Cayce: Riverwalk, Trails and History

Cayce brings together trails along the water and through the forest with places where natural and regional history come to life. There is also a museum and an arts district with offerings centered on creativity and good food. This gives you a range of ways to plan your trip: longer routes and river views, wildlife watching, or historical insights. If you’re looking for a hotel in Cayce, this overview can help you match the city’s offerings with your interests for your stay.

Riverwalk, Forest Trails, and Nature

The Cayce Riverwalk stretches for 12 miles and offers views of the Congaree River. It is open daily from sunrise to sunset. At its designated length, it is on a different scale from the two named trails in Cayce: the Timmerman Trail is 3.5 miles long, and the Guignard Brickworks Trail is 2.5 miles long. Comparing the route lengths gives you a clear point of reference when deciding whether to plan your days around the Riverwalk or one of the shorter trails.

The paved Timmerman Trail runs through a forest on the outskirts of Cayce, near the intersection of I-77 and 12th Street Extension. It can be accessed from two trailheads. The trail is suitable for pedestrians, bicycles, strollers, wheelchairs, and roller skates. This makes it possible to assess the trail not only by its length but also by its intended uses.

The Guignard Brickworks Trail runs past the remains of former clay pits in the Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve. The preserve covers 627 acres and borders the Congaree River and Cayce. Its natural character includes snakes, turtles, bobcats, deer, wild boars, hawks, waterfowl, and other birds. If you’d like to combine nature and history during your stay, you’ll find both in this preserve: its wildlife and traces of its former use as a site for clay pits.

Historic Sites and Collections

The 12,000 Year History Park was the site of an 1865 Civil War battle and includes historic earthworks. Guided tours cover the Battle of Congaree Creek, 18th-century trade, and the lifeways of Native Americans. The topics range from a specific battle to the history of trade and everyday life. This makes the park a different kind of stop from the Riverwalk and trails: the focus here is on understanding the site’s history.

The Cayce Historical Museum also brings together architecture and local history. Its main building is a replica of a frontier trading post built in the area in 1765. The museum’s local artifacts cover prehistoric, colonial, antebellum, and Civil War periods, as well as the 20th and 21st centuries. A particular focus is the collection on Native American history, which includes more than 7,000 projectile points, tools, and pottery shards. The museum thus combines a broad overview of different periods with an extensive collection devoted to a specific historical topic.

Arts District and Access to the Water

The Cayce River Arts District on State Street offers art studios, craft beer, pottery classes, brunch, coffee, and live music. It complements the historic sites with offerings centered on art, dining, and music. You can consider these interests separately when planning: a visit to the museum or History Park offers a different focus from spending time in the Arts District.

Thomas A. Newman Boat Landing has a lighted area and a fishing pier. The landing is used by Jon boats, pontoons, deck boats, Zodiacs, kayaks, canoes, and other watercraft. The range of uses gives you an overview of the role water access plays in Cayce alongside its trails and historic sites.

Discover more destinations: Irmo, Pelion, West Columbia, Gaston, South Congaree, Lexington.

Go to the main travel overview: Lexington.