down to the river. The water was nice and cold. There are a few small rapids when you first put in, then the river widens and slows down. Then, once you get past the zoo, there are some more small rapids and you'll merge with the Broad River to the Congaree River. You can definitely tell when this happens because the water temperature rises. We parked near the Cayce Riverwalk and were able to take out our tubes before the Jarvis Klapman Blvd. bridge. This trip took about 3 hours and we spent a good amount of time paddling and swimming. It could have taken a lot longer. The speed will depend on the speed of the river. But next time, I will start out earlier in the day and plan to be out there for awhile. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen! It was a fun trip and a nice way to stay cool in the summer. 

There are a number of companies in Columbia that will help you get on the water. Whether it’s tubing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, or even rafting. When the weather heats up in Columbia, I turn to the many waterways we have in the area to exercise and cool off. Hope you can discover a new favorite way to enjoy our Three Rivers.

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