Old Santee Canal Park — Attraction in Moncks Corner

A little hidden gem tucked away in Moncks Corner. We found it accidentally during covid times when we were going stir crazy and needed to get away without going too far from home.

At first we only knew about their walking trails. They're really fun and have varying levels of style. They are part gravel, boardwalk and ground. The majority of the paths are wider but there is a stretch where you actually have an incline and a very narrow path. Fun for younger kids that need a little bit of a challenge.

There's a museum as well that we actually didn't know about until a couple years later because when we originally started going only the trails were open.

Fast forward to today and we realized there was a trail that we had no idea existed!! It's just left of their museum. It's got several trails to choose from Mostly flat, gravel, about 3 to 4 feet (ish) wide for almost the entire trail. There are some benches for breaks. Historical signs ti yell you little about the trail you're walking. There isn't much beyond the nature around you as far as what they're is to see, but if you want to go on a nice stroll it's a great path.

We did see deer, a small turtle and some birds. Mostly shaded, the very beginning and end of the path have the least shade but everything else is pretty much shaded. Not much of a breeze, which on the paths on the opposite side might be more likely as they are along the river... and then there are some more interior along the swamp area that don't really get any. So summer time can be a scorcher and if you don't tolerate heat the fall/ spring/ winter might be more...

I was really impressed by the .5 mile Alligator Loop/red trail - it was lined with nice signage, and the views are beautiful! Plenty of wildlife to look for. Boardwalks were a little slick, but I didn't notice any loose nails/boards like older reviews mentioned, and anywhere the boardwalk slopes, they've installed wood strips and mesh for better traction. 4 stars because after doing the red loop, I decided to go down the longer Woodland trail (green) that connects to the Canal trail (purple). These trails are not well maintained, especially Woodland, and I do not recommend a summer walk down there unless you really like the idea of whacking your way through a swamp. The first part of Woodland looks fine, but it quickly narrows to being muddy/super overgrown, and you'll get a face full of spiderwebs every 10ft unless you wave a stick around the entire time. The few planks that have been laid on the trail to help with mud are loose and you can lose balance easily. Being so miserable was my fault - I could've turned back - but I would hope for better maintenance from a park that charges $5/adult.

I do like this park, but I'm not sure if I'll return as I'd like to get my money's worth of trails. If I do come back, I'll stay on the shorter loops that are closer to the buildings, and take time to go in the museum (it didn't appear to be open when I was there, but I didn't investigate as I was tired after the swamp-hike and wanted...

Old Sanatee Canal Park is located along the Cooper River, in quaint Monck's Corner, South Carolina.  It has 195 acres of land and boasts 4 miles of boardwalk trails that lead you from one majestic viewpoint to another, along the beautiful river and through the living swamp.  Previously the The Stoney Landing Plantation, this land holds so much rich history. The beautifully restored plantation houses surrounded by sweeping emerald lawns allow one to imagine what it might have been like to live in yesteryear.   Let's just say that suddenly a Mint Julep and a frilly dress comes to mind.

Sanatee Canal was our nation's first canal.  Construction started in 1793 primarily for the purposes of creating a more direct and safer route for the farmers to get their cotton and indigo to the Charleston harbor. (Eliza Lucas Pinckney grew the first successful crop of indigo in South Carolina in 1742.) When the railroad was eventually connected to Charleston, river travel became less attractive and the locks were retired around 1850.

Today, the park is a community gathering point and cultural center offering so much outdoor goodness.  The Interpretive Center offers many childrens classes, primarily in history and nature conservation and is a popular event destination.

Day fee is $6.00 per person and well worth it. This is a great photoshoot venue but remember to wear walking shoes as those boards can be slick and look out for...