Surprised off Interstate 95

South Carolina’s Santee State Park

By Sandra Scott

Charles Kuralt, the journalist famous for his “On the Road” CBS segments said, “Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything.”

The interstate has made it possible to travel longer distances faster and most of us would not have it any other way. However, there are a plethora of wonderful surprises waiting to be discovered by those who take the time to travel more leisurely. On our trip down Interstate 95 in South Carolina my husband and I decided to ignore the ubiquitous chain hotels that have sprouted up where interstates intersect. Just a few miles from Exit 98 we discovered a world away from the whizzing, stressful super highway. It was a wonderful place to slow down, relax, and stay for a couple nights.

Santee State Park sits on the shore of Lake Marion, the largest lake in South Carolina, known for excellent fishing and abundant wildlife. The lake was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero, General Francis Marion, dubbed the Swamp Fox. A canal connects Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie, an equally popular destination. After checking in at the registration office we took the time to explore the small museum that explains the history of the area including the formation of the lake created over 60 years ago by damming up the river.

Santee State Park offers both camping and cabins. We bypassed the on-shore cabins nestled under the trees and opted for one of the cabins on the water. They are literally on the water. Two long piers each hold five multi-sided modern cabins making it an excellent place to tie up a boat. Our two-bedroom cabin was completely furnished, with both heat and air-conditioning, plus linens, basic cooking and eating utensils, a coffee maker, microwave and TV. It only took a few minutes to get settled. Soon we were sitting outside at the picnic table eating our lunch. The fast-paced world seemed eons away. We ate silently watching the blue heron fly from one vantage point to another looking for the perfect catch for his lunch. We could see the fish jumping every once in a while so we knew there were plenty of fish for the heron to chose from. The skies were gray. Rain seemed to be in our future and that was a good thing because the water level of the lake was very low due to the extended drought.

The park has three nature trails one seven-mile bike trail. We decided to explore the Sink Hole Trail, which was only one-half mile, before it rained. The nature center and the interpretive sign at the trailhead explained the formation of sink holes. There is a new sinkhole forming next to the parking area. The hike was easy and sublime through a varied habitat with birds flitting around. The limestone sinkhole at the trail’s end is large and water filled. It had a very primordial look. We made it back to the car just before the light drizzle began.

The next day we headed to the mall town of Elloree, five miles away. Founded in 1886, the name is a Native America word that means “the home that I love.” The main street has been restored to an early 1900s look. Elloree did not just happen. It was the plan of one man, William J. Snider. Snider went to Charleston as a young man to learn the mercantile business and returned to the Elloree after the Civil War to open his own store. Besides the country store, Snider added a ginnery, grist mill, saw mill, and large farm to his holdings. In fact, he owned practically all of the land that the town now covers. His businesses prospered and the town grew. An American success story. The biggest surprise was the museum located on the main street. Entered through a store the museum is infinitely more impressive than it first appears. Visitors are greeted by the life-size, talking mannequin of Mr. Snider. The extensive museum follows the development of the town.

We returned to the cabin in time to see our neighbor proudly showing off his big – and I mean big – catfish. However, it wasn’t close to the record. Lake Marion catfish have been known to reach 50 pounds. And state-fishing record for largemouth bass came from the lake – a whopping 16.2 pounds. Extending typical southern hospitality, our neighbor invited us to a catfish dinner but we had already decided to eat at the highly touted Lone Star Barbecue and Mercantile.

We had passed Lone Star on the way to the park but took little notice. The restaurant was closed and it looked like a couple abandoned primitive buildings. Imagine our surprise when we drove up and people were funneling in like it was the only eatery around. It is not but it certainly is the most popular. The owner merged three old cabins forming the restaurant and a museum-like mercantile. Entering we found ourselves in a. country store from yesteryear with everything from rag dolls to pop guns. But it is the all-you-can-eat buffet featuring good old southern cooking that is the Lone Star’s claim to fame.

It was with sadness that we packed up the next morning to continue our journey but we were thankful we had discovered this wonderful little gem. There is so much to do off Exit 98! We regretted not having time to take the Fisheagle Swamp Tour through the cypress forest. The area is popular with fishermen and golfers. There are 15 courses in the vicinity. We would have liked to visit the Santee Indian Mound constructed more than 800 years ago, and Fort Watson used by the British during the Revolution to control movement on the Santee River as well as the main road between Charleston and Camden.

Before we left we decided to commune with nature one last time before heading out onto the “wild” interstate so we hiked the Oak Pinolly Nature Trail. Refreshed we were ready to tackle the “real” world vowing to make Santee our stop the next time we needed a place to stop on Interstate 95.

We were so impressed with Santee State Park we checked out the Hunting Island State Park. That is a “must-do” on our next trip. Located on an island next to Hilton Head it has an awesome beach, cabins, trails, lighthouse, and more. State Parks in South Carolina and in other states are more than a place to camp. State Parks offer an excellent option to staying in a motel where the experience is usually the same from location to location. For more information on all South Carolina’s state parks check www.southcarolinaparks.com.

Link: www.travellady.com/Destinations/southcarolina.htm – Santee
www.travellady.com/Special/outdoors.htm