Berkeley: Fort History, Wetlands and Waterways

Fort Fair Lawn preserves one of only two intact forts from the American Revolutionary War era in South Carolina. The tour follows a 1.75-mile network of trails; interpretive signs and an interpretive center complement the walk. Picnic facilities are also available. This lets you combine a visit with time to learn about the site’s history and take a break.

History at the Canal and Museum

Old Santee Canal Park commemorates the construction of the first true canal in America. The park is also home to Stony Landing House, built in 1843. For those who want to combine historical context with time outdoors, there are four miles of boardwalks through the quiet backwaters of Biggin Creek and the surrounding swamp. The house, canal history and landscape offer several different perspectives on the park, without requiring any one walk to give equal weight to every topic.

In Moncks Corner, the Berkeley County Museum presents 300 years of Berkeley County history. It does so through permanent and changing exhibits, educational programs and genealogical research resources. Admission is free. The museum has a different focus from the trails at Old Santee Canal Park: here, exhibits and research take center stage, while there, historic sites and the waterside landscape are the main attractions.

Paddling and Trails

The Berkeley Blueways network includes 31 kayak routes and more than 270 miles of paddling opportunities. One specifically named route is Quinby Creek / Huger Creek: it begins at Ralph Hamer Sr. Landing and ends at Huger Recreation Area Landing. These starting and ending points provide clear guidance when choosing a route. You can also compare paddling options with the trails as you plan: the Blueways network is geared toward kayak routes, while the Swamp Fox Passage offers opportunities for longer hikes or shorter day trips.

At about 47 miles long, the Swamp Fox Passage is the longest section of the Palmetto Trail. In Francis Marion National Forest, it crosses four ecosystems: swamps, longleaf pine forests, savannas and cypress ponds. Three access points make it possible to take either a long hike or shorter day trips. Near trail marker 43, the passage provides access to the Wadboo Creek Canoe Trail. If you want to include hiking and paddling in your travel plans, you can consider the hiking options along this section and the named canoe-trail access as different aspects of the outdoor experience.

Swamps, Wildlife and Film History

Hundreds of butterflies fly freely in a climate-controlled greenhouse at the Butterfly House. The Swamparium features fish, amphibians and reptiles native to the local swamps and waterways. The two attractions focus on different kinds of wildlife: butterflies in the greenhouse and species from the surrounding waters and swamps.

At Swamp Boat Adventures, visitors can paddle along marked routes and look for alligators, birds, turtles, water lilies and other swamp wildlife and plants. The experience is subject to conditions on site. The “Cypress Gardens: Lights, Camera, Action” attraction takes visitors to filming locations for well-known movies and TV series at Cypress Gardens and shares their film history. It adds a look at film productions and their locations to the nature-focused activities.

What experiences do you want to shape your stay?

Berkeley offers ways to plan a trip around different interests: fort history, canal and local history, hiking, paddling, and swamp and wildlife viewing. Mepkin Abbey adds tours that explain monastic life. For planning, it may help to choose your focus first: would you like to visit historic sites and exhibits, spend time on trails, or include water activities?

Discover more destinations: Goose Creek, Moncks Corner, Hanahan, St. Stephen, Jasper County, Orangeburg County, Lee County, Darlington.

View the main travel overview: South Carolina.