Top Five SC State Parks for Canoeing or Kayaking
The three-mile canoe/kayak trail at Goodale State Park is one of the state's best kept secrets. Just outside of Camden and a short drive from Columbia lies Goodale State Park, where you can rent a canoe or kayak and enjoy the day paddling this trail as a great blue heron glides by or an alligator lazily watches you from the nearby shoreline. Its a paddle that you are sure to enjoy!
Colleton State Park is home to the Edisto Riverfest and provides awesome access to 
the popular blackwater Edisto River. It is the beginning point to a 21-mile paddle downstream to Givhans Ferry State Park the ending point to your two-park Edisto River journey. These two parks are located along this paddlers paradise and make for one of the best (if not the best) blackwater paddles anywhere! Bring your own boat and enjoy.
Kayaking on the coast anyone? Look no further than Hunting Island State Park near Beaufort. Attend one of the kayaking workshops offered if you're a novice, bring your own kayak or work with a local outfitter to have them drop off a boat for you. You'll enjoy paddling around in the park's saltwater lagoon, where you'll be delighted by the birds and other wildlife that abound. It's surely a different kind of paddle being along the SC coast.
Located on the Catawba River, Landsford Canal State Park is located on a fall line, which in
paddling means some whitewater rapids and added difficulty! These normally Class I rapids can increase to Class II or III depending on water flow, so make sure you're careful and check water levels. You can put your canoe or kayak in at the park -- although the park does not have rentals on a regular basis. During lily season, in May and June, you can paddle amongst the beautiful Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies that populate the river and cover it in a blanket of white. It is truly a sight to behold.
The deep, clear waters of Lake Jocassee make an awesome place to canoe or kayak for beginners and advanced paddlers alike. Enjoy Jocassee’s uncrowded setting and spectacular scenery, such as waterfalls cascading into the lake off steep, wooded slopes. Bring your own canoe or kayak or rent one from a local outfitter. Paddling Lake Jocassee will be an unforgettable experience in the South Carolina Blue Ridge.