Paddle the Lumber River, North Carolina & South Carolina, USA
WHAT MAKES THIS AREA UNIQUE?
If you live in northeast USA and have a hard time saying goodbye to summer, this water trail is God's gift to you! The winding cyprus channels of the northern Lumber River give rookie canoeists inescapable navigation practice, and the sleepy snake of iced-tea riverway as the Lumber nears the Peedee will test your newly built muscles and gift you with plenty of swimming and galumphing opportunities. Camp under a family of oak and pine trees, or bask on the aptly named white sugar-sand beaches for which the Lumber is famous.
WHAT YOU’LL SEE: Deciduous and evergreen forest, blackwater swamp, sandhills, coastal plain, cyprus, Spanish moss, beaver, lizard, snake, many varieties of waterfowl.
WATER FEATURES: Flatwater swamp and river.
BEST TIME TO PADDLE: September-October
ROUTE OPTIONS:
Y Day Trip
Y Weekend Trip
Y 4 to 7-Day Trip
N 7 to 14-Day Trip
N Loop Trip
Y Shuttle Service Nearby
POTENTIAL HAZARDS: Unmaintained northern sections of the river pose risk of strainers in spring and at flood stage; fire ants; snakes; camping becomes extremely limited or impossible at high water levels.
WHERE TO FIND MAPS/CHARTS: usgs.gov
PERMITS REQUIRED? No.
PETS ALLOWED? Yes, rules apply.
LUMBER RIVER 7-DAY ITINERARY: 68 MILES TOTAL
Day 1
Drive to Willoughby Road River Access and unload.
Shuttle trailer to Gallivants Ferry.
Put on the river at Willoughby Road, paddle 4.8 miles to established campsite at Piney Island.
Day 2
Paddle about 15 miles to scout camp after Princess Ann.
Day 3
Paddle about 10 miles to scout camp after Fair Bluff
Day 4
Paddle about 15 miles to scout camp river left on sand bar after the old railroad bridge.
Day 5
Solo day
Day 6
Paddle about 13 miles to scout camp on Little Pee Dee, after SC 917.
Day 7
Paddle about 10 miles to your trailer at Gallivants Ferry.
Notes
Choose an alternate river if water levels are high. During fall hurricane season and spring floods, finding scout camping is nearly impossible because this ecosystem is mostly swamp.
Beware of fire ants when collecting or sitting on dry logs, and on sand beaches. Fire ant bites have caused anaphylactic shock in some individuals.
INFORMATION
Lumber River State Park, 910-628-4564
OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THIS AREA
Fishing.