Lake Marion is in Clarendon County. Santee National Wildlife Refuge is located on its north shore. The Dingle Pond Unit has a distinctive landscape: it consists mainly of a 420-acre Carolina Bay and is designated as a natural area for public use. At the refuge, visitors can fish on Lake Marion from the shore or from a boat—two different perspectives on the same body of water.
Trails and waterscapes
For those interested in longer trails, the Lake Marion Passage offers a clearly described route: the trail is 34.5 miles long, rated moderate, and follows the flood line along the north side of Lake Marion between Santee and Mill Creek County Park. Camping is permitted on the Passage.
The Pocotaligo Nature Walk offers a different scale. Its approximately one-mile boardwalk leads through Pocotaligo Swamp. The site also includes a historic interpretive marker, a picnic area and a covered area. The two trails are quite different: one is a long, moderately rated passage where camping is permitted; the other is a short boardwalk through the swamp with additional places to spend time.
Taw Caw Park also combines water and outdoor recreation. The 36-acre recreation area is on Taw Caw Creek at Lake Marion. Amenities include fishing piers, a boat landing and a boardwalk, as well as picnic shelters, picnic tables, grills and a playground. In Summerton, the John C Land, III Boating and Sports Facility is one of the many boat ramps and landings in Clarendon County. Conditions at the facility may vary; check its current status before your visit.
Traces of history
The Santee Indian Mound-Fort Watson Historic Site includes a mound more than 1,200 years old. During the American Revolutionary War, a British garrison was based there and was later captured by American troops under General Francis Marion. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Historical interpretive panels about Fort Watson explain the battle and the use of siege towers during the American Revolution.
Another episode from the Revolutionary era is associated with Nelson’s Ferry: the battle there is connected to Francis Marion’s rescue of 150 prisoners in August 1780. A very different, much later story concerns a church in Clarendon County. Under the leadership of Reverend Richburg, it became an important meeting place for the desegregation movement in the late 1940s and early 1950s; the case Briggs v. Elliott emerged from this movement.
Six of the more than 20 murals on the Swamp Fox Trail in Clarendon County are in Summerton. The murals depict General Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox,” fighting the British in 1780–1781. Each tells a story from the American Revolution associated with the Southern Campaigns.
In Manning, the Manning Commercial Historic District is an intact group of architecturally significant buildings. It is associated with the city’s administrative and commercial growth as the county seat of Clarendon County from about 1890 to 1958. The annual Striped Bass Festival in downtown Manning features a parade, rides, vendors and a street dance. If you plan to attend the festival, check the event dates.
Performances and golf
Weldon Auditorium hosts musical and theatrical performances. The venue also has a loggia, a Hall of Fame and an art gallery. As event dates may vary, check the calendar before planning a visit.
Golf adds to the range of activities around Lake Marion. The Players Course at Wyboo is an 18-hole golf course on the lake’s shore. Wyboo Golf Club is a Tom Jackson Signature Course.
More destinations
Discover more destinations: Manning, Summerton, Dillon County, Union County, Clay County, Williamsburg County, Lexington, Newberry County.
To the main travel overview: South Carolina.
